The most popular choice, for those who could afford it, was to have a platinum engagement ring. In previous years, platinum had been too difficult to work into jewellery and too expensive to use in the same quantities which gold had been used for large Victorian jewellery pieces.
Following the First World War, platinum demand was no longer pushed towards military needs, and was once again available for businesses to create products. Platinum’s high melting point made it difficult to work with until the late 1800s, when new tools such as the oxyhydrogen torch made it easier to manipulate the strong metal.
With a metal strong enough to be used in small amounts and hold many gemstones securely available to the wider public, platinum jewellery was the metal of choice for those wanting to sport the dramatic jewellery of the time – engagement ring included.