Diamond Ring as Symbols - History of the Diamond Ring

Diamonds are strong and durable.  That's why a diamond ring is the perfect symbol of your lifetime relationship.  It's beauty is unmatched by other jewels and it is considered the ultimate gift of love.  Diamonds have been sought and cherished throughout the ages because they are indestructible and so perfectly symbolize the eternal nature of  relationships. This ring will be an important emotional investment, to celebrate your special love. You'll want to find a diamond ring that suits your taste and budget as well. 

Diamonds have been a lure for mankind for thousands of years.  Ancient civilizations like the Romans and the Greeks said they were slithers from falling stars.  These societies believed diamonds could ward off bad luck, and they wore them as talismans, to increase sexual potency and attraction.  Some early philosophers speculated that diamonds were living beings from higher dimensions, and worshipped them as gods or placed the diamonds strategically in icons to honor them. 

After the Roman and Greek empires were replaced by Islamic hegemony over much of Europe and the Middle East, diamonds remained attractive, because of their ease of transportability and ready conversion into local currencies in case local conditions demanded you flee. 

Right through the Renaissance Period, diamonds continued to hold a fascination for Western civilizations with magical properties attributed to them. The craftsmen who set the diamonds into jewelry, such as rings, necklaces, and crowns became important members of royal entourages, who believed, along with earlier cultures, that they conferred upon the wearer special powers and authority. 

European royalty started the tradition of giving diamond rings in the 14th century, to signify the promise of marriage.  This custom might have developed from the belief that Cupid's arrows had diamond tips that captured the heart of the beloved. Also, from as far back as Roman times, diamonds were said to have magical properties, so the giving of a diamond ring may have also been an attempt to gain particular favor from the forces of Fate. 

Later the tradition was said to ensure the purity and longevity of the love between the couple, and became a mandatory part of the ritual that surrounds marriage. 

The early craftsmen lacked the skills of today's craftsmen and the settings for the diamonds failed to display the beauty of these much-loved gems.  Also, until the discovery of diamonds in South Africa in the late 1800's, the quality was poor, quantities were limited, and the craftsmanship required to cut and polish the stones was lacking.  Additionally, the equipment necessary for diamond cutting had not been developed, so diamonds were not easy to procure.

Following discoveries of vast diamond deposits on the African continent in 1868, and the increasing availability of sophisticated machinery to cut the diamonds in a way that enhanced their brilliance, the stones have become more widely available.

Additionally, craftsmen and designers improved the settings so that the gems were put on display on the wearer's finger, neck or ear in a more attractive way.  These filigree creations, using gold, platinum and silver were made in ways that enhanced the stone's fiery qualities. 

The tradition of placing the ring on the fourth finger of the left hand to denote marriage or engagement, goes back as far as Egyptian times. It was believed by the Pharaohs that a vein of love ran from this finger to the heart.