Virtual Appointment
Back05/15/2023
We are about to explore engagement ring trends throughout the decades starting in the 40´s, but, why not earlier? Maybe because giving away engagement rings was not “a thing” before. Some women would rather choose a more practical gift such as a new car than a ring. If you are into numbers and statistics let´s say that by 1940 only 10% of brides were receiving diamond engagement rings, while in 1990 that number flew to over 80%. So, what was the trigger to its evolution? Good publicity. Literally.
In the beginning of the 1940s World War 2 was going on and raw materials were scarce and precious like platinum, which in 1942 was declared a strategic mineral by the US government so its use for jewellery became prohibited by law. Thus, jewellery was made with gold and diamonds were often recycled from older pieces.
By mid 40´s the war was finally over and the De Beers campaign had the same impact as a bomb. They basically created and ad that stated parallels between a diamond and love only by saying “A diamond is forever”. This tagline had then created not just a desire, but a need for diamond engagement rings.
Exchanging rings suddenly become a tradition again, jewellery production increased and there were no longer any limitations on materials. Platinum and diamonds were increasingly used and engagement rings were beautiful, bold, and dramatic.
During this decade it was quite common to seek affordable alternatives to diamonds; that is why synthetic stones were pretty popular back then. As mined gemstones were rare and valuable, lab-created alternatives became popular. Even though diamonds center stones were still the norm, alternative stones like rubies and sapphires were incredibly popular as well in an attempt to follow the Art Deco movement that made use of geometry, color, and striking designs.
Still looking for affordable alternatives, engagement rings were more about the metal they were made in than the stone they held. Gemstones came in modest sizes but designers created beautiful etchings or engravings on the metal, making the metal the focal point of the design.
Yes of course diamonds were popular before, but since the aggressive De Beer campaign we mentioned earlier, diamonds became the gemstone of preference for engagement rings. By then, the round brilliant cut had already been invented and was commonly used, but antique cuts like the rose cut and old mine cut were still popular. Floral motifs were popular in jewellery and many engagement rings of this period showcased such designs. (Pic1)
Although the 1940s were in part times of minimalism due to restricted materials, there were also grand and unique ring designs that were in trend. You can see the influences of previous decades such as the geometric styles of the Art Deco era and the floral vibes of the Art Nouveau period, but there’s also trend towards feminine designs and modern motifs. These included leaves, flowers, bows, ribbons, and curving lines.