Style watchers have been writing about the rise of “non-traditional” engagement rings as a trend for 2023 brides, and we love the increase in creativity and personalization in bridal designs that has flowed in like waves over the past few years. “Non-traditional” engagement rings, as most people discuss them today, refer to rings with edgy designs or bolds colors, and we love those. We do, however, wonder what, exactly, “traditional” means when it comes to engagement rings.
Traditions might surprise you. Rebekah was given a gold nose ring and some bracelets for her engagement in Genesis. Maybe a gold nose ring is the most traditional (and most religiously-inspired) engagement ring you could have. Imagine explaining that one to Grandma.
Or maybe you’re imagining the restraint of the Victorian Era. Would you choose a colorful serpent ring that wraps around your finger, just like the one Prince Albert gave to Queen Victoria? There are also the very romantic posey-rings of the Georgian era that featured poetry inscribed in enamel or engraving around the circumference of the ring.
Or what about the traditional engagement toe-rings, called “bichiya,” and bangles given to brides-to-be as engagement jewelry in some Hindu cultures? Some cultures in Kenya use elaborately beaded neck-pieces to symbolize engagement. And while Native American cultures typically did not traditionally exchange wedding rings, meaningful gifts ranging from food to elaborately decorated clothing were exchanged as tokens of love.
Some South American countries have a tradition of co-engagement, with both members of the couple wearing a ring on their right hand and switching it over to the left side after the wedding day; sweetly, many LGBT couples have adopted this sweet tradition of co-engagement because it doesn’t rely on outdated gender roles.
The diverse traditions behind engagement jewelry date back millenia– with known examples in Egypt 6800 years ago– so why do we have one idea of what “traditional” means? In 1947, DeBeers launched a phenomenally successful ad campaign promoting diamonds as the engagement gem. And let’s be honest: most of us have a lot more exposure to advertisements than we do to the symbolic artifacts of bygone or non-Western civilizations.
We like to point out that there is no singular tradition, as such, when it comes to engagement rings, jewelry, or gifts, so if you’re not feeling like the white diamond solitaire ring is right for you, know that you’re not breaking some age-old universal truth. There is only one common thread throughout all the traditions: it’s always about showing the person you love just how special they are to you.
This beautiful anniversary ring made by Secrete Fine Jewelry band may not be everyone’s idea of an engagement ring, but if it speaks to you, who says you can’t have an anniversary band for an engagement ring?
