The engagement ring has long been regarded as the ultimate pledge of love a man can give to his lady when asking for her hand.

Women the world over have Archduke Maximillian of Austria, who gave his future wife Mary of Burgundy a diamond ring in 1477 before their wedding, to thank.

Although it was the first documented case of an engagement ring, the practice didn't become standard until the late 1800s. Today, eight in 10 women in the US are offered an engagement ring when proposed to.

How much should it cost?

Generally, this is determined by the comfort level of the couple, although there's a popular saying that it should cost about two months of the man's salary.

This originated from a marketing campaign by DeBeers in the early 1900s.

Lady heart diamond ring from Soo Kee Jewellery (from $3,239)

White gold Hearts on Fire ring from TianPo Jewellery ($8,160)



Diamond ring from Poh Heng Jewellery ($104,460)



Platinum 0.5 carat diamond ring from TianPo Jewellery (from $8,500)



Polaris Ice Diamond Ring from Soo Kee Jewellery, price upon request



Diamond ring from Poh Heng Jewellery ($106,920)



Wedding bands from Love & Co. Left (from $1,549), right (from $1,999)

This article was first published in The New Paper.