Platinum is appropriately symbolic for use in engagement rings as it is not only rarer but considerably stronger than gold, both virtues attributed to great love.
A high degree of craftsmanship is needed to work with the material which is why, along with its' relative rarity, durability and beauty, platinum jewellery is generally more expensive then gold.
At The Diamond Store we have used our considerable wealth of experience and knowledge of the industry to produce platinum engagement rings that are as beautiful and they are affordable, with prices up to 60 per cent below their high street equivalents. Each is UK hallmarked and sent out in The Diamond Store's exclusive presentation set by free, insured UK delivery.
The different settings and cut of the diamonds help to give each style of engagement ring its' unique personality. Traditionally, the most popular style of rings tends to be those that use a round brilliant cut diamond in the claw setting, such as the Chloe, Grace and the Leah ranges. However, over the last few years, square cut diamonds such as those used in the Milly and Petra or the oblong shape diamonds of the emerald cut platinum engagement rings, have become increasingly popular.
The History of Diamond Engagement Rings
For centuries rings have been used to denote betrothal, although early engagement ring designs differed greatly from those we see today. Originally it would have been a combined wedding engagement ring which in Roman times consisted of a simple iron band. This was switched to a plain gold band by the 2nd century A.D.
The first acknowledged example of a diamond solitaire engagement ring was in 1477 when Archduke Maximilian of Hamburg proposed to Mary of Burgundy with a lavish diamond engagement ring. Over the years that followed, women's diamond rings of different styles from the fleur-de-lys to the heart shape were created but only the wealthiest patrons could afford them as diamonds were extremely rare and expensive, even small diamond engagement rings.
Then towards the end of the 19th century a huge deposit of diamonds was discovered in South Africa. The US diamond company De Beers, who owned the South Africa mines, brought down engagement ring cost so it was affordable to the general public and launched a massive marketing campaign including the now legendary words "Diamonds Are Forever". Where once very few women owned solitaire engagement ring by the 1950's, almost 90 percent of engaged woman could boast their very own gold or platinum engagement ring.
Another reason for their rise in popularity was that prior to the 1930's, women could claim financial compensation from their fiancé if they called of the marriage. The "Breach of Promise to Marry" Act meant that if a man did not follow through on his intention to wed, women were able to sue him for perceived damage to her reputation. As judges started to phase this out, so quality diamond engagement rings became a perfect replacement for men to show honourable intentions and financial commitment. Fortunately today modern engagement rings have managed to regain their purely romantic roots.
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