Diamonds are a girls best friend...….apparently!
Actually I prefer rubies. Years ago when Neil and I got engaged (does anyone get engaged any more?) the fashion was for a solitaire diamond rind or diamond and sapphires for your ring. For me to choose rubies was very unusual. Even the design I picked was very traditional and quite old fashioned, but I didn't care. I just liked the fact it was rubies and diamonds! Mind you I am too scared to wear the ring very often. I would be so upset if it got damaged but it's such a pity when I think about it. What is the point in having such a pretty ring if it's hidden away?
I would have liked emeralds or opals actually but when I was getting engaged they were considered very unlucky stones. My favourite colour is green so it was a bit of a blow to feel I had to conform to tradition, but still, the prettiness of the rubies caught my eye. I picked nine carat gold because that was the norm. Eighteen carat gold was considered a bit too 'soft' for wearing. If you were really well off you picked white gold for the metal of your engagement ring but it was very unusual. Now it's pretty much usual to use other metals in your 'special ring'. Platinum, titanium, and even tungsten are all used along, with a whole host of other choices. But in spite of the limited choices when I was getting engaged I still love my ring, and always will. It's the meaning behind it that makes it so special.
I read up about what the particular stones in your ring mean and it's quite interesting. For instance rubies are considered very powerful stones. I didn't know this but it's often referred to as the 'love stone' because new age cultures believe it generates all types of love, as well as peace, contentment and royalty. Good job I picked them in my ring then. Diamonds are a symbol of faithfulness and purity, innocence and consistency. It seems that it also helps to bring a wealth of richness in all walks of life. My richness must be due at some point hopefully! Pearls are the symbol of purity, integrity, concentration, serenity, tranquillity and innocence and is said to increase femininity. Emeralds, which were considered unlucky for engagement rings years ago, are symbols of hope, preserving love, loyalty, devotion, friendship, adoration and tranquillity, bringing the wearer wisdom. Sapphires generate faith, hope, sincerity, truth, faithfulness, honesty and joy, as well as light, peace, beauty and understanding. So all in all it doesn't really matter which type of precious stone you choose because they all have wonderful meanings. You just need to pick the one you love, and maybe the one that has a special meaning for ou personally.
As for why we wear the engagement ring on the fourth finger of the left hand? This tradition comes from the ancient Romans, who believed that a "Vein of Love" (Veina Amoris) connected the finger with the heart. Many believe that it is bad luck to allow another woman to try on an engagement ring. This is said to be because the other person will take away the good fortune attached to the ring, bring their bad fortune to the ring, or steal the husband! Other old wives' tales state that an engagement ring should never be removed from the bride's hands. If an engagement ring is loose or uncomfortable, this is thought to be a bad omen, and the ultimate in bad luck is for an engagement ring to be lost or to be broken. It certainly would be bad luck for the person responsible for replacing such a valuable item of jewelry!
Hmmmm maybe it's best not to take all this superstition too seriously!! 😉
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