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*2012 U. S. survey conducted for eHarmony by Harris Interactive® online, very few will be compatible with you specifically, and it can be difficult to determine the level of compatibility of a potential partner through methods of conventional dating services – browsing classified ads, online personals, or viewing profile photos. Our Compatibility Matching System does the work for you by narrowing the field from thousands of single prospects to match you with a select group of compatible matches with whom you can build a quality relationship.
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Engagement ring
Engagement process in Azerbaijan
An engagement ring is a ring indicating that the person wearing it is engaged to be married. especially in Western cultures. In Western countries, engagement rings are worn only by women, and rings can feature diamonds or other gemstones. In other cultures men and women wear matching rings. In some cultures, engagement rings are also used as wedding rings.
The woman's ring is presented as a engagement gift by a man to his prospective spouse while he proposes marriage or directly after she accepts his marriage proposal. It represents a formal agreement to future marriage.
In Western countries, it is customarily worn on the left hand ring finger. though customs vary across the world.
Before agreeing to marry, a couple may choose to buy and wear pre-engagement rings. also called promise rings. After marrying, the couple may wear both engagement rings and wedding rings. or if they prefer, only the wedding rings. Some brides have their engagement and wedding rings permanently soldered together after marriage.
Contents
History [ edit ]
Ancient times [ edit ]
Although the ancient Egyptians are sometimes credited with having invented the engagement ring, [ 1 ] and the ancient Greeks with having adopted the tradition, [ 2 ] the history of the engagement ring can only be reliably traced as far back as ancient Rome. [ 3 ] [ 4 ] [ 5 ]
In many countries, engagement rings are placed on the finger nearest the little finger on the left hand. At one time it was believed that this finger contained a vein (the vena amoris ) that led to the heart. This idea was popularized by Henry Swinburne in A treatise of Spousals, or Matrimonial Contracts (1686). [ 6 ] The story seems to have its origin in the ancient Roman book Attic Nights by Aulus Gellius quoting Apion 's Aegyptiacorum, where the alleged vein was originally a nervus (a word that can be translated either as "nerve" or "sinew"). [ 7 ]
The popular belief that an engagement ring was originally part of the bride price which represented purchase and ownership of the bride, [ 8 ] has been called into question by contemporary scholarship. [ 4 ] :42 note 105
In the second century BC, the Roman bride-to-be was given two rings, a gold one which she wore in public, and one made of iron which she wore at home while attending to household duties. At one time Roman citizens wore rings made of iron. In later years senators who served as ambassadors were given gold seal rings for official use when abroad. Later the privilege of wearing gold rings was extended to other public officials, then to the knights, later to all freeborn. and finally under Justinian. to freedmen. For several centuries it was the custom for Romans to wear iron rings at home, gold rings in public. During this period a girl or woman might receive two engagement rings, one of iron and one of gold. [ 9 ] [ 10 ]
Middle ages [ edit ]
The mid-7th century Visigothic Code required "that when the ceremony of betrothal has been performed. and the ring shall have been given or accepted as a pledge, although nothing may have been committed to writing, the promise shall, under no circumstances, be broken." [ 11 ] [ 12 ]
In 860 AD, Pope Nicholas I wrote a letter to Boris I of Bulgaria in reply to questions regarding differences between Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox practices. Pope Nicholas describes how in the Western church the man gives his betrothed an engagement ring. [ 13 ] [ 14 ] [ 15 ] At the Fourth Council of the Lateran in 1215, convoked by Pope Innocent III. the Banns of marriage was instituted, prohibiting clandestine marriages and requiring that marriages be made public in advance. [ 16 ] Some legal scholars have seen in this a parallel with the engagement-ring tradition described by Pope Nicholas I.
Renaissance [ edit ]
The first well-documented use of a diamond ring to signify engagement was by the Archduke Maximilian of Austria in imperial court of Vienna in 1477, upon his betrothal to Mary of Burgundy. [ 17 ] This then influenced those of higher social class and of significant wealth to give diamond rings to their loved ones.
Reformation [ edit ]
During the Protestant Reformation the wedding ring replaced the betrothal ring as the primary ring associated with marriage. [ 18 ] In Catholic countries the transition took place somewhat later. [ 19 ]
In early colonial New England, where Puritans shunned ornaments and jewels, a thimble substituted for both engagement ring and wedding ring. Some women would remove the tops of the thimble in order to create a ring. [ 20 ] In some religious communities (plain people ) this practice persisted until very late. [ 5 ]
Enlightenment [ edit ]
During the Age of Enlightenment both the Gimmal ring and Posie ring were popular, although the latter was more often used as an expression of sentiment than to indicate a formal engagement. [ 21 ]
Victorian era [ edit ]
Diamonds were first found in South Africa in 1866, [ 22 ] although they were not identified as such until 1867. [ 23 ] By 1872, the output of the diamond mines exceeded one million carats per year. [ 24 ] As production increased, those of lesser means were able to join in on this movement. However, diamond engagement rings were for a long time seen as the domain of the nobility and aristocracy, and tradition often favoured simpler engagement bands.
