It’s The Season to Buy BLING! ~ Cru Catering, Charleston SC

December 7, 2015

December makes up 12.3% of all diamond engagement ring sales- making the holiday season the most popular for proposals. But, what you may not know is that “engagement rings were originally designed to function as somewhat of an insurance policy for the woman” according to The Atlantic‘s article ‘Everyone You Know Really Did Just Get Engaged‘.

Diamond rings didn’t become popular until after the Great Depression, writes George Mason University law professor Margaret Brining. At the time, women had few economic opportunities outside of marriage, so a “breach of promise” lawsuit “entitled a woman whose fiancé had broken off their engagement to sue him … for damages, including the actual expenses she had incurred in reliance on the marriage. She might also recover for her embarrassment, humiliation, and loss of other marriage opportunities.” But by 1945, most states had banned breach of promise lawsuits, so women needed a new way to ensure their beaus followed through on engagements. Around the same time, DeBeers launched its “a diamond is forever” campaign, and Americans, spooked by bank runs, began to prefer storing their assets in physical goods rather than currency.

Engagement rings no longer serve this type of down-payment role, so perhaps modern men are just trying to save some cash by rolling future Christmas and anniversary gifts into one.”

Who knows why but December continues to lead the year in popping the question with a total of 33% of engagements during this month.  Are you newly engaged? Join the fun and book Cru Catering for your special day! 

Read the full article from The Atlantic online here.