Diamonds: What You Don't Know

When we think of diamonds, we think of where it has come. Today, these rocks have become a universal symbol of love, but what facts don't you know about them? Let's have a look at some of the lesser-known things about diamonds that you may find fascinating.

Ancient Egyptian Roots

The history of using wedding bands dates back to ancient Egypt where they would braid hemp or reeds to make a wedding band. The reason that they chose the ring finger on the left hand came into play during the Roman times from 27 BCE to 476 CE. They chose this finger because a vein within the finger existed called the vena amoris. The Romans believed that this vein ran from the finger to the heart.

The Diamond Ring First Enters the Market

Using a diamond ring didn't become popular until 1477. That's the first documented case that we have of the use of this material for a ring. During the first documented case, Archduke Maximillian of Austria made a proposal to Mary of Burgundy, and he used this ring because of how it provided a shining example of his wealth around the wonderful court of Vienna. Even when she had a full plate of suitors, she chose Archduke Maximilian over all the others.

Before this point, two lovers might give each other a ring that they have engraved with their names on it. Sometimes, people have mistakenly attributed diamonds with the Queen of England and that she began this trend. However, it goes back much, much further than that. These diamond rings were bought almost exclusively by the upper class, and you couldn't find too many other people who would buy them because they didn't have the funding available for it. Fast-forward to today, and now almost everyone gets a diamond ring.

Coming to the Public

Around the 1860s, these diamonds stopped being as exclusive as what they once were. That's because they discovered them along the south bank of the Orange River in South Africa. As this became more widely available, the prices of the diamonds dropped. Throughout World War I up until World War II, a noticeable decline in the use of diamonds became evident. This largely came because of the great financial hits that occurred right up through one of the worst times in America's history—the Great Depression. Diamonds almost looked like they would die a slow and agonizing death during this time because no one believed that they would continue to be popular. Things greatly changed, however.

Resuscitating the Popularity of Diamonds

Interest in diamonds collapsed right through the Great Depression. Most people didn't view it as a necessary and only believed the rich needed diamonds. That changed when public perception of these diamonds shifted. The industry realized that if they were going to save the diamonds, they would first have to get them associated with something strongly emotional. Through a highly successful marketing campaign, they learned that this was love and marriage, and they used that as the opening to sell more of this naturally-occurring mineral to people. Through many magazines, they linked diamonds with fashionable trends and ideas. The rest became a part of the history of diamonds.

In today's world, 80 percent of the proposals around the world involve a diamond ring. However, you have people who have also chosen to do it in other ways. Queen Victoria gives us one example of someone who chose an 18-carat gold, serpent engagement ring. This may sound like an unusual choice, but back in the Roman era, they believed that this was a symbol for everlasting love. You can't go wrong with a diamond ring, and they have become a classic pick for weddings. A lot of people prefer this choice because of how it shows a commitment of love between two individuals.