20th century [ edit ]
In the United States, the popularity of diamond engagement rings declined after World War I, even more so after the onset of the Great Depression. [ 25 ]
In 1938, the diamond cartel De Beers began a marketing campaign that would have a major impact on engagement rings. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the price of diamonds collapsed. At the same time, market research indicated that engagement rings were going out of style with the younger generation. While the first phase of the marketing campaign consisted of market research, the advertising phase began in 1939. One of the first elements of this campaign was to educate the public about the 4 Cs (cut, carats, color, and clarity). In 1947 the slogan, "A Diamond is Forever," was introduced. Ultimately, the De Beers campaign sought to persuade the consumer that an engagement ring is indispensable, and that a diamond is the only acceptable stone for an engagement ring. The campaign was very successful. In 1939 only 10% of engagement rings had diamonds. By 1990, 80% did. [ 26 ] [ 27 ] [ 28 ]
21st century [ edit ]
In the 21st century, especially within Western civilization, it has become a common expectation for the bride-to-be to permanently wear her ring as a means of showing her commitment. [ 29 ]
Purchase [ edit ]
In the 20th century, if he could afford it, the typical Western groom privately selected and purchased an engagement ring, which he then presented to his desired bride when he proposed marriage. More recently, couples frequently select an engagement ring together [ citation needed ]. In countries where both partners wear engagement rings, matching rings may be selected and purchased together. [ 30 ] In the United States and Canada, where only women commonly wear engagement rings, women occasionally present their partners with an engagement ring. [ 31 ]
Like all jewelry, the price for an engagement ring varies considerably depending on the materials used: the design of the ring, whether it includes a gemstone, the value of any gemstone, and the seller. The price of the gemstones. if any, in the ring depends on the type and quality of the gem. Diamonds have a standardized description that values them according to their carat weight, color, clarity and cut. Other gemstones, such as sapphires. rubies. emeralds. have different systems. These may be chosen to honor a family tradition, to use family heirlooms, to be unique, to be socially responsible (they are not associated with blood diamonds or the pollution caused by gold mining and cyanide process ), to fit the individual's stylistic preferences, or to manage cost. Synthetic stones and diamond substitutes such as cubic zirconias and moissanites are also popular choices that are socially responsible and reduce cost while maintaining the desired appearance.
The idea that a man should spend a significant fraction of his annual income for an engagement ring originated de novo from De Beers marketing materials in the mid-20th century, in an effort to increase the sale of diamonds. In the 1930s, they suggested that a man should spend the equivalent of one month's income in the engagement ring; later they suggested that he should spend two months' income on it. [ 32 ] In 2012, the average cost of an engagement ring in USA as reported by the industry was US$4,000. [ 33 ]
One reason for the increased popularity of expensive engagement rings is its relationship to human sexuality and the woman's marriage prospects. [ 34 ] Until the Great Depression. a man who broke off a marriage engagement could be sued for breach of promise. Monetary damages included actual expenses incurred in preparing for the wedding, plus damages for emotional distress and loss of other marriage prospects. Damages were greatly increased if the woman had engaged in sexual intercourse with her fiance. [ 34 ] Beginning in 1935, these laws were repealed or limited. However, the social and financial cost of a broken engagement was no less: marriage was the only financially sound option for most women, and if she was no longer a virgin, her prospects for a suitable future marriage were greatly decreased. The diamond engagement ring thus became a source of financial security for the woman. [ 34 ]
Legal ownership [ edit ]
Tradition generally holds that if the betrothal fails because the man himself breaks off the engagement, the woman is not obliged to return the ring. This reflects the ring's role as a form of compensation for the woman's damaged reputation. [ 34 ] Legally, this condition can be subject to either a modified or a strict fault rule. Under the former, the fiance can demand the return of the ring unless he breaks the engagement. Under the latter, the fiance is entitled to the return unless his actions caused the breakup of the relationship, the same as the traditional approach. However, a no-fault rule is being advanced in some jurisdictions, under which the fiance is always entitled to the return of the ring. The ring only becomes the property of the woman when marriage occurs. An unconditional gift approach is another possibility, wherein the ring is always treated as a gift, to be kept by the fiancee whether or not the relationship progresses to marriage. Recent court rulings have determined that the date in which the ring was offered can determine the condition of the gift. E. g. Valentine's Day and Christmas are widely recognized as gift giving holidays in the United States and some other countries. A ring offered in the form of a Christmas present is likely to remain the personal property of the recipient in the event of a breakup. [ 35 ]
In most states of the United States, engagement rings are considered "conditional gifts" under the legal rules of property. This is an exception to the general rule that gifts cannot be revoked once properly given. See, for example, the case of Meyer v. Mitnick . 625 N. W.2d 136 (Michigan, 2001), whose ruling found the following reasoning persuasive: "the so-called 'modern trend' holds that because an engagement ring is an inherently conditional gift, once the engagement has been broken, the ring should be returned to the donor. Thus, the question of who broke the engagement and why, or who was 'at fault,' is irrelevant. This is the no-fault line of cases." Though in certain states, whether a judicial action can be maintained at all to require return of an engagement ring is blocked by statute, as many states have statutes which state that no civil action shall be maintained for breach of promise to marry. [ 36 ]
One case in New South Wales. Australia ended in the man suing his former fiancee because she threw the ring away, after he told her she could keep it even though the marriage plans had fallen through. The Supreme Court of New South Wales held that, despite what the man said, the ring remained a conditional gift (partly because his saying that she could keep it reflected his desire to salvage the relationship) and she was ordered to pay him its A$15,250 cost. [ 37 ]
In England and Wales, the gift of an engagement ring is presumed to be an absolute gift to the fiancee. This presumption may be rebutted however by proving that the ring was given on condition (express or implied) that it must be returned if the marriage did not take place, for whatever reason. This was decided in the case Jacobs v Davis [1917] 2 KB 532.
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