Diamonds, love and friendship

 “A kiss on the hand may be quite continental, but Diamonds are a girl's best friend.”
- as written by Leo Robin, and performed by Mae West.

A diamond should never be a girl’s best friend. The man who placed the ring on her finger, solidifying a promise to love her ‘til death did them part, should be both the lover and the best friend.

It is not the diamond that is the symbol of eternal love; it is the never ending circle that is the band upon which the stone is mounted. A diamond engagement ring is meant to be more than a sparkling accoutrement.

In an atmosphere where materialism often outweighs human commitment, it is refreshing that the custom of pledging marriage with a ring is still the norm. Part of love is made up of private moments, and part of it thrives when it is declared openly.

Many cultures through history have expressed the bonding of a couple through symbols. The circle, which has no beginning or end, also represents the sun, the moon at its fullest, the earth, and eternity. In ancient times a circle of reeds was used create the circle of the wedding band.

A diamond engagement ring is a symbol, not just an adornment. The husband to be has made a pledge and his wife to be has accepted that pledge and has added one of her own. The realization of those pledges is worn on the woman’s hand, first the engagement ring, followed by the wedding ring.

It should also be mentioned that engagement rings for men are gaining popularity. The ring is usually in the form of a band similar to a man’s wedding ring, but has a diamond, or multiple diamonds, set flush with the surface, and mounted on the front face of the ring. In the Nordic countries engagement rings are common for both the bride and the groom.

The commercialization of diamond engagement wedding rings originated with the De Beers Company near the beginning of the 1900’s. Bigger was better. Expensive was even better. The promotion added an element of materialism to the act of betrothal.

There are few things in the world more beautiful than a high quality gemstone set into a spectacular ring. But an engagement ring should also represent the emotional connection between the couple; the friendship and love. Without that, as Malcolm Forbes has said:

“Diamonds are nothing more than chunks of coal that stuck to their jobs.”