The Engagement Ring

The betrothal or engagement ring has for centuries symbolized the promise of a future together, sealed with the giving and accepting of a ring. In the early days of “Marriage by Purchase”, the betrothal ring served two purposes, a partial payment for the bride and as well a symbol of the groom’s good intentions. Rings featuring gem stones were popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. Often, the first letter of the stones within the setting spelled out the name of the giver or a word, such as “dearest” (diamond, emerald, amethyst, ruby, epidote, sapphire, turquoise). There was also a ring known as the “Gimmal Ring”. This three part ring had two clasped hands on it. During the engagement, one part of the ring was worn by the bride, one part by the groom and the third by a witness. It was reunited as the bride’s wedding ring, on the day of their marriage. The tradition of using diamonds in engagement rings, the first choice among brides today, can be traced to Medieval Italy (around 1477), where because of its beauty and its hardness, was chosen to stand for enduring love.

This entry was posted on March 4, 2010 at 16:21 and is filed under Traditions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.

| Print