Diamond Rings

Diamond Rings – Most Valued Gifts

Diamonds are easily the most favoured gifts of love. Chocolates and flowers are wonderful of course, but a diamond is at another level. Nothing says "I love you" as beautifully, as romantically and with as much passion as a diamond.

Look at Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, stars of the silver screen of the 20th century. She was celebrated as the most beautiful woman in the world and her romance with Richard Burton was followed worldwide. The first ring he gave her was the famous and exquisite Krupp diamond (weighing 33.19 carats), buying it in an auction at the highest price ever paid for a diamond ring at the time. It was so famous that it was even animated when they portrayed her on the Simpson’s show. Then came an exceptionally beautiful and flawless 69.42 carat pear shaped diamond and they called it "The Taylor-Burton Diamond”. As it was far too big and heavy to be worn as a ring, it was fashioned into a pendant.

Diamond Rings - Tokens of Betrothal

The earliest reference to a ring as a token of betrothal was the diamond ring that Archduke Maximilian of Austria presented to Mary of Burgundy on the eve of their engagement in 1477. Various accounts reveal that the diamonds were uncut and cube-shaped, but nevertheless, a tradition was fortuitously begun.

The youngest recipient of an engagement ring was the two year old daughter of Henry VIII, Princess Mary (later to become Mary I of England) in 1518. She was given the smallest gold ring set with a valuable diamond on the occasion of her betrothal, by proxy, to the son of King Francis I, the Dauphin of France who was merely an infant at the time.

Diamond Rings – Symbols of Eternity

The solitaire diamond in the engagement ring has become practically mandatory today, but what a fabulous range of colours and cuts. The choices are abundant. The earliest diamonds from Golconda in India were white in colour and of high clarity and lustre. They set the standard for a long time in history. But since the discovery of diamond mines all over the world, coloured natural diamonds or "fancies" as they are called have proved to be as beautiful, if not more so in many instances. Which woman would be able to resist an exquisite pink diamond? And with the cutting edge technology available today, it would probably be cut into the shape of a perfect heart.

Diamonds are the perfect gift – they stand for love, fidelity, honour, courage, purity, and like themselves, they pledge it for eternity. Be it an engagement, a wedding, an anniversary, a first child, a graduation or for just no special reason, a diamond is a treasured and valued gift.