Here's Where That 2-Month's Salary Engagement Ring Thing Started (2024)

A lot of weight is placed on the diamond engagement ring. The size, cost, and quality are all highly valued by buyers who wish to make a lasting impression on their hopeful bride-to-be. Spending two months' salary on an engagement ring is frequently repeated as an unwritten rule of buying one, but have you ever wondered where that old adage originated? The answer is not as traditional — nor romantic — as you might think.

In the 1930s, luxury jewelry giant De Beers launched a marketing campaign in an attempt to draw buyers during the Great Depression, using its famous now-slogan "A Diamond Is Forever" to depict their product as a priceless, timeless tradition. In the 1980s, De Beers started the "two months' salary" campaign asking potential customers to connect the amount of money they were willing to spend to the worth of their relationship.

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"You can't look at Jane and tell me she's not worth 2 months' salary," the ad reads. It goes on to hint at the effect the "investment" will have on other guys: "Now the only thing that other men ask her is, 'When's the wedding day?'"

The misconception that diamonds are rare has strengthened the messages behind these campaigns, but here's a crazy thing you might not know: Diamonds aren't really rare at all. According to the International Gem Society, diamonds are the hardest material found on Earth, but "other than that, they hold no unique distinctions" as gem stones — just think of how many women and men you know who own one, after all.

Will this background knowledge shake the foundation of the diamond industry? Probably not, as diamond jewelry is still one of the most beloved types of engagement accessories. But it is something to keep in mind the next time a friend of yours starts posting photos of her diamond ring all over Facebook.