Greek Tradition Calls for Blue Sapphire and White Diamond Engagement Rings

In 2010, Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark married his bride, Tatiana Blatnik. In photos of the event, Tatiana wears a simple gold band on her right ring finger and a stunning cabochon sapphire surrounded by a halo of white diamonds on her left ring finger. In this one photo we see a vast treasury of Greek tradition. According to Orthodox Greek custom, a man is first expected to visit his intended's father and ask permission to propose. Once permission is granted, a date for their engagement is set. Relatives and close friends are invited to attend a lavish party at which a priest is present to bless the engagement rings. After the blessing, the priest places the rings on the bride and groom's left ring fingers. Tradition would dictate a simple gold band for the man and the woman, although many modern Greek brides choose iconic engagement rings, such as diamond halos or diamond solitaires. However, when it comes to royalty, the Greeks have their own tradition: Sapphires and Diamonds. In part, this is because the jewels of royals are passed down from one matriarch to the next, as was the case with Tatiana. Nikolaos gave his intended a ring passed down to him from his mother, Queen Anne-Marie of Greece. She, in turn, had received it from her mother, Queen Ingrid of Denmark. Queen Anne-Marie wears her own sapphire engagement ring, a beautiful double-sapphire ring. The blue cabochons are surrounded by diamonds and mounted on a wide band, likely of platinum. According to Victoria Finlay, author of Jewels: A Secret History, the Greek custom of wearing sapphires may date back to the legend of Prometheus. You may recall reading about Prometheus' affront to Zeus when he stole fire from the God-King and gave it to humans. As punishment, he was bound by chains to a rock and nightly traumatized by a bird of prey until Heracles killed the bird. After this rescue, Prometheus was freed, but he was forced to wear a symbol of his punishment at all times--a ring of chain with a piece of the stone to which he'd been bound. According to Finlay and others, this stone was quite possibly a blue sapphire (or perhaps lapis lazuli). The color blue was symbolic of the hottest flames of fire, and as symbolized in the colors of the Greek flag, the blue of sapphire represents vigilance, truth, loyalty, and perseverance, all requisite virtues for a happy, healthy marriage. And to pair a blue sapphire with the white of diamonds (white symbolizing peace and honesty) is the pinnacle of Greek symbolism.