Where did the tradition of giving diamond engagement rings come from? How much is the man supposed to pay?

Where did the tradition of giving diamond engagement rings come from?

How much is the man supposed to pay for the gift?

What company controls most of the world’s diamond supply? (DeBeers?)

How does this hurt the American consumer?

The tradition of presenting a diamond engagement ring is believed to have been started in 1477 when Archduke Maximillian gave one to Mary of Burgandy.

Before that, engagement rings were plain metal bands. Gold and silver where used among the wealthy and iron among the commoners.

Have a look at this website, it has a pretty good account of thehistory of the engagement ring (and when diamonds became a part of that)

http://www.diamondwholesalecorporation.com/TheHistoryoftheEngagementRing.html

As for the cost.. I’ve heard the old "3 months salary" thing too, which I thinkis so ridiculous! No-one should have to feel like they have to spend that much!! But generaly in the jewellers here in Australia they can cost anywhere betwwen $1000 and $3000.

7 Responses to “Where did the tradition of giving diamond engagement rings come from? How much is the man supposed to pay?”

  1. Mathie Says:

    My fiance bought me a sapphire. I wanted a ring that reminded me of him and our relationship and diamonds just don’t say that to me. I’ve never been a fan of diamonds. I think there’s also a lot of money being made by people who sell diamonds. I don’t want to pay that much.
    References :

  2. I ♥ my soldier Says:

    I am not sure where the tradition comes from but they say Diamonds are forever so thats why the men normally use that . But its 2007 and everyone is doing things differently . Now women have beautiful colored stones and I think they look better than the diamonds.

    The man is supposed to pay at least 3mths salary on the engagement ring but I think that is bull …. whatever you can afford is what you should pay on the ring . Either way your fiancee will love it .
    References :

  3. kiki Says:

    Lemme guess, this is for homework, right?

    Good luck :)
    References :

  4. some female Says:

    Who cares? It’s a stupid tradition. I’m completely ringless, yet still engaged. It hurts the American consumer because those rings cost too much money, three months salary? who can afford that, for a sparkly rock.
    References :

  5. Freke Says:

    You should wiki this…

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engagement_ring

    And I’m not getting a diamond. Blue Topaz all the way baby!!

    Good luck with your homework!
    References :

  6. Deenie's getting married! ♡* Says:

    The tradition of presenting a diamond engagement ring is believed to have been started in 1477 when Archduke Maximillian gave one to Mary of Burgandy.

    Before that, engagement rings were plain metal bands. Gold and silver where used among the wealthy and iron among the commoners.

    Have a look at this website, it has a pretty good account of thehistory of the engagement ring (and when diamonds became a part of that)

    http://www.diamondwholesalecorporation.com/TheHistoryoftheEngagementRing.html

    As for the cost.. I’ve heard the old "3 months salary" thing too, which I thinkis so ridiculous! No-one should have to feel like they have to spend that much!! But generaly in the jewellers here in Australia they can cost anywhere betwwen $1000 and $3000.
    References :

  7. reichardtim Says:

    To answer your question about how much is a man supposed to pay for an engagement ring? It really depends on how much money the man has, for instance, if your a college student and are getting married, you may not have as much money as that of a person with a good job. So because of budget constraints you will not be able to buy an expensive diamond. Go to http://www.reichard-jewelry.com to find a good deal on a diamond. Typically engagement rings go for between $500 – $3,000. I’m not too sure about your other questions but I would be curious to know their answers too.
    References :

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