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by Anonymous on June 9th, 2006

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When and how did the wedding ring become a symbol of a married woman?

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  • by Krezzy on September 6th, 2006

    Krezzy

    In the British-American tradition, an engagement ring is a ring worn by a woman on her left-hand ring finger indicating her engagement to be married. By modern convention, the ring is usually presented as a betrothal gift by a man to his prospective bride while or directly after she accepts his marriage proposal. It represents a formal agreement to future marriage.

    Similar traditions purportedly date to classical times, dating back from an early usage reportedly referring to the fourth finger of the left hand as containing the vena amoris or "vein of love".

    In the United States today, it is becoming more common, but still quite rare, that a woman will also buy an engagement or promise ring for her partner at the time of the engagement.

    In Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Germany, both the man and the woman wear engagement rings. However, in these countries the man's engagement ring is often used as the Wedding ring. (In Germany often the engagement rings for both partners are plain gold or platinum bands, worn on the left hand, which are then moved to the right hand and used as the wedding bands once they get married.) The female usually gets a diamond wedding ring, priced usually around 500-2000 dollars. Nowadays even some men wear two rings, but this is still rare.

    In Western societies the 'recommended' cost of an engagement ring has ranged from two weeks to the early 21st century norm of one month to as much as three months of the man's wages; although the source of these recommendations is often the jewelry industry, the recommendations have nevertheless found their way into general usage. In the United States, de Beers and some jewelry merchants have promoted a general guideline of two or three months' pay. A spokesperson from Tiffany’s Australia, quoted on the television program A Current Affair (February 1, 2005), suggested that a man should spend two to three month's salary on an engagement ring.

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    • I just wanted to say that this is an excellant answer and not only is it well written, but it is clear that you took the time to do research.

      ByzantineAngel

      by ByzantineAngel on January 8th, 2007

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