Did De Beers invent the engagement ring?

No, De Beers did not invent the engagement ring. Use of engagement rings date back to at least the time of Ancient Rome. However, in the 20th century, engagement rings began to fall out of style, especially by the time of the Great Depression. In the late 1930’s, De Beers began an advertising campaign that would forever rejuvenate interest in diamond engagement rings. Shop a collection of authentic De Beers jewelry on 1stDibs from some of the world’s top sellers.