The History of Wedding Bands Explained

As far as we know, betrothal rings (engagament rings) date back to cavemen, who would tie a piece of grass around their mate’s finger (or wrist, or ankle, or waist) to control her spirit. The progression of history has made the tradition of betrothal much more romantic, and, fortunately, more democratic. The ancient Egyptians, infusing some romance in the proceedings, wore silver or gold betrothal rings on the third finger of the left hand. They believed that this finger contains a vein that runs directly to the heart. Across the world and through history, wedding ring traditions have existed as variations on this Egyptian theme. To wear a wedding band, is to participate in one of the most basic and long-lasting traditions in our known history.

Follow this link to view our wedding band collection.

Or click the image to shop this vintage diamond and sapphire 14kt. band.

The Story of Buying Bertha and Thomas Dinsmore's Engagement Ring

When we buy beautiful old jewellery, we ask the seller to tell us the family story behind the story. Most people rarely know more beyond the basic generalities of what their families were doing in the last century (do you know how your great-grandparents lived?).

Well, in this case, we have a ring with not only a story, but a picture!

Meet Bertha and Thomas Dinsmore. They were married in 1893 and this ring was Bertha’s engagement ring. In this photo, they are on their way to The 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition held in Seattle. The person who chooses this ring will be re-purposing it for a new future, while maintaining the integrity of it’s history, which is the ultimate joy of vintage jewellery.

Will this ring visit Seattle again?

This is the first post in our new blog. Check out the posts in our previous blog on Toronto Antiques on King, (link opens in a new window).

Update March 17th, 2025

While this ring found a new home and we are left to wonder where it visited, we invite you to shop for your engagement ring here.