Diamond Engagement Rings, Diamonds and Fine Wedding Jewelry - Perfect Diamonds

Diamond engagement rings can be traced back to 1215 AD when there was a waiting period between engagement and marriage. Initially, plain bands of silver, gold and even iron were used.

Engagement Rings are gifts

Diamond engagement rings in the United States are considered conditional gifts under legal rules of property, in that, when accepted by the woman as an agreement to be married. If later the wedding is called off by the woman it is to be returned to the man. If the man calls off the wedding the engagement ring can be treated as an unconditional gift, and is kept by the recipient.

The idea that gifts can not be taken back includes this exception as in Meyer vs. Metnick (Michigan, 2001) found that an engagement ring as a condition gift. Thus there is a need for determination as to who broke off the engagement, in order to find to whom the engagement ring would legally belong to.

traditions in the Western world

An engagement ring is worn by a woman on the third (ring) finger of her left hand, signifying that she is engaged to be married. The ring is usually presented by a man upon a proposal of marriage, and worn by the woman after she accepts his proposal. It signifies the agreement to marry, and is usually worn along with the wedding band (on the same finger) for the duration of the woman's life or the marriage, whichever ends first.

The tradition of the engagement ring can be traced back as far as Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The Ancient Romans held the belief that the Vena Amoris (Latin for "vein of love") was located in the ring finger of the left hand. It was believed that this vein ran directly from the finger to the heart. The circle of the engagement ring was also believed to represent the eternal bond of love, a romantic notion that is still largely believed even today.

The design and material of the engagement ring has changed quite a bit through the years. While in ancient times an engagement band was fashioned out of hemp, rope, or even lead (in Ancient Rome) and usually did not contain gemstones, today we traditionally see engagement rings fashioned out of precious metals such as platinum or gold, holding a single set stone, which is most commonly a diamond.

a diamond engagement ring is a reflection of the love felt between two people

Diamond engagement rings most commonly come with solitaire settings, and come in a variety of diamond shapes, such as pear, round, princess, heart, marquis, and oval.

Each shape showcases the brilliance of a diamond in a different way, and adds to the individuality of the piece. More often, you will find that diamond engagement rings are set with more than one stone, and even side stones.

Diamond Engagement Rings customized to various Designs

Diamonds and other Gemstones

It is however, becoming more and more common to see engagement rings that either contain another type of gemstone besides a diamond, or contain other colored gemstones with a diamond. You often see solitaire set emeralds, rubies, sapphires, black diamonds, or any of these stones set with smaller surrounding diamonds. This represents the taste and individuality of the woman who wears the ring, and often makes for a quite unique and beautiful engagement ring to wear.

Diamond engagement rings (or any engagement ring containing other precious gems) are a representation of a promise of eternal love and devotion. The possibilities in designs of engagement rings are endless, and should be chosen with care to reflect the woman's taste, style, and personality. After all, she will be wearing her diamond engagement ring for a very long time to come.

 

  Copyright 2006 - 2008 Elsa Jewelry - Designer Diamond Engagement Rings - Diamonds & Fine Wedding Jewelry - Long Island, New York