The Citizen, 1991-02-13, Page 18PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1991.
Diamonds inspire romance, magic and mystique
Since the first diamond was
uncovered more than 2,800 years
ago, it has inspired legends and
symbolized romance. The
mystique arose from the inherent
beauty of diamonds and ancient
beliefs in their magical properties.
Fasincation with diamonds has
evolved over the centuries and
they continue to capture the
imagination of the modern world.
Today’s custom of presenting a
diamond engagement ring stems
from a tradition established in the
fifteenth century. Archduke Maxi-
millian of Austria proposed to
Mary of Burgundy, heeding the
words of a trusted advisor who
wrote: “At the betrothal your
grace must have a ring set with a
diamond ...” Today over 70 per
cent of all brides receive a
diamond engagement ring.
Wearing a diamond engage
ment ring on the fourth finger of
the left hand dates far back to
ancient Egypt, where it was
believed that the vein of love ran
from that finger directly to the
heart. A ring represented a circle
which symbolized eternity and the
heavenly decree that life, happi
ness and love have no beginning
New book
gives practical
advice
on marriage
Of the three million young
women who will walk the aisle this
year, more than half of them will
do so with little or no preparation.
“A successful marriage is not
an accident,” declares Dorothy
Freeman, author of the bride’s
guide, Making It Last: Love and
Marriage.
“Boundless love for each other
is not enough to sustain it. It is
necessary for the bride to learn all
she can about what will be
required to develop and maintain
a happy, long-lasting marriage
relationship; then, after she has
learned how to do it, she must
apply what she has learned.”
Making It Last: Love and Marr
iage is a comprehensive guide
that will benefit all wives and
about-to-be-wives from courtship
to retirement.
This book covers virtually every
aspect of marriage, including
insights on managing money, the
house or apartment, buying food
and housewares, advice on how
best to keep house, how to go
about selecting a place to live, and
straight talk on how to turn
bedroom experiences into happy,
lifetime memories.
or end.
THE MYSTIQUE OF DIAMONDS
Diamonds have always been
more highly valued than other
gems because of their rarity and
unique genesis. Diamonds were
formed under immense heat and
pressure at depths of more than
one hundred miles beneath the
earth’s surface. Although dia
mond crystals were forced upward
by volcanic explosions more than
70 million years ago, it was not
until the 4th century B.C. that
diamonds were first traded.
Although currently mined in
twenty countries, India was the
only known source of diamonds
until the 18th century. It was in
India that legends surrounding
the power of diamonds originated.
Indians found that rough uncut
diamonds shaped in an octahe
dron dispersed light in a rainbow
of colour unlike any other stone.
The diamond became a symbol of
power and status and people
believed that diamonds held
mystical qualities. It was written
that “He who wears a diamond
will see dangers recede from him,
whether he be threatened by
serpents, fire, poison, sickness,
thieves, flood, or evil spirits”.
In Europe, diamonds became
valued as talismans. Diamonds
were sought after because of their
durable qualities, hence the Greek
name for diamond “adamas”,
meaning unconquerable. The an
cient Greeks believed diamonds to
be the tears of the gods and
likened the diamond to love’s
passion.
Over the centuries, the dia
mond evolved as a symbol of the
impenetrable and enduring bond
of love. In the first and second
centuries, Romans wore diamonds
to ward off illness, evil spirits and
other hazards. An unknown poet
wrote, in 2 A.D., “The evil eye
shall have no power to harm Him
who shall wear the diamond as a
charm”. Because of diamonds’
natural durability, they came to
symbolize courage and invincibil
ity, and Romans wore them against
their skin believing diamonds
would increase their bravery and
daring in battle. Some believed
that diamonds were splinters from
falling stars; others believed that
diamonds tipped Ero’s arrows.
DIAMONDS AND ROMANCE
“Two torches in one ring of
burning fire
Two wills, two hearts, two pas
sions are bonded in marriage by a
diamond.”
-The Marriage of
Constanzo Sforza and
Camilla D’Aragona
According to Diana Scaribrick,
a noted jewellery historian, the
marriage of Constanzo Sforza and
Camilla D’Aragona in 1475 was
one of the first occasions associat
ing diamonds with love and
marriage. The ceremony was re
corded in a series of illustrations
found in a manuscript currently in
the Vatican. The illustration de
picts the god of marriage in a
tunic painted with diamond rings,
standing near an altar on which a
diamond ring unites two blazing
torches. Then, in 1477, the first
polished diamond ring was used
to seal the engagement of Arch
duke Maximilian and Mary of
Burgundy.
By the sixteenth century, dia
monds became an integral part of
royal weddings. A diamond ring
was placed on the finger of Mary
Tudor, an infant at the time of her
marriage by proxy to the Dauphin
of France in 1518. Marguerite
d'Angouleme was given a dia
mond ring by Henry Navarre
when they married, symbolizing a
king and queen bound together in
everlasting love.
DIAMONDS IN THE
20TH CENTURY
Today, people no longer believe
diamonds to be imbued with
magical powers, but the diamonds
seductive brilliance continues to
intrigue and mesmerize men and
women around the globe. The gift
of a diamond engagement ring to
iwWwiw
one’s fiance is one of the strongest
traditions thriving in today’s
modern world. New customs have
continued to evolve including the
men’s diamond wedding band, a
return gift from the bride, and the
diamond anniversary band, given
on the first through tenth wedding
anniversaries. Diamonds, as a gift
of love, evoke the romance and
magic of traditions that have
spanned centuries.
♦ 1
The Groom
Traditionally
wears something
Classy
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the purchase of wedding bands
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