The term “engagement ring” has been known to the world since the ancient times, as it is deemed to be a beautiful symbol of love. You could relate to it as a symbol of attraction or love for a person. Technically, though, an engagement ring is just a circular piece of a metal band.
Engagement Rings
Wearing a ring actually correspond to eternal love as it has a circular shape without ends. This made rings very popular item of engagement. Traditionally, a man would offer a ring to women asking for her hand in marriage. If she accepts the ring, it would denote the commitment of the woman for marriage. New meanings for the engagement ring would include infinite love and dedication in the relationship as well. All these make engagement rings a great symbol of the bond between the couple.
You would be able to find a number of rings made from precious metals ranging from gold to tungsten these days. There are a number of engagement ring styles too; one of the most common styles includes the one featuring a large center diamond with accents of stones surrounding it.
In most places around the world, people wear the engagement ring on the fourth finger of the left hand. This is because of the fact that many ancient people believed the finger to have a vein that connects it directly to the heart. However, in some cultures, the engagement ring is also worn on the right hand; it actually boils down to one’s own preference and comfort.
The western people wear the engagement ring as an agreement to marry. At the present times, you would be able to find a number of diamond engagement rings in a variety of designs and styles. However, the most popular one is the one featuring a diamond centerpiece.
In fact, about 90% of people choose a diamond engagement ring. The sole purpose of wearing a ring with a stone is for the remembrance of a lifelong promise, which is truly a wonderful emotion. Most men propose women with a diamond engagement ring as the sparkly stone symbolizes trust, confidence, protection, and peace in a relationship.
Different Types of Engagement Rings
Engagement rings, like any other piece of jewelry, come in a wide range of styles, shapes, and types. You would also be able to find rings in a number of metals, which includes yellow gold, rose gold, white gold, and platinum. You could also buy regular rings, which are made with stainless steel, titanium, and silver; these are some of the cheaper alternatives for the engagement rings.
The most common setting opted for diamond engagement rings is the prong setting. Here, you would be able to see round structures around the diamond centerpiece, which are called prongs or claws; they support the stone from falling off the surface of the ring. They basically support the diamond from points at its edges.
The prong setting allows the center diamond to have the maximum visibility from all its sides. Therefore, the main focus would go towards the center stone of the ring. Although buying preset engagement rings is the norm these days, which usually feature gold or platinum, you could also customize your ring by purchasing certified loose diamonds and setting it directly to a metal band of your choice.
The option to select more than one stone for your ring is also a personal matter. While solitaire is the most common choice, three stone rings are a more modern style in engagement rings. The latter are more romantic too, as the three stones in the ring could symbolize different meanings, such as love, commitment, and faithfulness.
Wearing a Ring
In most places around the world, the engagement ring is worn by both men and women. The rings worn by men are usually in the form of a single precious metal band. In countries like Brazil, both the bride and groom would wear a plain band on their right hand at the time they are engaged and they would shift the ring to their left hand during the marriage ceremony.
On the contrary, in countries like Argentina, the couple would wear a silver ring on their left hand, which they would replace or move to the right hand after the marriage. One of the interesting things practiced by the women of British Isles is that they traditionally propose the men during the leap year.
Nowadays, you would be able to see more women proposing to men and this made several jewelry shops to create men’s engagement ring. Unlike engagement rings for women, men’s diamond rings are not flashy or gaudy. Instead, they are more subtle and focus on offering an elegant appeal.
Then there are antique engagement rings and vintage rings; the former particularly signifies the engagement rings that are more than 50 years of age, while the vintage rings refer to modern rings made in an ancient ring style.