There are many traditions around weddings; however few are as important as the exchanging of wedding rings. In the true history of the marriage ceremony wedding rings have only been exchanged between both the man and the woman and vice versa for a very short time. Prior to that men gave the women a wedding ring, often one that included diamonds or other precious or semi-precious gems.
Couple sets or wedding rings given but the bride to the groom became very popular in North American during the Korean and First World War Soldiers going off to battle wanted to remember their new brides and a wedding band was a simple symbol of that marriage and union. By the time of World War ll most couples were exchanging wedding rings and the tradition was entrenched. The older wedding rings for men were not ornate like they are today; they were typically very simple gold or silver bands, perhaps with a slight pattern or edging.
It wasn’t until the DeBeers advertising campaign in 1938 that diamond wedding rings for women and men really came into fashion for the average couple. Their famous slogan of the marketing campaign was “A diamond is forever”, and it really skyrocketed the demand of diamond wedding rings.
Now it is very common to see diamond wedding rings for both men and women, although the styles are slightly different. Typically most styles of diamond rings for women tend to use larger diamonds that are raised above the band, creating vibrant and very beautiful rings.
Diamond rings for men tend to be inset into the band, presenting a flatter type of surface. While this is not true for all men’s wedding rings, even with the slightly elevated diamonds they are not in the cathedral and raised settings you see in women’s rings.
Adding diamonds to wedding rings, while a great marketing strategy, also symbolizes stability, longevity and endurance. Diamonds are well known for their strength and beauty, making them an ideal match for a wedding ceremony.
Diamond wedding rings don’t just have to feature diamonds. Many rings also feature other precious stones such as rubies, sapphires, emeralds and even semi-precious stones such as garnet, peridot, opal and topaz. These stones often flank the diamonds on the rings or the bands.
The giving of wedding rings between the couple is now a tradition with deep meaning to couples. Since wedding rings are an important first step together, they are really a symbol of the hope and commitment of the couple as they start this lifelong journey together.
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- Tips For Buying Wedding Rings
- Wedding Rings For An Eternity
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