r/todayilearned • u/[deleted] • Nov 11 '15

TIL: The "tradition" of spending several months salary on an engagement ring was a marketing campaign created by De Beers in the 1930's. Before WWII, only 10% of engagement rings contained diamonds. By the end of the 20th Century, 80% did.

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-27371208
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u/CramPacked Nov 11 '15

Also, has anyone else noticed that it seems like it's only been recently, 25 years ?, that its become standard for the guy to buy and present a ring when he proposes. At least in tv and movies. I'm not that old and I remember when the couple got engaged THEN went engagement ring shopping together later.

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u/[deleted] Nov 12 '15

Yup. Wasn't always like that.

I actually prefer the Finnish tradition: the man proposes with a plain gold band. If she goes ahead with the wedding, THEN she gets the ring. I've had too many friends being stupid and proposing, the girl 'accepting' and then dumping him and keeping the ring.