New York, NY (PRWEB) August 01, 2012
It seems everyone has a diamond these days, but what if you do not actually want a diamond for your own engagement ring? From Kate Middleton to Elizabeth Hurley, even the glitterati are turning away from the traditional diamond solitaire! AmericanPearl.com is seeing a strong trend toward pearl engagement rings as sales volumes in this category is steadily increasing.
Surprisingly, this is a return to a far older tradition than we might suppose. The very first engagement rings were iron or silver bands, given by a Roman man to indicate future ownership of his ‘property!’ The Romans also began our modern tradition of wearing rings on the fourth finger of the left hand. They believed a special ‘love’ artery travelled from that finger straight to the heart- so it wasn’t ALL business for them.
The Archduke Maximillian of Austria designed the first diamond engagement ring in 1477 for his bride, Mary of Burgundy. However, before and after the Archduke, engagement rings were set with a variety of stones. America boasts the most practical engagement ring tradition: Puritan men gave thimbles to their intended. These were often converted into rings by simply cutting off the tops!
Before you commit to a diamond, consider the more traditional and environmentally friendly options available today, such as the stunning pearl engagement rings offered through American Pearl. They will even customize your ring by engraving a secret message inside the band using its new Digital Ring Engraver found at this link: http://www.americanpearl.com/ring-engraving.html Now consumers can choose the exact font and message they would like engraved on the inside shank of their pearl ring and see it graphically as a sample on the pearl ring they will receive in real time eliminating the guesswork out of customization.
Carrying a range of options to suit every taste and budget, American Pearl even offers the highest-grade pearls with prices to challenge high end retailers such as Mikimoto. These pearl engagement rings have delighted many customers already with their quality and originality. American Pearl engagement rings are a return to a graceful tradition far older than the modern diamond solitaire!