It seems that the giving of engagement rings is a tradition that dates back approximately 5,000 years to the time of the ancient Egyptians. According to history and lore, it was around that time when the concept of the circle and the fact that it has no beginning and no end was first associated with the idea of eternal love. As a result, today we still think of these precursors to wedding rings as being a suitable symbol to express love, devotion, and commitment.
Long ago, when the Roman Empire reached its high point, a young man would pledge to a young lady his intention to marry her by offering her a ring. By accepting this ring, the maid was entering into a legal contract; by wearing it, she showed that she was promised in marriage and no longer available to any other man who might have been interested in her.
In these olden times, engagement rings were made out of any available metal, which was most often iron. Building on these long-held traditions, today's rings used for proposing marriage are now items of fine jewelry and are usually forged from the precious metals of yellow gold, white gold, platinum, or silver. They are even embellished with sparking diamonds.
There are a lot of different styles of diamond engagement rings available today. These include everything from plain and simple rings to those that are big and glitzy. Given that there is an extensive range of different ring styles available for purchase, it is no exaggeration to say that there is an engagement ring for every individual, whatever their preference and finances may be.
The simplest engagement rings are plain metal with no jewels, often made of sterling silver. These unadorned bands can serve as wedding rings as well, which may be the preferred choice for couples who are looking to economize or who have a taste for simple jewelry.
And, while many people find simple and basic the elegant and desirable choice, the fact is that most bands and rings are embellished with jewels or engravings. Gold set with diamonds is the most popular choice. The band can have one diamond, a solitaire, or have multiple diamonds. When the ring has multiple diamonds, then they are often arranged with the largest stone in the middle or arranged in a row and set into a groove.
Nowadays, a lot of couples are choosing platinum. Platinum diamond rings cost much more than the more traditional silver and gold, putting platinum outside of many couple's price range.
There is no question that a man who is in love and ready to propose can spend an awful lot of money on the perfect ring. But, for most women, the most important thing about engagement rings is not how expensive they are but the sentiment behind the ring and proposal. With the right ingredients in the relationship, the cost of the ring will have very little bearing on the success of the marriage.
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