George Boyle
Diamond engagement rings became popular in the mid-20th century due to a successful advertising campaign by De Beers, a British company that mined diamonds in South Africa. The campaign, which began in 1938, aimed to convince people that diamonds were synonymous with love and romance. The famous slogan A Diamond is Forever was launched in 1947 and revolutionized the jewelry industry, making diamond rings the most popular choice for engagement and wedding rings. The campaign also suggested that a man should spend a significant fraction of his annual income on an engagement ring, with recommendations ranging from one to three months' salary. The discovery of large diamond veins in South Africa in the 1870s and the subsequent increase in diamond availability also contributed to the rise in popularity.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year diamond wedding rings became popular | 1947 |
| Company that popularised diamond wedding rings | De Beers |
| De Beers' marketing campaign | "A Diamond is Forever" |
| De Beers' marketing campaign start year | 1938 |
| De Beers' marketing campaign target audience | Young men and women |
| De Beers' marketing campaign message | Diamonds are synonymous with romance, and the measure of a man's love is directly proportional to the size and quality of the diamond |
| Average cost of an engagement ring in the US | $4,000 |
| Percentage of couples that did not buy an engagement ring | 25% |
| Percentage of couples that spent less than $2,000 on an engagement ring | 33% |
| Percentage of couples that spent $4,000 or more on an engagement ring | Less than 15% |
| Average cost of an engagement ring in the UK | Between £1,200 and £2,000 |
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What You'll Learn
Diamond engagement rings became popular in the 1940s
The famous slogan "A Diamond is Forever" was launched in 1947, and it revolutionized the jewellery industry. The slogan took off, and the idea that a diamond engagement ring symbolized eternal love became entrenched in the American psyche. The durability of a diamond conveyed the message that marriage is forever.
The campaign also targeted young women, convincing them that courtship should always culminate in a diamond ring. De Beers spread these messages through popular culture, using glamorous movie stars adorned in diamonds as role models for poorer middle-class women. The opening of the De Beers mines in Africa also made diamonds more accessible, and the company had previously marketed diamonds in the 1930s during the Great Depression, suggesting that a man should spend the equivalent of one month's income on an engagement ring.
The combination of effective advertising, increased accessibility, and the association of diamonds with love, romance, and success, led to the popularity of diamond engagement rings in the 1940s and beyond. The idea of spending a significant fraction of one's annual income on an engagement ring can be traced back to De Beers' marketing materials in the mid-20th century.
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De Beers' 1930s marketing campaign
Diamond rings have been common in Western countries since at least the time of the Roman Empire. They began to feature diamonds during the Renaissance, although most commoners could not afford diamond rings before the discovery of South African diamond mines in the 19th century. In the 1930s, De Beers, a British company that mined diamonds in South Africa, began a marketing campaign to increase the demand for diamond rings, which had declined in the US during the Great Depression. The campaign featured photographs of glamorous movie stars adorned with diamonds. De Beers also suggested that a man should spend the equivalent of one month's income on an engagement ring.
In 1947, De Beers launched its now-classic slogan, "A Diamond is Forever." The durability of a diamond conveyed the meaning in the American psyche that marriage is forever. The slogan was coined by Frances Gerety, a young copywriter at the N.W. Ayer advertising agency. The campaign created a parallel between a diamond and love, pushing diamonds as the most romantic purchase a man could make for his lover.
De Beers and its marketers were adaptable at molding public perceptions. They promoted the gift of a second diamond to reaffirm romance later in marriage and targeted international markets, including Japan, where arranged marriages were the norm.
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Diamond engagement rings in Hollywood
Diamond engagement rings have been popular in Western countries since at least the time of the Roman Empire. They began to feature diamonds during the Renaissance, but most commoners could not afford diamond rings before the discovery of South African diamond mines in the 19th century. The opening of the De Beers mines in Africa made diamonds more accessible. In the 1930s, De Beers began a marketing campaign using photographs of glamorous Hollywood movie stars adorned in diamonds. De Beers launched its now-famous slogan, "A Diamond is Forever," in 1947, and diamond engagement rings skyrocketed in popularity. The durability of a diamond conveyed the meaning in the American psyche that marriage is forever.
Celebrities are known for their dazzling engagement rings, often featuring unique stones, large carat sizes, and custom cuts. These one-of-a-kind jewels forecast fashion trends and have a lasting impact on popular culture. Hollywood stars have played a significant role in the enduring popularity of diamond engagement rings.
Some notable celebrity diamond engagement rings include:
- Selena Gomez's marquise-cut diamond on a yellow-gold pavé band, estimated to be worth $200,000 to $1 million.
- Lady Gaga's eight-carat, oval-cut diamond with a solitaire setting, valued at approximately $578,000.
- Serena Williams's 12-carat, oval-shaped diamond flanked by two smaller diamonds and set on a platinum band, reportedly costing $2 million.
- J.Lo's Harry Winston pink diamond three-stone ring from Ben Affleck, which reportedly increased the value of pink diamonds.
