5 Surprising Engagement Ring Facts

5 Surprising Engagement Ring Facts

5 Surprising Engagement Ring Facts

  1. The History

Did you know that the Egyptians are often given credit for developing the whole idea of an engagement ring? But then the Greeks say they are the ones who adopted the Egyptian custom permanently. However, that is all here-say. It’s the Romans who are officially credited for documenting its initiation. It was Archduke Maximilian of Austria who was betrothed to Mary of Burgundy in the Imperial Court of Vienna in 1477 that gave the Romans the notion they started this lovely custom.

Engagement rings maintained their popularity up until World War I and declined even more at the beginning of the Great Depression, when diamonds nearly lost their value. If you can imagine, before World War II only 10 percent of engagement rings included a diamond. If it wasn’t for De Beers and their ongoing diamond education and advertising, we might never have the notion, “a diamond is forever”, a slogan they introduced in 1947.

Most Expensive Engagement Ring in the World
  1. Most Expensive Engagement Ring in the World

You probably thought Beyonce owned the most expensive engagement ring in the world. After all her18-carat flawless emerald-cut diamond ring with a split shank was valued at $5 million in 2013.

But the reality is that few engagement rings can even come close to The “Pink Star” – which is the most expensive engagement ring in the world. This shiny bobble is 59.60 carats of Fancy Vivid pink diamond set into a platinum ring with two white diamonds. Lisa Krikawa, award-winning jewelry designer, observes, “This fancy pink oval-shaped diamond is so dazzling the simple setting is the perfect way to show it off.”

Most Popular Engagement Months

The ring was sold at a Sotheby’s auction and purchased for $71 million in 2017 and has an interesting backstory. In 2013, the diamond ring was sold for $83 million but the buyer, Isaac Woolf, couldn’t afford the full amount, so ended up paying nothing. So the auction house was forced to keep the ring until it was sold a couple years ago for $12 million less.

  1. Most Popular Engagement Months

Engagements and proposals take place with approximately the same frequency during every month out of the year, with the exception of December. In December engagements and proposals double. Around 16 percent of all engagements are pledged during the end of the year, most likely as a holiday present. In the past, it made great sense as the most popular wedding month used to be June. October is now the official month for exchanging nuptials, according to The Knot, so we might see a shift in most popular engagement months in the future.

  1. Most Popular Engagement Ring Styles

Like all things pricey, engagement rings run the gamut in terms of popular styles. One year solitaire settings are the rage, the next year we’re seeing white gold and platinum as the featured metals. This year anything goes! Of course, you still have to select from whatever jewelers think is popular enough to buy inventory and feature in their stores. Tradition is slowly fading away and being replaced by individual, personal style and customized engagements and weddings. However, one of our absolute favorites that we’ve seen a lot on social media this year is the Trillion-Cut Diamond engagement ring. They are triangular in shape and faceted to the hilt, so they are incredibly sparkly and simply stunning.

  1. Custom Made vs. Off the Shelf

In years past, customized rings and other types of jewelry were only affordable for the uber wealthy. Today, engagement ring trends are shifting and more people than ever before are opting to become a part in designing the ring that is intended to last forever. The reason is simple: 3D computer aided design programs and VRAY Rendering. There is little risk involved as it is more about WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) and the buyer can be a part of the process. What could be better than that? Well, possibly getting the bride-to-be in on the designing process to ensure it is on point with her taste.

Thank goodness the whole engagement ring process has changed drastically since its inception in the 1400s.  Customization is the force behind the transitions and we think it’s about time nearly everyone can afford what they love rather than having to select from a handful of styles offered in a specific price range.

By: Sandra Faleris, Writer/Marketing Professional

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