While diamonds may be a girl's best friend, wedding rings that feature diamonds have become a true wedding tradition. In the big historical picture of things wedding rings weren't typically exchanged between couples, rather the husband provided a wedding ring for the wife, but the wife didn't provide one for the husband.
Couple sets or wedding rings given but the bride to the groom became very popular in North American during the Korean and First World War Soldiers going off to battle wanted to remember their new brides and a wedding band was a simple symbol of that marriage and union. By the time of World War ll most couples were exchanging wedding rings and the tradition was entrenched. The older wedding rings for men were not ornate like they are today; they were typically very simple gold or silver bands, perhaps with a slight pattern or edging.
It wasn't until the DeBeers advertising campaign in 1938 that diamond wedding rings for women and men really came into fashion for the average couple. Their famous slogan of the marketing campaign was "A diamond is forever", and it really skyrocketed the demand of diamond wedding rings.
Now it is very common to see diamond wedding rings for both men and women, although the styles are slightly different. Typically most styles of diamond rings for women tend to use larger diamonds that are raised above the band, creating vibrant and very beautiful rings.
Diamond rings for men tend to be inset into the band, presenting a flatter type of surface. While this is not true for all men's wedding rings, even with the slightly elevated diamonds they are not in the cathedral and raised settings you see in women's rings.
Adding diamonds to wedding rings, while a great marketing strategy, also symbolizes stability, longevity and endurance. Diamonds are well known for their strength and beauty, making them an ideal match for a wedding ceremony.
Newer and older styles of diamond wedding rings don't just use diamonds in isolation. Many styles for both men and women feature other precious and semi-precious stones. Popular combinations with diamonds include garnet, peridot, topaz, opal and even pearls, along with emeralds, sapphires and rubies.
The tradition of exchanging wedding rings is one that is here to stay. Wedding rings as a symbol of love, commitment and faithfulness to each other are a much loved part of the marriage ceremony, and one that really does have lifelong meaning.
