Tradition of
Engagement Ring Begins The history of diamond engagement rings is as special as the diamond itself. In 1477, Mary of Burgundy became the first known recipient of a diamond engagement ring given to her by the Archduke Maximilian of Austria. He had given his bride-to-be a diamond engagement ring to grace her finger and announce their betrothal and it was this momentous event that the history and tradition of giving the engagement ring to profess one’s love begins. Initially, diamonds as engagement rings were only reserved for royalty and the wealthy. It was only until approximately 1870 when diamonds were discovered in South African mines that the practice of giving an engagement ring was common practice as the discovery made diamonds much more accessible and affordable to the general public. In the 18th and 19th centuries, coloured gemstones were very popular choices for engagement rings instead. The ‘solitaire’ diamond setting was only introduced much later in the 18th and 19th centuries. This style became popular immediately and has remained one of the most timeless engagement rings to this day. Worn on the third finger of a woman’s left hand, where it is said that the vein would lead straight to her heart, the enduring legacy of the diamond engagement ring tradition dates back to ancient Greeks, who believed that this finger contained the vena amoris, or vein of love.
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