Across sundry countries and cultures, if there’s one thing that’s almost as ubiquitous as marriage, it’s the gifting of an engagement ring to the bride-to be. It’s a tradition that can be traced back more than 2,000 years, with the ancient Romans slipping betrothal rings on to the fingers of their prospective spouses, more to ensure they weren’t gazumped by a passing legionnaire than out of any genuinely romantic impulse. In fact, it wasn’t until the 15th century that any true sentiment surfaced, when both English and French beaus began presenting their beloveds with ‘posie’ rings – gold bands adorned with amorous entreaties.
Diamonds, however, made their debut later still. It wasn’t actually until well into the 20th century that a demure damsel could expect her dainty digit to be multi-carat-clad as proof positive of her intended’s intentions. Following De Beers’ famous 1947 slogan “Diamonds are Forever”, the celebrity engagement rings of that era – from Mia Farrow’s 9-carat pear-shaped diamond ring to Elizabeth Taylor’s 29.4-carat emerald-cut diamond solitaire – fuelled the fantasies of even the least avaricious brides-to-be and are now the stuff of legend.
Indeed, it has taken a further 70 years for ring-mounted rocks to become a little passé in the ostentatious wooing stakes. More contemporary couplings now require nothing less than the likes of halo settings, multi-stone effects and the finest gems fancily cut. Appropriately enough in the digital age, it’s now fair to say that every bride-to-be is definitely free to set her own ring tone.
Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay