People have given rings to express their devotion for thousands of years, but the style of these rings has evolved over time. From plain bands of iron to intricate gemstone rings that spell out romantic messages, wedding and engagement rings have taken many forms.
At Kirk Kara, we’re passionate about the history of jewelry. We incorporate Old World charm elements into our designs to create unique rings with a timeless quality, and have seen firsthand how details drawn from the past can make a design resonate deeply in the present.
We firmly believe that knowing more about the history of jewelry can help you find pieces that speak to you. When you discover which elements of antique or vintage eras resonate with you, choosing jewelry with those elements can add depth and individuality to your collection.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the history of engagement rings, from past to present. We’ll cover everything from ancient times to today, and put a special spotlight on the vintage periods that most often inspire our designs: the Victorian, Art Nouveau, Edwardian, and Art Deco eras.
Ancient History (3000 BC - AD 500): Simple Betrothal Rings
“The greatest pleasure in life is love.” - Euripides (480 - 406 BC)
Betrothal rings existed in many ancient cultures, but their origins can be traced back to Ancient Egypt. Egyptians used rings, circles with no end, to represent eternity. It became common practice to give rings to express devotion and symbolize eternal love. Egyptians wore these tokens of love on the fourth finger of the left hand because they believed it had a vein that led directly to the heart.
When the Greeks conquered the Egyptians and were then in turn conquered by the Romans, the Egyptian custom of giving rings of love became a tradition in all three ancient civilizations. Over time, these rings became specifically associated with engagement and fidelity. In 77 AD, Roman philosopher Pliny the Elder wrote that iron rings without stones were given to women as a token of betrothal.
The first betrothal rings were simple bands made of iron or copper. But by the 2nd century, most wedding rings were made from gold. These golden rings became more intricate over time, featuring engravings and intaglios. One of the most popular designs was the fede ring, which depicted two hands clasped together in love.
Middle Ages (500 - 1450): Rise of Gemstone Rings
“We were two and had but one heart between us.” - Francois Villon (1431 - 1463)
Blue Sapphire Nugget Engraved Wedding Band
Gemstones became a common addition to wedding rings in medieval times. The most popular gemstones were blue sapphires and rubies. Blue sapphires symbolized heaven, while rubies symbolized passion. Antique gemstone cuts typically looked dull, so gemstone wedding rings also often featured engraving and symbols that added to the rings’ designs.
Engagement rings as we know them today date back to the 9th century. In approximately 850, Pope Nicholas I decreed that an engagement ring was given to show a man’s promise of marriage. In the 12th century, the Christian church also made wedding rings an established part of church wedding ceremonies. Prior to this, rings also symbolized devotion or betrothal, and not necessarily a marriage contract.
Modern Period (1450 - 1900): First Diamond Wedding Rings
“Two wills, two hearts, two passions are bonded in one marriage by a diamond” - Unknown Italian Poet (1475)
Engraved Twist Cathedral Engagement Ring
Diamonds are the most popular choice for engagement rings today, but they were an uncommon choice until the Modern Period. Ancient cutting techniques made gemstones look dull in comparison to today, so ancient diamonds didn’t have the high brilliance they’re known for now. Diamonds were used in ancient jewelry, but they were valued more for their strength than their beauty. But in the 14th and 15th centuries, advancements in gemstone faceting led to brighter-looking diamonds with more aesthetic appeal.
The first recorded diamond wedding ring dates back to the 1400s, when an English widow left a diamond ring in her will. Another early record comes from an Italian poem written to commemorate a 1475 wedding, which reads, “two wills, two hearts, two passions are bonded in one marriage by a diamond.”
The most famous early diamond ring dates back to 1477, when Archduke Maximillian of Austria gave Mary of Burgundy a unique diamond engagement ring. The ring is described as featuring a small collection of diamonds arranged in the shape of the letter “M.”
Alongside a rise in diamond rings, the Modern Period saw a boom in popularity of three unique engagement styles: Claddagh rings, gimmel rings, and poesy rings. An evolution of fede rings, Claddagh rings depict a pair of hands holding a heart. Gimmel rings are made of two or three rings that link together to create one ring. Couples would wear the separate parts during their engagement period, then rejoin them to wear as wedding rings. Poesy rings featured romantic engravings of poetry on the interior or exterior of the ring.
Victorian Era (1837 - 1901): Romantic Motifs
“Beauty is not in the eye of the beholder, but in the heart of one who truly loves.” - Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828 - 1882)
Floral Toi et Moi Diamond Engagement Ring
Named for Queen Victoria, who ruled Great Britain from 1837 to 1901, the Victorian era is known for its romantic and sentimental designs. It was a time of a more prosperous middle class that could afford jewelry, so a broader range of people were able to enjoy jewelry in this era.
Some of the most notable romantic styles of the Victorian era include acrostic jewelry, toi et moi rings, and jewelry decorated with romantic motifs. Acrostic jewelry uses gemstones to spell out words, such as “adore” or “regard.” Toi et moi rings feature two center stones to represent the two people in a couple. Some of the top sentimental symbols of the Victorian era include hearts, flowers, and serpents, the latter of which was a popular symbol for eternal love.
