The Story of Diamond Wedding Rings

Executive Summary about Wedding Diamond by Jonathan Blocker

diamond wedding ring

Diamond wedding rings are a fairly recent phenomenon; up until about sixty years ago, most married couples wore simple gold bands. Today, diamond wedding ring sets are fairly common. There are even diamond wedding bands for those who prefer these to diamond wedding rings that have a set stone in them.

The Story of Diamond Jewelry

Throughout recorded history, diamond jewelry has been treasured and sought after. Most of the stones that find their way into diamond wedding rings are cut and appraised in the Belgian city of Antwerp, which has been the center of the diamond business since the mid-1500s.

“Diamonds Are Forever”

The campaign was remarkably successful; within only a few years, plain gold bands had been replaced by diamond wedding bands and rings with set stones. This particular campaign was rather less successful, but it did help to increase the popularity of diamond wedding rings among American couples.

Diamond Jewelry Today

Diamonds in the rough are shipped to one of the major diamond centers in Antwerp, Tel Aviv, New York, London or Singapore, where they are graded and cut; after this, they undergo an appraisal for carat (size and weight), color, clarity and cut. After this, jewelers purchase these stones in lots and use them as settings for diamond wedding rings and other types of jewelry.

The New Tradition Of Men’s Diamond Wedding Bands

Men’s diamond wedding bands are actually a recent concept; up until the 1950s, the majority of wedding couples in the Western world wore plain gold or silver bands (in some cases, bronze or even brass).

DeBeer’s – a diamond company founded over 125 years ago – was largely the driving force behind the new tradition of diamond wedding bands and other types of diamond wedding sets with single set stones, as well as the idea of diamond engagement rings. 150 years ago, men’s diamond wedding bands didn’t exist – in fact, men usually didn’t wear wedding rings of any sort.

The concept of men’s diamond wedding bands is also due in part to attempts to market engagement rings. Today, the jewelry industry is even more aggressive in its marketing strategies; in addition to diamond engagement rings, couples are now encouraged to wear “promise rings” prior to engagement and “eternity rings” given on a subsequent wedding anniversary.

Check out my other guide on certified diamond