Love is not a palpable thing. It’s not even a thing, it’s a feeling. And as with most feelings, it’s hard to describe it. But luckily for us, it can be translated into beautiful pieces of jewelry.
And when you decide to take the next step and pop the question, of course, you want an engagement ring that speaks of all the love you and your partner feel for each other. You want that magic of love to manifest physically and as beautiful as it is in your hearts.
But how can a piece of metal put together with a gemstone have such an effect?
Well, it happens partially because of all the sentiment you infuse into it. But it also happens because, as ordinary as a simple piece of metal and a small (or not so small) gemstone are, they also carry meaning.
Gold, for example, is a metal associated with warmth and prosperity. And although there are many popular gemstones with a myriad of meanings that can perfectly represent your relationship, somehow diamonds became the most popular precious stone for engagement rings.
What’s the story?
Diamonds take between 1 billion and 3.3 billion years to form, which is approximately 25% to 75% of our earth's age. They are also the hardest substance in the world. It’s a rare and precious stone that takes a long time to form, but when the deepest layer of earth finally births it, it’s as strong as it can be.
What can best represent love than something rare that takes time to be formed and when it’s finally established, it will likely last forever?
That’s not to say that love should or does take a gazillion years to come around. It’s not about that.
It’s about understanding that as love flourishes, it also needs time to mature and become strong. And, you know, love doesn’t repeat itself. Each relationship is unique. That’s the rare quality that diamonds also translate.
“A diamond is forever”
You probably have already heard that expression, right?
Well, all that analogy between diamonds and relationship wasn’t lost to a British company named De Beers. They have been around since 1888 and are known for their — surprise, surprise — diamonds.
Even though diamonds weren’t the most popular stone for engagement rings way back in the day, they did see a surge in popularity around 1938. That’s until the Great Depression hit and the world lost some of its glow.
But that changed in 1947 when De Beers came up with the slogan “a diamond is forever” that was advertised by big Hollywood stars of the time.
The weight of famous names combined with such a sparkly concept of eternity was a big hit.
Marketing or symbolism?
The marketing behind De Beers campaigns had a strong cultural impact that led to an unparalleled increase in popularity, that’s a fact.
But diamonds do have a symbolism that is beautiful and perfect to celebrate life and love. And that, alone, is enough to make them a popular choice of precious stone to embellish your engagement ring.