Queen Victoria was well-liked by the public and her personal jewelry tastes had a strong influence on the popular designs of the 19th century. She was famously a fan of diamond jewelry, which became much more popular during her reign. Her unique snake engagement ring was also highly influential, as was her penchant for mourning jewelry.
Art Nouveau Era (1890 - 1910): Whimsical Natural Beauty
“Art will never be able to exist without nature.” - Pierre Bonnard (1867 - 1947)
Artistic Reverse Swirl Diamond Milgrain Engagement Ring
The Art Nouveau period is defined by its whimsy and its celebration of natural elements. Artists and designers had a fascination with the beauty of nature and frequently made natural motifs the centerpiece of their work. Some of the most common Art Nouveau jewelry motifs are flowers, butterflies, dragonflies, swans, and peacocks.
Free-flowing lines are another signature sign of Art Nouveau pieces. Designers experimented with decorative swirls in a range of symmetrical and asymmetrical designs. Swirls often accented the popular gemstones of the period, which include moonstone, opal, lapis lazuli, diamonds, and pearls.
Edwardian Era (1895 - 1915): Age of Intricacy
“Why shouldn’t art be pretty? There are enough unpleasant things in the world.” - Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841 - 1919)
Vintage Halo Diamond Engagement Ring
Also known as the Gilded Age, the Edwardian era was a time of excess, intricacy, and icy white hues. During this period, wealthier people chose ornate jewelry designs that were specifically designed to signal their status.
Edwardian engagement rings often featured diamonds and pearls, and were typically made of platinum rather than yellow gold. Edwardian designs are known to heavily feature scroll work, floral motifs, and various kinds of metal detailing that creates a light and lacy look.
Art Deco Era (1919 - 1939): Beautiful Geometry
“I wish to do things original and not be misled by a lot of things that are being done by somebody else.” - William Van Alen (1883 - 1954)
Three Stone Blue Sapphire Diamond Engagement Ring
The roaring twenties ushered in the bold geometry of the Art Deco era. Art Deco jewelry is famous for its use of geometric shapes and intricate patterns. While Art Deco looks vintage to our eyes today, it was considered a highly futuristic style at the time.
Platinum and white gold were the more popular precious metals during the period. These white metals provided a sleek white backdrop for beautiful combinations of geometric diamonds and colored gemstones. Designers often used a mix of diamonds and darker stones to create striking contrast.
Latter 20th Century: Modern Glamour
“People will stare. Make it worth their while.” - Harry Winston (1896 - 1978)
Classic Filigree Milgrain Solitaire Ring
The 20th century was a time of technical advancements and celebrity influence, which together led a variety of glamorous engagement ring styles. Notably, the round brilliant cut that dominates diamond shapes today was invented in 1919. This brilliant cut, named for its unmatched sparkle, is now used on the majority of diamonds sold today.
After a period of more modest engagement rings during the Great Depression of the 1930s, the 1940s remained fairly understated. Cluster rings with smaller stones were often adorned with intricate metal designs to add appeal.
The 1950s and 1960s saw a huge rise in diamond engagement rings and an overall shift toward glamorous designs. Hollywood movie stars, often seen dripping in diamonds in films and on red carpets, had a tremendous impact on public desires. Some of the most influential wedding jewelry was worn by Marilyn Monroe, who wore a diamond eternity band, and Elizabeth Taylor, who had a range of famously extravagant diamond engagement rings. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy’s two stone emerald and diamond ring was also highly influential.
The 1970s favored unique diamond shapes, while the 1980s was a decade of over-the-top jewelry. Bold yellow gold diamond engagement rings were very popular in the 1980s. The 1980s also saw an uptick in blue sapphire designs due to the influence of Princess Diana’s famous engagement ring, a yellow gold design with a diamond halo and an oval cut blue sapphire.
The 1990s saw a return of more subdued engagement rings. Diamond engagement rings with more minimalist designs, such as classic solitaire and three stone settings, were in fashion. Things got more sparkly as we moved into the 2000s, when people favored pave diamond bands and glamorous diamond halos.
Engagement Rings Today (2020 - Present): Age of Individuality
Boho Leaf Milgrain Diamond Engagement Ring
Today’s engagement ring trends are more varied than ever before. Couples are more interested in expressing their personal style than adhering to trends. And because the internet age has put a huge range of designs at everyone’s fingertips, people are able to find the unique designs that appeal to their individual tastes.
Still, there are some overarching trends in today’s top engagement rings. The shift toward wanting stand-out designs has led to a rise of lesser-used design elements that feel fresh today. Examples include fancy diamond shapes, colored gemstones, and timeless elegance-inspired designs. Larger center stones are also trending in the wake of the wider availability of lab-grown diamonds and gemstones, which puts higher carat weights within reach of more people.
Today’s bold, intricate engagement ring styles have come a long way from the simple iron and gold bands of ancient times. Yet, while the designs of these rings have changed, their meaning has remained the same. For thousands of years, couples have given rings as a symbol of devotion. In the words of Euripides, “the greatest thing in life is love.” If the history of engagement rings is anything to go by, that sentiment is as popular today as it was thousands of years ago.