this post was submitted on 09 Sep 2024
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[–] deegeese@sopuli.xyz 27 points 2 months ago (1 children)

“Once upon a time” an expensive engagement ring worked as a sort of bride price and was a hedge against the risk of premarital sex.

[–] Drusas@fedia.io 7 points 2 months ago (2 children)

How does buying/wearing a ring prevent premarital sex?

[–] yeather@lemmy.ca 21 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

Back in ye olden times, you would pay a bride price to the parents of the bride, both symbolizing the eternal debt you owed to your wife and as a way to show you had plenty of money to spare to take care of your wife. You would then give your wife a dower, sonething they could hold onto in case you lost all your money or she became suddenly widowed. This historically was property but became rings or jewelry with expensive stones. The wife would take the dower as a sign she would no longer need to worry, and in exchange be a maiden on her wedding night. These practices were only for the wealthy, until indistrialization brought the practice to a growing middle class. Then, in the early to mid 1900s, marketing campaigns began associating the price of a ring to the love you felt for your wife, leading us to today.

[–] glitchdx@lemmy.world 7 points 2 months ago

Now this is capitalism.

[–] Drusas@fedia.io 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I still don't see how an expensive dower would prevent the couple from having sex before getting married, but I guess I'm just too modern-minded.

[–] yeather@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

It was more for the woman to not sleep around or sell her virginity.

[–] Drusas@fedia.io 2 points 2 months ago

That seems so much less likely to happen than the couple sleeping together themselves.

[–] deegeese@sopuli.xyz 12 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Doesn’t prevent it, but gives the girl collateral if the guy breaks off the engagement afterwards.

[–] alcoholicorn@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 months ago

Diamond rings are basically worth fuckall for resale. Most pawn shops won't even take them