Diamonds on engagement rings?

[catherleen]

Is it mandatory to have diamonds on your engagement rings? Can't any other stone replace the diamonds? I don't believe that diamonds are mandatory on engagement rings. One can have any gemstone of her liking on the ring. But i do prefer diamonds to any other stone because diamonds symbolise an unbreakable bond and nothing can convey the message of togetherness for an entire lifetime better than the diamonds. It is not the size of the diamond that matters to me but it is the promise that one makes through a diamond engagement ring that is significant! What do you think about this? Would you want a fancy engagement ring with some other gemstones or would you want to have diamond on it?

[JoyLuann]

I feel that if it is something your FH (or yourself) has picked out - that's all that matters....whether it be diamonds or another gem stone it's all about you and your personal taste.

[bsarahd]

My cousin had picked out a peridot center stone with two small diamonds on the side...it's whatever makes you happy :)

[weddinggirl]

I wanted diamonds!!! I waited 5 years for that ring and he wasn't getting away without giving me some diamonds lol. Diamonds are my best friend though and he knows that they are my favorite thing ever!!!

[kobfield2007]

You get what you like. Diamonds aren't a neccesity. My SIL wants an emerald in platinum. (Not that she'll ever get it b/c her boy-f's a loser.) But it's what you like and want.

[kirstenh]

My e-ring is sapphire with diamonds flanking it. I like sapphires, so that's what I picked out. Diamond engagement rings were not common at all until the 30's or 40's when DeBeers started their marketing campaign and convinced people that diamond engagement rings were necessary.

[SoonToBeWed]

I have three stones on my ring. The middle stone is a diamond, the other two are amethyst (DH birthstone). This was my DH creation.

[JohnandBrandie08]

I think any ring can be an engagement ring. There is no rule that says it has to have a diamond. I think it depends on your personality and what you like.....

[Eloise1984]

It's traditional to have a diamond, but there's nothing stopping you from having a ruby, emerald, zirconia or any other stone. You don't even need to have a stone at all, you can have a plain band, no band at all, or even an engagement necklace or bangle (I've seen this done). I also know of people that had aplain band for their engagement ring, and used the same ring for the wedding band. There's nothing set in stone (excuse the pun), so you're largely free to do what you like.

[abbyneb]

an engagement ring can be whatever you like, pearls, gems, no stones at all even. my ring has 3 blue topaz stones (FH birthstone) and 6 smaller diamonds (my birthstone). :)

[rosiec]

This was posted by someone else before:

All throughout history, diamonds were considered a symbol of strength and protection. Diamond rings have had the connotation of representing love, prosperity, and spirituality. No doubt, diamonds are also used as engagement rings because of their extreme hardness symbolizing eternity and the circular band symbolizing unity in hopes of an unbreakable marriage.

This was my reply:

Hahah, what a load of bs!

"The establishment of the diamond engagement ring as a standard in Western culture is a result of one of the most successful advertising campaigns in history, by the world's leading diamond producer de Beers, in the 1940s"

Basically, the entire western world has been duped by de Beers, one of the most ruthless monopolies in history! Look it up. The idea of the DIAMOND engagement ring didn't start as a tradition of ANY culture. It was completely thought up by de Beers.

But if you have to have a diamond engagement ring, at least look into a few things, like where the stone came from, and making sure that it isn't a "conflict diamond - rough diamonds that are used by rebel movements to finance wars against legitimate governments...in countries such as Angola, Cote d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone." Countless people in Africa are dying so people in the western world can flaunt their "bling". You can find diamonds that are certified by the Kimberly Process, which means it's not a conflict diamond.

I personally could've done without an engagement ring, but my husband really wanted me to have one, so I chose my birthstone, sapphire.

[kayseym]

Just to back that up an exerpt from: http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/198202/diamond

In Europe, where diamond prices had collapsed during the Depression, there seemed little possibility of restoring public confidence in diamonds. In Germany, Austria, Italy, and Spain, the notion of giving a diamond ring to commemorate an engagement had never taken hold. In England and France, diamonds were still presumed to be jewels for aristocrats rather than the masses. Furthermore, Europe was on the verge of war, and there seemed little possibility of expanding diamond sales. This left the United States as the only real market for De Beers's diamonds. In fact, in 1938 some three quarters of all the cartel's diamonds were sold for engagement rings in the United States. Most of these stones, however, were smaller and of poorer quality than those bought in Europe, and had an average price of $80 apiece. Oppenheimer and the bankers believed that an advertising campaign could persuade Americans to buy more expensive diamonds.

