The Beginning of the Ring as We Know It

Accessed on 1/22/2007
Diamonds are the beginning and the end of it all. A ring proclaims your engagement and another ring proclaims your marriage. When a diamond ring actually became a symbol of marriage is still a mystery. Where the idea came from or the custom started will probably never be known. We do know that traditionally in ancient Rome many brides were a band of iron to symbolize their eternal love. Over many centuries the wedding ring became a tradition in the western world. The meaning of a ring became a message of love and faith. The ring designs evolved into gems and were gold based. The ring originally was distributed before the ceremony and other times during the ceremony.

The idea of having an engagement ring and a wedding band came from the 18th century in England. Through time, styles and designs were changed countless times. Even the ring finger of the bride has changed constantly. The ring itself was the only consistent tradition. It became obvious that a woman had plans to marry her loved one soon, or had married her loved one.

An engagement ring opened the floodgates for marriage in ancient times. In Rome, during the third century, a typical engagement ring was made of iron, bronze, or brass. It symbolized that a bride had entered her husband’s home and shared in all of his possessions. Some engagement rings actually contained keys on the actual ring. These rings opened various things such as a jewelry box. The style kept its appeal for centuries in different parts of Europe. This was typically understood as a symbol of responsibility and trust. The key that came attached on the engagement ring was even mentioned in the ceremony of the wedding by the father of the bride.


Contributing Abazias Diamonds Staff Writer


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