Why does a wedding ring have to have a diamond?

Why does a wedding ring have to have a diamond in it when there are so many pretty gems out there? Personally, I find that if it was some other stone (real stone of course) it would appear to be a more well-thought out ring since everyone seems to be getting a diamond. So why does it have to be a diamond?





Your thoughts?





I love diamonds, but I just feel that they are way too expensive. I wouldn't get it even if I could afford it for the fear of losing it.





And I'm not getting married. I'm just curious as to why people spend so much on rings.|||A diamond is the stongest and hardest gemstone. You will be wearing this ring nearly all the time for the rest of your life. I would think long and hard about getting another gem for this very reason. Some gems like Emeralds and opals are very very fragile and need specialist care to maintain their colour. In addition, be careful about which setting you choose, some modern ones though beautiful, are more prone to breaking if they are knocked. Claw settings (4 or more), and rub-over settings are the safest.|||I think you're thinking of the engagement ring. Wedding rings are usually simple gold bands without any gems in them. The diamond industry spent a lot of money on marketing in the early part of the 20th century to convince people that they ought to buy diamond engagement rings, and their marketing campaign just became a huge success.





They also informed every jeweler to tell men that they ought to spend two to three months of their salary on a diamond engagement ring. Since the jewelers made money off of this as well, they went along with this and started telling their clients that was how much they had to spend. To this day, there are many men and women who still believe that two month's salary has to be spent on an engagement ring not realizing this was a number the diamond industry just picked out of thin air to try to make more of a profit.|||A wedding or engagement ring doesn't "have to" have a diamond, but it is the stone that has become the most closely associated with weddings because of the De Beers "A Diamond is Forever" ad campaign, which started in the 1940s. The idea behind a diamond engagement ring is that diamonds, like love and marriage, ideally, are indestructible and last forever. But basically it was just because of a great ad campaign that convinced women that if men were serious about marriage, they needed to present them with a diamond worth 2-3 months' salary. Silly, really.





If you don't want a diamond engagement or wedding ring, let your potential fiance know that when the time comes, or be sure to have some friends or family members available to tell him that's how you feel, so he can pick out a different kind of stone.|||Wedding rings are usually a solid never ending band of gold or Platinum, the stones are reserved for the engagement ring, some people just choose diamonds but i personally think that the bigger the rock the more chav or false it looks.





Some celebrity wedding rings are vile and would be knocked every time you put your hand in your pocket or did any menial chore around the house.





I have a simple trilogy of diamonds in my engagement ring, 8 diamonds in my wedding ring spaced evenly around and as a present my hubby brought me a new ring with a blue topaz and diamond setting, not so much for the value as it was relatively cheap, but I really like it. All my rings are white gold as yellow gold looks horrible on me. |||It doesn't HAVE to be a diamond. I think that a ring is more precious and sentimental if the giver spends time and puts thought into their "gift". Choosing a "wedding" ring, can be a fun and memorable experience. Be different, have fun and let your ring say something about you or your relationship. Being different is awesome, having a "diamond" for your wedding ring is just tradtional, but in this day and age, seriously...........who, is traditional? |||It doesn't have to have a diamond. In many countries, a wedding band is just a plain gold band with no stones. Mine is this way, in fact. In the US, many wedding bands are traditionally made with diamonds on them, but this tradition is fairly recent. You don't have to follow tradition, you can always start your own. My engagement ring is blue topaz - I don't like diamonds, either. It's really about what you prefer and what tradition means to you. |||They don't have to have to be a diamond at all. The diamond industry has some great marketing, and diamonds are really touted as more special than they really are. It's also a long held tradition. If a girl's mom had a diamond ring, and her mom had a diamond ring, then she might be more likely to want one too. For engagment that is. Wedding bands are often plain gold|||First of all, traditional wedding rings are just plain gold bands.


Unless you mean engagement rings, a diamond is the purest stone you can get so thats why its normally used for an engagement ring, there is nothing to say you cant have any stone you want but they are not as hard or long wearing as a diamond.


I have a 1.05 square cut diamond on a platinum band and I wear it with pride, but if my man only got me a teeny diamond I would love it just the same.


Its what it stands for thats important not what it looks like.|||I've just picked up my wedding ring and its got a diamond in it, BUT, now that I have it, if I had to make the decision again I would just get a plain band as my engagement ring has a diamond already.





