There comes a time in most people’s lives when they think about settling down. In fact, once you find someone special you may wish to spend the rest of your life with this person and you’ll want to make a long term commitment and shop diamond engagement rings. This is one of the best ways to express your feelings and engagement rings have a rich and interesting history.
In ancient Rome, men gave their wives rings with keys. This told the world a man owned a particular woman. In other words, she is taken and no other man should consider staking a claim on her. However, special rings worn on the ringer finger of the left hand have been discovered from ancient Egypt as far back as 5,000 years ago.
The first documented story of diamond engagement rings dates to 1477. Archduke Maximilian ordered a special ring for his wife to be, Mary of Burgundy. The ring was gold with a large gold square setting and had diamonds forming the letter “M”. At this time, diamonds were some of the rarest treasures on earth and it meant a great deal for someone to own one or to present a diamond as a gift. Yet, in 1867, diamonds became more plentiful thanks to the discovery of rich diamond mines in South Africa.
Controlling the Diamond Market
Once diamonds were readily available, several large diamond investors pooled their resources to form the DeBeers Mining Company. Within 10 years, DeBeers was in control of close to 90 percent or the worldwide diamond market. This assured products like diamond engagement rings, would not drop too much in price.
Diamonds are Forever
By the time of the Great Depression, diamonds were becoming more and more common and DeBeers sought a strategy for increasing their demand. They hired a Philadelphia ad agency to help. This was the beginning of one of the most successful advertising campaigns in history.
After a great deal of consumer research, the agency came up with the slogan “Diamonds are Forever”. This campaign stressed the importance of buying diamond engagement rings and appealed directly to the emotions of the buyer, creating a desire to own something considered to be a keepsake. This campaign is still in the minds of many consumers today.
When you shop diamond engagement rings, you can find some of the best deals on the Web. In fact, some diamond retailers have large inventories and local showrooms. You can check out their selections in person or take advantage of the many benefits which come with online shopping, including home delivery.
