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The Encyclopedia · Forms

Engagement ring

A ring given as a promise of marriage, traditionally set with a diamond.

The first documented diamond engagement ring was given by Archduke Maximilian of Austria to Mary of Burgundy in 1477. The diamond solitaire became the standard in the twentieth century, helped by the slogan “A Diamond Is Forever” from 1947. A vintage engagement ring offers a cut, a setting and a history that a new one cannot.

What to look for

Ask for a report on the main stone, check the prongs and the shank, and see whether the ring has been resized.

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