Engagement ring

Later the privilege of wearing gold rings was extended to other public officials, then to the knights, later to all freeborn, and finally under Justinian, to freedmen.

[13][14]The mid-7th century Visigothic Code required "that when the ceremony of betrothal has been performed ... and the ring shall have been given or accepted as a pledge, although nothing may have been committed to writing, the promise shall, under no circumstances, be broken.

"[15][16] In 860 AD, Pope Nicholas I wrote a letter to Boris I of Bulgaria in reply to questions regarding differences between Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox practices.

[citation needed] The first well-documented use of a diamond ring to signify engagement was by the Archduke Maximilian of Austria in the imperial court of Vienna in 1477, upon his betrothal to Mary of Burgundy.

[citation needed] In the United States, the popularity of diamond engagement rings declined after World War I, even more so than after the onset of the Great Depression.

[29] In 1938, the diamond cartel De Beers began a marketing campaign that would have a major impact on engagement rings.

[35] This rule of law was especially important for many women who had been sexually intimate with the fiancé, but were socially expected to be virgins in a new marriage, therefore lost "market value".

[36][37] In the 20th century, if he could afford it, the typical Western groom privately selected and purchased an engagement ring, which he then presented to his desired bride when he proposed marriage.

The jewellery may be chosen to honor a family tradition, to use family heirlooms, to have an unusual style, to have socially responsible characteristics (e.g., a style that is not associated with blood diamond controversy or the pollution caused by gold mining and cyanide process), to fit the individual's stylistic preferences, or to manage cost.

[citation needed] The idea that a man should spend a significant fraction of his annual income for an engagement ring originated from De Beers marketing materials in the mid-20th century in an effort to increase the sale of diamonds.

[31] Couples that spend less money on engagement rings and the wedding ceremony tend to have longer marriages and a lower risk of divorce.

[31] One reason for the increased popularity of expensive engagement rings is its relationship to human sexuality and the woman's marriage prospects.

[42] In the United States, until the Great Depression, a man who broke off a marriage engagement could be sued for breach of promise.

[42] The online purchase of engagement rings is growing, disrupting the market for the diamonds by bringing greater transparency to an industry that has traditionally relied on opacity.

Online diamond retailers and e-commerce platforms include Blue Nile, Brilliant Earth, and Costco.

The three diamonds on the ring are typically said to represent the couple's past, present, and future, but other people give religious significance to the arrangement.

[citation needed] After the wedding, the bride may choose to have the two pieces welded together, to increase convenience and reduce the likelihood of losing one of the rings.

[citation needed] In North America and the United Kingdom, it is customarily worn on the left hand ring finger.

[citation needed] In Poland and Turkey, the engagement ring and wedding band are traditionally worn on the right hand but modern practice varies considerably.

[citation needed] Tradition generally holds that if the betrothal fails because the man himself breaks off the engagement, the woman is not obliged to return the ring.

A ring offered in the form of a Christmas present is likely to remain the personal property of the recipient in the event of a breakup.

[49] One case in New South Wales, Australia ended in the man suing his former fiancée because she threw the ring away, after he told her she could keep it even though the marriage plans had fallen through.

The Supreme Court of New South Wales held that, despite what the man said, the ring remained a conditional gift (partly because his saying that she could keep it reflected his desire to salvage the relationship) and she was ordered to pay him its A$15,250 cost.

This presumption may be rebutted however by proving that the ring was given on condition (express or implied) that it must be returned if the marriage did not take place, for whatever reason.

[citation needed] In Argentina, it is also known for the groom and bride-to-be to wear a plain silver band on the left hand while engaged.

[citation needed] Traditionally, women in the British Isles may propose marriage to men during a leap year.

[citation needed] Women proposing has become more common in recent years, to the point that some jewellery companies have started manufacturing men's engagement rings.

The vibrant beads symbolize cultural identity and heritage, and they celebrate the couple's union in a way that honors the nation's rich artistic traditions.

[56] Engagement rings in India are often part of elaborate jewelry sets exchanged during traditional ceremonies.

This reflects Japan's cultural preference for simplicity and craftsmanship, with couples often choosing rings that prioritize subtlety and elegance.