History of the Diamond Engagement Ring

The First Diamond Engagement Ring

In 1477, the first documented diamond engagement ring was given by the Archduke Maximilian of Austria to his soon to be wife Mary Duchess of Burgundy.

However. it was not until the discovery of diamonds in South Africa in 1866 that diamonds were more available for engagement rings. Even then, only aristocrats and nobles were able to afford them, but as the production of the diamond mines increased, the ability to give and receive a diamond engagement ring became more common.

“A Diamond is Forever”

During the Great Depression, the demand for diamonds dropped as well as diamond prices. DeBeers Consolidated Mines Ltd., hired an advertising agency to help recreate the demand and desire to own diamonds, and in 1947 one of the most recognizable ad campaigns “A Diamond is Forever” was created by copywriter Mary Frances Gerety, linking diamonds and love.

The “A Diamond is Forever” campaign focused on the diamond engagement ring and made diamonds synonymous with love and inspired the world to make diamonds the most popular engagement ring gemstone. So, what is the connection between diamonds and love? Diamonds not only reflect and refract light like no other stone, but are the hardest natural substance known to man. The durability of a diamond is unmatched by any other gemstone, and can last forever, therefore it is the perfect gemstone to represent forever love.

Engagement Rings Today

Recent surveys indicate diamonds are the gemstone in almost 70% of all engagement rings sold. Diamonds come in many different shapes, but the 2 most popular shapes set in engagement rings are the round brilliant cut, and princess cut, and although the diamond is important, 86% of brides say the ring’s overall design is the most important.

Since most people wear their engagement ring every day, protecting the diamond or diamonds is important, and the industry recommends having your engagement ring professionally cleaned, polished, and inspected every six months or at least once a year.

Fine Jewelry Diamond Gemstone Rings Restored by My Jewelers

The master jewelers at MyJewelryRepair.com can perform the care and maintenance services needed to keep your engagement ring looking as beautiful as it did the day you received it.

For more information regarding our diamond ring repair services, please visit our Diamond Ring Repair page.