- Mariah Carey's 35-carat emerald-cut diamond ring, bought by her ex-fiancé James Packer for $10 million.
These celebrity engagement rings showcase the enduring appeal of diamonds in Hollywood and their influence on engagement ring trends.
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Diamond engagement rings in Japan
Diamond engagement rings have been common in Western countries since at least the time of the Roman Empire. They began to feature diamonds during the Renaissance, although most commoners could not afford diamond rings until the discovery of South African diamond mines in the 19th century. In 1477, Archduke Maximilian of Austria was the first to propose with a diamond engagement ring, but he was not a trendsetter—diamond engagement rings did not gain popularity until 1947 when the British company De Beers launched an advertising campaign with the slogan "A Diamond is Forever." The durability of a diamond conveyed the meaning that marriage is forever, and a diamond's purity and sparkle have become symbols of the depth of two people's commitment to each other.
In Japan, wedding rings were not historically a staple of wedding culture, but they became increasingly popular from the 1960s onward. De Beers and other companies portrayed diamonds and diamond wedding rings as modern, European, and fashionable, convincing Japanese consumers to adopt the practice. In 1967, only 5% of Japanese brides owned a diamond ring, but that number rose to over 60% by 1981. De Beers also marketed the idea that a man should spend a significant fraction of his annual income on an engagement ring—in the 1980s, they suggested that he should spend two months' income on it (three months in Japan).
Today, there are many options for purchasing diamond engagement rings in Japan, with Tokyo being the country's capital city for consumer landscape. Neighborhoods specializing in jewelry offer a variety of Japanese and international brands. Japanese companies provide options that fit in with the trends and tastes of the country and offer easy access to after-care services.
There are some general trends in Japan regarding engagement ring design. The standard size of the stone in an engagement ring in Japan is between 0.2 and 0.4 carats, which is closer to the European average of 0.5 carats. 95% of brides choose a diamond, and 88% choose platinum as their metal of choice. Over 50% prefer the solitaire setting, or one stone set atop a simple band, while 33% choose a single stone flanked by small melee diamonds. Platinum is the most popular material for wedding rings, with gold coming in second at 7.7%. Unique Japanese engagement rings can also be purchased from companies such as MOKUMEGANEYA and NIWAKA, which offer rings inspired by the beauty of Kyoto and crafted individually by specialized craftsmen.
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Diamond rings as financial security for women
Diamond rings have been widely featured in engagement rings since the middle of the 20th century. In Western countries, engagement rings are usually worn only by women, and they are typically adorned with diamonds. In the 15th century, engagement rings began to embody the symbolism of intertwined unity that we think of today. The idea that a man should spend a significant fraction of his annual income on an engagement ring originated from De Beers marketing materials in the mid-20th century to increase diamond sales. In the 1930s, De Beers suggested that a man should spend the equivalent of one month's income on the ring. In the 1980s, they suggested two months' income, and three months' income in Japan.
The discovery of diamond mines in South Africa in the 19th century made diamonds more accessible to the general public. However, it was not until the 1940s that diamonds became popular in engagement rings. This was due to a successful advertising campaign by De Beers in 1947, which used photographs of glamorous Hollywood stars adorned with diamonds and the now-famous slogan, "A Diamond is Forever." The durability of a diamond conveyed that marriage is forever, and a diamond's purity and sparkle have become symbols of the depth of two people's commitment.
Prior to the 1940s, the social and financial cost of a broken engagement was high, especially for women. In the United States, until the Great Depression, a man who broke off a marriage engagement could be sued for breach of promise. Monetary damages included expenses incurred in preparing for the wedding, emotional distress, and loss of other marriage prospects. Damages were significantly higher if the woman had engaged in sexual intercourse with her fiancé, as she was socially expected to be a virgin in a new marriage. After the gradual abolishment of this law in all states, the expensive engagement ring rose to popularity as a new form of financial security for women in case of a break-up, as it was custom for the woman to keep the ring.
In recent years, there has been a shift in engagement ring preferences, with people opting for coloured gemstones and unique materials. For example, Blake Lively received a light pink, oval diamond set in a rose gold band from Ryan Reynolds, and Katy Perry was given a unique ruby sparkler set in a floral halo design from Orlando Bloom. Singer Ariana Grande also broke with tradition with a pearl and diamond ring. There has also been a huge rise in lab-grown stones for those searching for an alternative, affordable, and eco-conscious option.
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Frequently asked questions
Diamond wedding rings became popular in the 1940s, thanks to an advertising campaign by De Beers, the most prominent diamond company in history.
In 1938, De Beers hired an ad agency to convince people that diamonds were synonymous with love. The slogan "A Diamond is Forever" was launched in 1947 and took off.
The campaign was incredibly successful. Diamonds became the most popular choice of stone for engagement rings, whereas previously sapphires had been the most popular.
Yes, diamonds had been used for engagement rings for centuries. Diamonds began to feature in engagement rings during the Renaissance, although most commoners could not afford them until the discovery of South African diamond mines in the 19th century.
