HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1989-02-08, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1989.
The diamond engagement ring: where did it start
Since the turn of the century, the
solitaire diamond ring has been the
engagement symbol. Even today,
as many traditions are toppling, the
diamond ring tradition is stronger
than ever.
Where did it begin and how did it
evolve?
The ancient Romans were the
first civilization to use finger rings
as a sign of betrothal and marriage.
Solitaire rings were popular, as
were bands of “opus interrasile,”
the Roman’s technique of open-
work chiselled from sheet gold
(much like contemporary “fili
gree” designs), and rings similar
to today’s popular “eternity” ring
with stones set all round a simple
band.
However, it was not until 1477,
when the Archduke Maximillian of
Austria gave a diamond ring to
Princess Mary of Burgundy, that
the tradition of the diamond en
gagement ring began.
The reason a woman wears it on
the third finger of her left hand is
traced back to the early Egyptians
who believed that the vena amoris
(vein of love) ran directly from the
heart to the top of the third finger,
left hand.
The Greeks believed the fire in a
diamond reflected the constant
flame of love. The name “Dia
mond” comes from the Greek word
“adamas” meaning unconquer
able. Is it any wonder that the
diamond has come to symbolize the
eternity of love?
This year, brides and grooms will
spend millions on engagement and
wedding rings. And, because the
diamond engagement ring is usu
ally the first piece of diamond
jewelry a woman owns, it is
important to solicit the assistance
of an expert - your local jeweler - to
counsel you about the qualities that
should be considered when pur
chasing such a gift.
Diamond cuts as well as ring
styles have changed throughout the
years since Maximillian made his
presentation to Princess Mary.
Before the invention of the dia
mond saw in 1910, diamonds were
polished to give them their shine.
When the saw was used to break up
the crystal, experts created opti
cally efficient diamonds that held
more brilliancy and dispersion than
ever before possible.
Today, lasers enable diamonds
to be cut not only as rounds,
marquises, pears, ovals and rec
tangular shapes, but also to be
fashioned into such unique designs
as horse heads, stars and initials.
Styling changes have been subtle
and gradual. In colonial days the
engagement ring was a diamond
hoop called the “keeper ring,”
because it was worn over the
wedding band, acting as its “keep
er.” The next style was the cluster
ring, designed like an old-fashion
ed bouquet with a rose (of rose-cut
diamonds) in the center.
The Victorian rings were more
ornate, sometimes using black
enamel with gold in the diamond
settings. Then came the princess
ring, with three to five diamonds in
a row across the finger. This was
pouplar for many years, until the
turn of the century and introduction
of the solitaire setting.
Whether you select a round or
one of the “fancy” cuts, such as
marquise or pear shapes, you
should have your jeweler explain
the importance of the “Four C’s”
which determine the quality of the
gem - carat, color, clarity and cut:
•Carat - refers to the weight, and
therefore the size, of the gem. One
carat is divided into 100 points, so
that a diamond of 150 points
weighs 1.5 carats.
•Color - Totally colorless dia
monds are very rare and represent
the highest color grade. The vari
ous gradations, from exceptional
white to yellowish, are barely
perceptible to the untrained eye.
Occasionally, diamonds with
strong colors such as green, red,
blue and amber are recovered.
These “fancy color” diamonds are
rare, fetching commensurate
prices.
•Clarity - refers to the degree to
which a diamond is free of interior
blemishes or inclusions. The size
and position of inclusions affect the
value of a stone according to
whether they interfere with the
passage of light through the dia
mond.
•Cut - The art of cutting a
diamond is so refined that a precise
mathematical formula was develop
ed. It called for most stones to be
cut with 58 facets, each placed at a
precise angle to one another.
How much should you spend for
this gift of love that lasts forever?
Consider the fact that most of your
purchases depreciate in value and
may not even last over the years.
A diamond, on the other hand,
has lasting value, will always be
the enduring symbol of your love,
and will surely become a family
heirloom for generations to come.
It can be remounted in another
ring, pendant or pin in the future
and enjoyed over and over again.
When your feelings are for real,
choose fine jewelry. It’s forever.
Wedding gowns can
last for generations
Many brides are wearing wedd
ing gowns which were once worn
by their mother or their grand
mother.
Some of these older gowns are
stained, damaged or discolored.
But these are not reasons to
abandon the gown, says Margaret
Loewen, clothing and textiles spe
cialist with the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and Food’s rural or
ganizations and services branch.
Minor problems such as small
holes, tears or stains may not be
noticeable in a full-skirted gown.
If the bodice is damaged, sec
tions can be replaced with new
fabrics or with parts of the original
fabric from ruffles, train etc. Use
lace or ruffles to cover holes.
Lace appliques either new or old
can be used to cover damaged
areas or seams which have been let
ing you don’t use new white fabric
with it.
Instead, choose ivory lace or try
dying pieces of white fabric with
tea to get the desired off-white
shade.
Before cleaning an old dress,
seek some advice from an esta
blished dry cleaner. Cleaning can
be costly because special treatment
and pressing are necessary.
To preserve a dress for a future
bride, have it cleaned but not
pressed, and wrap it in a clean old
cotton sheet and pack in a box.
Some stores and dry cleaners
offer a special wedding dress
service - cleaned, stuffed with
tissue, and packed in a box for
storing.
Investigate this if you plan to
keen the dress in usable condition.
nee upon a time, Reneopeneda 8 and
store in a little place :.wf called Brussels.
Rene often had
announce they were getting
upwithan
come in and
.So Rene came
. She decided to have a
Bridal Registry
where they could express their wishes for gifts,
etc. It was great. Rene also helped design fresh
and silk arrangements. As
iv ■ ,
also added rentals of satin mOney baskets, etc.
passed Rene
Guess you could say Rene had everything for the
even
Gifts & Flowers
BRUSSELS 887-9731
"Help them live happily ever after. "
out.
If the bodice is too small, side
pieces or underarm gussets can be
inserted.
You could also cover the entire
bodice with new lace to conceal
flaws or let-out areas.
If the skirt is in good condition
but the bodice and sleeves are
badly damaged, then you may want
to create a whole new dress by
adding a new bodice and sleeves to
the original skirt. Parts of the
original bodice and sleeves may be
used to trim the new ones.
If an old gown has yellowed
evenly, it can still be worn provid-
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