Engagement Surprise
Often everyone in the friendship group knows what’s about to happen. Even the father and mother of the bride have been asked for permission, except only the young bride who knows nothing of what’s been planned behind her back.
It’s usually the surprise of the decade. The young man kneels before his planned bride to be and pulls out a ring to slip onto the finger of the young lady he has lost his heart to. He asks for her hand in marriage, promises undying love and friendship and waits for an answer from the love of his life.
“Yes, she says with tears in her eyes, YES, YES, YES… I will marry you.”
This is often an accepted practice, but where does it come from? And where does the idea of an engagement ring originate from?
History of the Engagement Ring
In ancient Egypt, it was believed that the circle symbolised eternity. Married couples would exchange rings made of reeds and wear them on their left ring-finger as this finger was believed to have a “vein of love” coming directly from the heart.
Around about the 2nd century, ancient Romans had the custom of giving the bride an iron ring to wear at home indicating legal ownership of the wife, but during festivals or other events, the wife would wear a more elaborate type of wedding band.
It is believed that back in 1477 an Archduke Maximillian of Austria started a change in this tradition and added a diamond to a wedding band creating an engagement ring for Mary of Burgundy, his wife-to-be. This high-profile engagement and the news of a special ring being made for the engagement started a new jewellery fashion among the nobility and the elite of Europe.
During the more elaborate Victorian Era, the engagement ring was becoming a diamond ring mixed with various gems, precious stones and enamels. Many times these rings were very creative in capturing the shapes of flowers. Back then these flower-type engagement rings even had a nickname. “The Posey Ring”.
Since then the engagement ring has gone through many trends, but one of the biggest changes is that today, the idea of the ring symbolizing ownership has been long forgotten and the engagement ring has become a promise of undying love from a man to his bride.
Your Engagement Ring
Make an appointment at Francois Jewellers to come and discuss your plans and ideas and allow us to start sketching, planning and designing your unique engagement ring with diamonds, or other gemstones, or a mix of a few.
Caring for Your Engagement Ring
In general, jewellery should be put on after applying makeup. This prevents cosmetic powder or lipstick and other cosmetics from smudging or dulling the shine of your unique Engagement Ring. Mechanical jewellery cleaners or ultrasonic cleaners should not be used unless your jeweller at Francois’ Jewellers assures you of its safety.
Mild soap is usually sufficient to clean your engagement ring and then a soft felt-free cloth can be used to shine by rubbing gently.
Please feel free to drop off your jewellery items at Francois Jewellers for a quick polish before your big event if you are unsure of how to clean your engagement ring.
Click here to view our range of Engagement Rings.
