Diamonds are a girl’s best friend 

She lifts her hand to brush her hair from her face and a fossilised lump of coal gleams from the fourth finger of her left hand. Anyone today would know that the diamond ring on this woman’s finger symbolises that she is engaged to be married. But have you ever wondered where this tradition began? 

A long history of engagement rings

In ancient Rome, engaged couples would wear betrothal or truth rings. The ring would be worn on the third finger of the left hand, in the belief that the vein in this finger led directly to the heart. 

Later on, in the Middle Ages, it became customary to wear a gimmal or bond ring. The ring was made of two or three loops, set with precious gems like sapphires, rubies and emeralds. The man and woman would each wear one half of the ring and rebond it when they were married. 

A diamond is forever

The practice of giving one’s bride a diamond ring allegedly has precedent with the Archduke Maximillian of Hamburg, who gave his bride a diamond betrothal ring in 1477. 

However, the tradition only really took off with a marketing campaign run by De Beers Consolidated Mines with the slogan: “A Diamond is Forever”. Public sentiment was sealed when Marilyn Monroe sang “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” in a movie of the same time. 

The engagement ring has a long history. However, it is only in the 20th century that the diamond ring has come to symbolise the commitment to marry. Today, almost four-fifths of all engagement rings bought are set with diamonds.