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Dazzling Gold

A while ago when I started my search for the perfect engagement ring I seemed to be faced with a dazzling sea of gold bands. And I began to wonder what it was that consistently lured couple after couple to choose that twinkling gold engagement ring above all other options.

The Past Calls to Us

So I decided to dig a little deeper into what seems to be such an enduring attraction for those who plan to walk down the aisle together. F’s theory was that throughout our history gold has been a source of fascination and a coveted material for man. From Bronze Age archaeological sites, stories of Midas and references in the Bible, it is clear that this metal has had a hold on us.

What Does it All Mean?

While all of this is true I wondered if there might be another angle to the magnetism that gold engagement rings exert on the world of vows and promises. Traditionally the wedding band is made of gold and it is said that the metal’s properties of durability and longevity symbolise the eternal vow and the perfection that marriage was thought to signify. It is completely clear in my mind that the engagement stage, as a precursor to marriage, could also draw on this symbolic interpretation of the gold token.

I have to confess that F rolled his eyes a little when I told him what I’d found out but I think it’s interesting how an inanimate object can make such grand statements. You can take it a little bit further if you look at other associations we have made with gold. If you make it to your 50th Wedding Anniversary you’ll traditionally buy your partner something made of gold and it will be called your Golden Wedding Anniversary to symbolise the wisdom and the fruition of the partnership that you embarked on at your engagement.