Tag Archives: engagement ring history

09 May

Diamonds Throughout History | Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers

Two monumental diamond sales already slated in 2017, so we decided to take an in-depth look into diamond history.  We are going a step further and examining stories behind some of the more famous stones as well.

The Origins – Diamond History

The G.I.A., the world’s foremost authority on diamonds, colored stones and pearls, states diamond history can be set as early as the 4th century BC in India, when diamonds were given value. (G.I.A. – “Diamond History Lore”). Various trade routes, helped diamond appear in countries like France and Italy. By the 14th century, diamonds had become the fashion norm across Europe, and the importance of diamond cutting emerged in Venice (CBS – “Diamond History”). The supply source in India declined, due to demand, which caused the value to increase.  This demand obviously led explorers and entrepreneurs to venture elsewhere. And in the 1700’s, Brazil became a powerhouse in the diamond industry. They dominated the market place for over 150 years (G.I.A.)!

The Modern Diamond Industry

In 1866 miners discovered a large deposit of diamonds in Kimberly, South Africa. This began the modern diamond industry. Hence the name Kimberlite tunnels. One of the most famous diamonds, Star of South Africa, was unearthed three years later. Originally an 83.5 carat rough diamond, was cut to a 47.69 carat pear-shaped diamond, and traded for “500 hundred sheep, ten oxen and a horse” (Famous Diamonds – “Star of South Africa Diamond”). Then, in 1888, a young entrepreneur named Cecil Rhodes established the De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited, which at one point “controlled up to 90% of rough diamond production in the world”.

De Beers

“In the 1870’s, annual production of rough diamond was well under a million carats. By the 1920’s, the figure was around three million carats. Fifty years later, annual production approached 50 million carats, and in the 1990’s it surpassed 100 million carats per year”, (G.I.A.). Prior to 1947, engagement rings rarely used diamonds. It wasn’t until the De Beers hired N.W. Ayer (an advertising agency) to come-up with the world-famous slogan, “A Diamond is Forever”, that the diamond marketplace changed forever. This slogan was so effective that Ad Age deemed it the slogan of the century. According to The Atlantic, in the proceeding 40 years, “De Beers’ wholesale diamond sales in the United States increased from $23 million to $2.1 billion (U.S.D.)”.

Current Market

Australia, Botswana, Russia, Congo Republic, Canada, South Africa and India produce the majority of natural diamonds. For more incredible stories behind many famous diamonds, we recommend checking out this site. In the meantime, we invite you to take a look at Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers’ expansive diamond jewelry selection and G.I.A. certified diamond engagement rings. Rings that reflect the beauty of your true love.

This link is a brief timeline of the history of some very famous diamonds.

Hope you enjoyed!

29 Jan

History of Engagement Rings and Wedding Bands

Schwanke-Kasten explores some history of engagement rings and wedding bands.

The tradition of placing a wedding band on the fourth finger of the left hand has origins dating back to Ancient Egypt.  The history of engagement rings represents a sacred bond between a man and a woman, monogamy, and the strength of Love.

The history of engagement rings began in Egypt, and the nearby North-African lands. Lovers would express one’s undying love through braiding plants. The plants fibers were placed on their lover’s ring finger to signify immortal love. Furthermore, the choice of this finger on the left hand was due to the belief of a vein that connected this finger directly to the heart.

history of engagement rings - Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers

In Ancient Rome, engagement rings were used by suitors to tell others that a person was spoken for. The widespread art and use of decorative metallurgy meant that these rings became similar to ring styles we see today.

Middle Ages

However, one and a half millennia later, in Middle-age Europe onward through the religious wars from 1400-1600, the puritanical and American colonial days leaned toward a less gaudy and pretentious styles, the ring was outlawed by the religious powers for being obscene and worthless. Until the late 16th century, suitors gave a simple and more utilitarian thimbles to their lovers.  Once the bride married, she removed the bottom of the thimble and wore it as a wedding band.

In the 1700’s, as the style became more in-line with the notion of commoner jewelry. Both women and men began to wear modern circular wedding bands at all times. They would never remove the bands as a statement of the eternal bond.  The exchange of rings between bride and groom became the standard after World War II.

Whereas the only type of pre-marriage ring in the times leading up to the actual marriage was a thimble, the engagement ring became a part of the marriage rituals in 1477 by Archduke Maximilian of Austro-Hungaria as he proposed to Mary of Burgundy with a ring set with diamonds in the shape of an “M”.

To show off status, wealth and desire, men would use engagement rings to persuade women. In 1217, the Bishop of Salisbury declared that these rings of seduction be legally binding. When a suitor gave a women a ring she became a fiancee.

Modern Day

Later on into the 20th century, an ad campaign by De Beers cemented the diamond as “the” choice of stone for engagement rings. This brings us up to the modern wedding bands and engagement rings of our time.