Diamond Engagement Rings

However, the tradition was slow in taking hold. Engagement rings, as opposed to wedding rings, did not become popular in Western countries until the 19th century, and even then tended to be set with a variety of precious or semi-precious stones. In the early 20th century, De Beers – seeking to increase diamond sales – stepped in with what was arguably one of the most influential marketing campaigns in history to convince the public that engagement rings equaled diamonds. It worked, and since then betrothals have been marked almost exclusively with diamond rings. 

Nevertheless, some interesting variations on the tradition persist. In North America and in the UK, engagement rings are worn on the fourth finger of the left hand, whereas in Poland and the Ukraine engagement rings are worn on the right. In Germany, the ring is worn on the left hand for the length of the engagement but switched to the right after marriage. 

The opposite custom prevails in Brazil, which does not have a tradition of jeweled engagement rings. Rather, both men and women wear a plain, precious metal wedding band on their right hands during the engagement and change it to their left once married. In Nordic countries, where it is common for both men and women to wear engagement rings, women's engagement rings tend to look more like traditional wedding bands in the US while their wedding rings might be a typical US diamond engagement ring. 

While wedding rings for men have long been common in the West, outside of Scandanavia, engagement rings have been worn almost exclusively by women. However, a trend of "mangagement rings" – women presenting their husbands-to-be with engagement rings – has recently been reported. A response to clever marketing, or a move for gender equality? 

Famous diamond engagement rings: 

Queen Elizabeth II: Prince Phillip gave her a ring made from diamonds from his mother's tiara

Grace Kelly: Prince Rainier gave her a 12-carat emerald cut diamond engagement ring

Elizabeth Taylor: Her third husband, Michael Todd, gave her a 30-carat emerald cut diamond ring

Catherine Zeta Jones: Michael Douglas proposed with a 10 carat antique marquise diamond ring worth $2 million

Paris Hilton: Paris Latsis gave the heiress not one, but two engagement rings: a 24 carat canary diamond ring and a 15 carat emerald cut white diamond ring. The two jewels had a combined value of $7.1 million