I didn't buy the diamond one because it is the norm or because its tradition, but because it is my birth stone.





And the fear of losing it hasn't yet gone away and I've been wearing this for two years!!!!|||Plain and simple: people spend to show off. My fiance and I split the cost of my engagement ring because we are equals, and pay for things together. And we didn't go overboard because we would like to pay for other things like getting our mortgage down, holidays, etc. I do have a diamond but the ring is very different.





Also, my best friend told her now husband when they were dating that she doesn't like diamond rings. She loves Amber so, that is what the stone is in her ring that her hubby got her. Very nice!|||It doesn't have to be a diamond. To each, their own. You don't even have to have an engagement ring, technically. Just wedding bands, which can be plain and simple.





Personally, I like diamonds over other gems, but that's just me. I think brides should have what makes them happy, and if that doesn't include a diamond, that's perfectly fine.|||It is because of long tradition that already started in the middle age but came to its full power in early days of Hollywood and that famous "Diamond is forever" campaign by De Boer Company. Since diamond are eternal they also symbolize the eternal love. And women are suckers for romance:)|||It doesn't have to be a diamond. I think people are accustomed to diamonds because they last forever (as a marriage should), for symbolic reasons.





I agree with you any precious stone would be acceptable some folks choose metals instead.





Ultimately, it is up to you and your significant other.|||I don't understand the diamond thing either. a friend of mine once said 'if my bf doesn't buy me at least a $6K ring by new year's, I'm dumping him'. 2 years later, he dumped her. no ring. it's stupid, because like you said, if I had a huge $6K ring, I would never leave the house with it! I'd be afraid I'd hit it on something and knock the stone right out.|||I feel the same way! Diamonds are beautiful, but I dont need one to know that he loves me. And, if he were to get me one with beautiful pink or green stones, he would prove that he knows me and what I like. And it would reflect my personality better than something everyone else has....plus I lose jewelry fairly easily..... ^.^|||Doesn't have to be a diamond. That tradition started less then 100 years ago. Most engagement rings, for those who could afford them were different stones. Rubies, emeralds, sapphire, rhodelites, tsavorite, etc were all used.|||wedding rings are supposed to be plain - signifying an eternal circle - hence, no diamonds!





and you won't lose it, it kind of 'grows' on you! - my wedding ring is plain, but cost more than most overstated 'tacky' rings - the cost is irrelevant|||they dont have to be a diamond, thats just tradition. you can make it your own ring, with a different gem, when i was little i wanted a ruby, and little diamonds around it for my wedding ring. but now i want just a normal wedding ring. but with a difffernt touch. |||Neither wedding rings nor engagement rings have to have diamonds. In fact, neither my engagement ring nor wedding ring has a diamond, and my wedding ring was only $50 (and purchased in Oregon so no sales tax.) :-)|||Back in the day, other stones were the common thing. My wedding ring was emeralds and diamonds...It was unique and I got complements all the time on it! now...I am divorced and it just sits in the box...|||the ring is symbollic of eternity there doesnt have to be a stone in it at all people just think it looks glamrous but costs a hell of a lot more than a normal ring|||I know engagement rings generally have diamonds as it's something to do with a long marriage - haven't heard of it for wedding rings though. Most are just gold/platinum and no gems|||This is a tradition, but you can change for UNIQUE Ring with nice stones. Check this website:





http://www.silver-ambermar.com





good luck|||It doesn't.





I have friends who have rings with other gems and they're just as beautiful. A diamond is just a more traditional choice.|||It doesn't. My engagement ring has a pink sapphire and i love it. I wouldn't want the same ring as everybody else which is why i didn't choose one with a diamond.|||Basically, I think it is a traditional thing.





Just something that people have always done......diamonds, but I think a pretty real stone would be just as nice and some are awesome. |||It doesn't.





Only the jewellery industry public relations people want us to believe that.








.|||It doesn't have to be a Diamond that is just tradition - why not get a ring with her birth stone in it? |||It doesn't. It can be whatever YOU want it to be.|||Cause it doesn't mean NOTHING, i mean NOTHING without a little Bling on it. Lol!!!!!





|||they dont have to, but i'm glad mines big :)