Oppenheimer suggested to Lauck that his agency prepare a plan for creating a new image for diamonds among Americans. He assured Lauck that De Beers had not called on any other American advertising agency with this proposal, and that if the plan met with his father's approval, N. W. Ayer would be the exclusive agents for the placement of newspaper and radio advertisements in the United States. Oppenheimer agreed to underwrite the costs of the research necessary for developing the campaign. Lauck instantly accepted the offer.

In their subsequent investigation of the American diamond market, the staff of N. W. Ayer found that since the end of World War I, in 1919, the total amount of diamonds sold in America, measured in carats, had declined by 50 percent; at the same time, the quality of the diamonds, measured in dollar value, had declined by nearly 100 percent. An Ayer memo concluded that the depressed state of the market for diamonds was "the result of the economy, changes in social attitudes and the promotion of competitive luxuries."

Although it could do little about the state of the economy, N. W. Ayer suggested that through a well-orchestrated advertising and public-relations campaign it could have a significant impact on the "social attitudes of the public at large and thereby channel American spending toward larger and more expensive diamonds instead of "competitive luxuries." Specifically, the Ayer study stressed the need to strengthen the association in the public's mind of diamonds with romance. Since "young men buy over 90% of all engagement rings" it would be crucial to inculcate in them the idea that diamonds were a gift of love: the larger and finer the diamond, the greater the expression of love. Similarly, young women had to be encouraged to view diamonds as an integral part of any romantic courtship.

Since the Ayer plan to romanticize diamonds required subtly altering the public's picture of the way a man courts -- and wins -- a woman, the advertising agency strongly suggested exploiting the relatively new medium of motion pictures. Movie idols, the paragons of romance for the mass audience, would be given diamonds to use as their symbols of indestructible love. In addition, the agency suggested offering stories and society photographs to selected magazines and newspapers which would reinforce the link between diamonds and romance. Stories would stress the size of diamonds that celebrities presented to their loved ones, and photographs would conspicuously show the glittering stone on the hand of a well-known woman. Fashion designers would talk on radio programs about the "trend towards diamonds" that Ayer planned to start. The Ayer plan also envisioned using the British royal family to help foster the romantic allure of diamonds. An Ayer memo said, "Since Great Britain has such an important interest in the diamond industry, the royal couple could be of tremendous assistance to this British industry by wearing diamonds rather than other jewels." Queen Elizabeth later went on a well-publicized trip to several South African diamond mines, and she accepted a diamond from Oppenheimer.

[MrsWarren2B]

I think its fine to get whatever stone you like! My FIL is a jeweler and has made engagement rings with other stones. I thought about getting a sapphire or blue diamond (I know still a diamond but a little different) but I went with the traditional diamond since I wanted everyone to know that it was an e-ring. I sometimes wish I were a little braver about going against tradition because I really do love sapphires and its my birth stone.

[caitlinp2008]

my brother proposed to his GF with a Sapphire. her ring is beautiful and it suits them!

[sweetpolishgirl]

I agree with everyone. Get what you like. My dad proposed to my mom with a red ruby stone ring.

[sweetpolishgirl]

I agree. My e-ring in a heart shaped Pink Sapphire b/c that's what I wanted.
DH asked Jewelry companies to get in heart shaped pink sapphires so he could pick the one he wanted. Once they learned it was for an E-ring, they tried to talk him out of it, saying, "No she wants a diamond." One company went so far as to tell him, "Son, you're gonna blow it, if you get her a pink sapphire." !! :rolleyes: :p

My hubby didn't listen, and finally found a jeweler who respected what he wanted, and got one heck of a pink sapphire in for him, then they worked with him to design the band and side diamonds. I couldn't be happier. :D
Your ring is so pretty Ashley!

[MrsWarren2B]

Thank you Ewa! :) I was so happy Dh didn't listen to those people. :p

I'm glad he didn't listen! I can't believe they tried to talk him out of it. He's your dh so he knows what you like.

[MichelleB]

I think any ring can be an engagement ring. There is no rule that says it has to have a diamond. I think it depends on your personality and what you like.....


Agreed. I think its best to match what she wants more than anything