The History of Diamonds: Love and Lure

The History of Diamonds: Love and Lure

At Acredo, diamonds are a focus of much of what we do. Diamonds themselves have become a large part of everyday life, too— we wear them, we sing about them, we propose with them, and we pass them down to future generations. Diamonds play a large role in jewelry, but have you ever wondered why?

Diamonds Are Forever
Have you ever wondered why they say a diamond is forever? More specifically, who came up with that saying? The De Beers company can take credit for that.

After diamonds started to flow out of the African mines at a fast rate, De Beers Consolidated Mines decided to create a merger with South African mines to have a tighter control on the market.

The company greatly flourished and the price of diamonds went up, due to the illusion of scarcity. But as time rolled on, diamonds started to lose their attraction as engagement rings. Once more, De Beers had to come up with a new marketing tool to get people interested again.

Coining the Phrase
With diamonds not selling like they wanted them to, the executives in the company decided they needed to do something. They needed a marketing strategy to get their name and diamonds out. They went to the N.W. Ayer ad agency and got them hooked on helping them convince people they wanted diamonds.

Needless to say it worked. The Ayer copywriter Frances Gerety penned what is now the most famous slogan you can think of. A diamond is forever; clean, elegant, but best of all effective. Years later, that phrase is still heard all over the world and recognized as a true symbol of strong unbreakable love.

With the marketing phrase hitting the mark in advertising, De Beers’ sales shot up over 50 percent right away, bringing the company right back up to the top, and making diamonds a girl’s best friend, all over again.

To this day, people continue to go to the diamond engagement ring as the number one engagement ring out there. There’s just something about its clear beauty that draws men and women alike to it. So far, diamonds are forever.

Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend
It may be true that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, just for the simple fact that women like pretty things! It can be said that they are a woman’s best friend because many women love their diamond engagement rings, jewelry and everything pretty.

But unlike some cheaper jewelry, diamonds are “forever” and there is no way around the fact that a woman would much rather have something that can last her a lifetime than something that may fade with time and need to be replaced.

But where did the saying “diamonds are a girl’s best friend” come from and how true is it?

She Made it Famous
Marilyn Monroe seemed to have all the class and beauty a girl could ever aspire to have. She certainly made it seem that way when she sang the classic song of “Diamonds Are a Girls’ Best Friend.” Written by Carol Channing in the production Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Marilyn Monroe made a simple phrase famous for the rest of time.

Diamond Engagement Rings
Everyone has seen it on women’s hands. That shiny stone set on a silver or gold ring. More often than not, that beautiful center stone is a diamond. A diamond engagement ring shows your commitment to your engagement or marriage, but it also makes quite a style statement. But when and how did diamonds become popular as part of an engagement ring?

The story of the first diamond engagement ring goes all the way back to Archduke Maximilian of Austria who gave his betrothed Mary a fancy and shiny engagement ring. Seeing as he was rather popular, it started as a trend amongst those of European aristocratic and noble background.

Diamonds Were Evidence of Wealth
In this day and age, although diamond rings are evidence of having either saved up money to buy one or of being well off, they used to be a very prominent sign of wealth. Those who were not wealthy were not able to afford diamond rings. When they first became popular, the diamonds used were more difficult to come across, thus costing more.

With the discovery of African diamond mines and the following rush to sell diamonds, the price dropped and diamonds could be seen on the fingers of all income brackets in society. Soon, those who were leading the diamond import decided to put a halt on the mad rush of selling diamonds at a cheap price so that now diamond engagement rings are sold at a more reasonable price.

The change in price and access that made diamonds easier to obtain and use in engagement rings, making what was just a pretty stone a famous trademark of a women’s engagement ring.

Your Diamond & Our Commitment to Sustainability
acredo and egf Manufaktur, our manufacturing partner, place emphasis on uncompromising quality and are committed to sustainability. As an ethical jeweler, we are committed to the standards set out by the Responsible Jewellery Council and relevant UN resolutions.

egf Manufaktur has been a member of RJC since 2017 with the member number 0000 0865 0865. Furthermore, it fulfills the RJC Chain of Custody standard – a non-mandatory standard for members.

The “Chain of Custody” is a production standard for gold and other precious metals, stating appropriate standards for human rights, labor standards, environmental impact, and business ethics throughout the supply chain.

We source our precious metals from suppliers that also meet this standard. Our diamonds hail from suppliers that comply with strict UN regulations. Ensure your prosperous future together begins with a strong foundation — based on trust and integrity. Learn more here.

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“I am utterly thrilled with my custom piece! Maria and Donna not only made this experience special but they have made a lifelong customer out of me. I knew exactly what I wanted to create when I walked in and they surpassed my expectations! Acredo created a work of art that I can wear everyday. From the type of stones, to the custom setting and the precision is the measurements, I could not be more satisfied! I will send all of my friends and family wanting custom pieces to Acredo from here on out. Thank you!!!!!!!” — Haley M. on Google