What the Diamond Has Become Over Time
The diamond hasn’t always been what we think it is today. For centuries, it was simply a precious stone — rare, luminous, desirable — but without all the meaning we now attach to it. Today, it can represent a promise, a memory, or something chosen for oneself, without any specific occasion.
The diamond hasn’t changed, the way we see it has.
If we were to tell the story of the diamond as a symbol, we would stop at two dates: 1477 and 1947. Nearly five centuries apart, two gestures — and from then on, the diamond became everything we know today.
1477: The First Diamond Engagement Ring in History
The story we like to tell begins in 1477, when Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave Mary of Burgundy a ring set with small diamonds arranged in the shape of an “M”. It is considered the first documented diamond engagement ring — a personal gesture, meant for a specific person.
Rather than following a rule, it quietly set one. And that’s how the diamond began to be associated with engagement — a connection that has never been broken.
1947 — Four Words That Made the Diamond Forever
We have to wait until 1947 for the second key moment. A 31-year-old copywriter, Frances Gerety, wrote a line for a De Beers advertising campaign. Four words: “A diamond is forever.”
She wasn’t trying to create a tradition. But that line ended up doing exactly that: it explained, simply, why a diamond is forever. Not only because of its natural hardness — the hardest mineral found in nature — but because of the emotional value it would come to represent. From that moment on, the diamond was no longer just something beautiful to wear: it became a shared symbol, recognized everywhere.
In 2000, Advertising Age named “A diamond is forever” the greatest advertising slogan of the 20th century.
April, the Birthstone
Over time, the diamond has evolved from a rare stone into a global symbol. Today, its meaning feels personal again — less tied to a single idea.
It can mark an important moment, or not. It can carry a clear meaning, or evolve over time. A solid gold diamond ring is no longer necessarily linked to a proposal: it can be a graduation gift, a birthday present, or simply something you choose for yourself.
And that’s what keeps it relevant: there’s no right way to choose it — only what feels right to you. Whether it’s an engagement ring, a piece to wear every day, or a gift you give yourself.
Discover the Precious Collection.
Solid gold jewelry with natural diamonds, handmade in Milan.
If you want to understand how to choose your diamond, explore our Diamond Guide: cut, color, clarity, carat — the 4Cs explained in a simple way.