engagement ring

An engagement ring is a ring given as a token of betrothal. Historically, the custom of giving a ring to a betrothed woman began with the ancient Romans, who viewed it as a legal agreement to marry. Initially, this was not a romantic gesture but a public declaration that the woman was spoken for. Roman women of higher status also received a gold ring for public display, sometimes inscribed with terms of endearment.12

The tradition evolved over centuries. The Roman Catholic Church integrated the ring into marriage ceremonies in the 12th century, potentially separating the engagement ring from the wedding band. During the Renaissance, diamonds began to be incorporated into engagement rings, with the first recorded diamond engagement ring commissioned in 1477. By the 19th and 20th centuries, particularly after the discovery of diamonds in South Africa and a significant advertising campaign by De Beers, diamonds became the standard for engagement rings across social classes.2