09/02/2026
ENGAGEMENT RINGS
An engagement ring is the most meaningful, sentimental and expensive (usually) piece of jewellery a married woman owns. The tradition of engagement rings dates back to ancient Greek and Roman cultures, where rings were originally crafted from simple materials such as bone, ivory, or base metals. Archaeological discoveries in Pompeii, buried in 79 AD, have revealed gold rings, indicating that precious metals were already being used in Roman society at that time.
In 850 AD, Pope Nicholas I formally defined the engagement ring’s significance, declaring it a symbol of a man’s intention to marry. Diamonds first appeared in engagement rings in 1477, when Archduke Maximilian of Austria proposed to Mary of Burgundy with a ring featuring diamonds arranged in the shape of the letter “M.”
During the 15th century, Gimmel rings—made of three interlocking bands—were popular as engagement and wedding sets. During the engagement period, each partner wore one band. From the wedding day onward, the bride wore both engagement bands together, accompanied by a third band as her wedding ring.
Despite their early use, diamonds were not regularly seen in engagement rings until the 1940s. De Beers, a large British–South African mining company, coined their iconic 1947 slogan, “A diamond is forever”.
Diamonds remain the gemstone of choice for engagement rings due to their exceptional hardness and resistance to everyday wear. and tear However, the claws holding the stone can wear over time and should be inspected regularly to prevent stone loss.
While the impact of loss or theft of an engagement ring is unthinkable, it can be minimised with practical precautions. Rings should be insured as named items under your home insurance policy. We also highly recommend using Fonya Lockit (https://www.fonya.com.au) to safely secure your rings whenever you need to remove them. After all, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
(Image courtesy of Brides.com)