Celtic Engagement Rings For Marriage Proposals

Ready to make the commitment in getting married to the love of your life? It's quite normal if you feel some jitters or nervousness. Proposing is the first step in telling your fiance that you are ready to make a commitment to her beyond simply words. Marriage is a huge milestone for anyone to take and knowing that you have chosen the right life partner is crucial to one's well-being and life success.

You may already have visions of how a perfect proposal will look like. It could be the special place that the both of you first met or it could be dinner at a upscale restaurant. Some have even proposed while skydiving. Whatever your proposal preparation plans are, you definitely want to ensure everything is perfect.

Before any proper proposal can be made, you will need to buy an engagement ring. While the tradition of getting down on one knee and proposing with a diamond engagement ring goes back a long time, it is actually a fairly recent tradition. Betrothal rings were a custom inherited from the Romans. During the 13th century, the practice grew in popularity to become a common custom of Christian marriage ceremonies. In fact, the first known diamond engagement ring was commissioned by the Archduke Maximilian of Austria in 1477 for Mary of Burgundy. Before the late 19th century and the discovery of mines in South Africa, the prices of diamonds were considerably more expensive than today and therefore only affordable to the wealthy. In the late 1800s, the newfound diamond mines in South Africa contributed to the drop in diamond prices. With these precious diamond gemstones within affordable levels for many Americans, it drove demand and people began to give diamond engagement rings more and more. Even so, the use of diamonds in engagement rings and wedding rings didn't become really popular until the 1930s, when De Beers went on a full-scale marketing campaign to target the American public. From then onwards, history was made and the now popular coined phrase A Diamond is Forever became emblazoned on the minds of the multitude.

The use of diamond engagement rings and diamond wedding rings are regarded by many to be a symbol of financial commitment from the groom. While the purchase is budget driven on the groom's end, many women consider an engagement ring an outward symbol of your desire to marry your partner. Cutting corners and going cheap on an engagement ring definitely sends the wrong message to your fiance.

There are lots of choices in engagement rings to choose from. Deciding on what kind of engagement rings to buy from the many options available can be confusing. To assist you in making a more informed decision, one should consider the four factors contributing to the overall cost of the diamond engagement ring. They are:

1. Ring Design
2. Any Deep Meaning in the Ring Design
3. Precious Metal Used
4. Carat Size of Diamond

When it comes to ring designs, you may choose contemporary ring designs which are the fashionable ring designs of the day or the time-tested ring designs of the past. Modern ring designs offer the latest trend-seeker an outlet to express their individualism. Ring designs of the past derived from the past like Celtic rings ensure that the ring will transcend many generations and will be passed down without losing any of its luster and attractiveness. Celtic engagement rings have grown increasingly popular due to the deep meanings associated with its ring designs, many of which were extracted from ancient manuscripts. Because each ring is individually handcrafted oftentimes by skilled Irish jewelers to specifications rather than mass-produced, the cost of Celtic rings will be slightly higher. Although the mass-market contemporary ring may be cheaper today, it may not the best best investment in the long run because the ring will be valued on it's precious metal and gemstone only rather than taking the whole look of the ring and the materials used into determination of the cost. A ring with lots of meaning associated with it as with Celtic jewelry tends to continue fetching higher prices going forward.

The third factor to consider in an engagement ring is the precious metal used. Yellow gold is the overall favorite but white gold is gaining ground today because it resembles platinum, a harder metal that's more expensive. White gold engagement rings has advantages also in that it is very easy to match with any fashion ensemble compared to yellow gold engagement jewelry.

Fourth, the carat size of the diamond. This contributes to a huge portion of the overall engagement ring cost. Just to give you a feel of what market prices are like for diamond engagement rings, studies conducted by the Diamond Information Center (DIC) revealed that the typical diamond engagement ring had an average ticket price of $3,200 in 2006. With prices like these, it is no wonder that engagement rings are treated as a symbol of financial commitment. Even though most couples marry out of love, it is important to note that the male's financial capability is still a consideration factor for females in marriages despite gender equality. The carat size of the diamond is one of the benchmarks used in society of high stature. A large diamond sends the message that you will be able to take care of her long after the wedding.

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By Tim O'Malley for www.shanore.com Browse their selection of Celtic engagement rings and Celtic wedding rings. Every Celtic ring is custom handcrafted & all orders get free FedEx shipping.