Terri Ramsey Beavers Purity rings, promise rings, engagement rings, and wedding bands – that’s a lot right? As promise rings are becoming more popular, many are wondering how it differs to the other rings, when it’s given, what they look like, etc.
Symbolize commitment
Promise rings can signify different things among people, and it’s not limited to romantic couples. Best friends and siblings can have them, and you can buy them for yourself, too.
- Self-love – Some individuals buy promise rings for themselves to hold some personal significance. It could be a reminder of a belief, a goal, loving oneself first, or self-improvement.
- Friendship – People in tight, loyal friendships may want to have promise rings to symbolize a platonic bond towards one another. It is similar to the friendship bracelets we weaved when we were younger. Even siblings can get promise rings to show their support to each other or to strengthen their blood relations.
- Monogamy – In a romantic relationship, couples may opt to get promise rings to symbolize their faithfulness to each other, even before an engagement or marriage.
- Pre-engagement – Many promises are made in a relationship, starting with “I’ll pick you up on Saturday” and progressing into a promise like “I’ll marry you.” Promise rings can symbolize different things among various couples, but most use them as a pre-engagement ring, a constant reminder of their commitment to the other person as they prepare themselves to be ready for marriage.
Originated in the past
Promise rings have become a trend because of celebrities who have worn them. There are many versions of when and how this ring originated, and a common one is that it’s something that dates far back.
- 1215 – Couples exchanged rings to symbolize their commitment of intention to marry each other during a “waiting period” declared by Pope Innocent III between their betrothal and actual marriage ceremony.
- Sixteenth-century – Referred to as “posy” or “posey” rings, these had romantic poetry or lines engraved.
- Georgian and Victorian eras – Acrostic rings were popular during these periods, where gemstones would spell out words, similar to giving a secret message.
No guidelines on style and price
Unlike engagement rings and wedding rings, there are no strict guidelines with promise rings. They differ in purpose, price, and design. Promise rings are usually cheaper than engagement rings and are made of yellow gold or sterling silver. It is also more casual. Concerning appearance, the common ones are:
- Simple bands where there’s space to engrave words or names
- Birthstone rings
- Intertwined hearts or heart symbols
- Infinity symbols
There’s always a perfect promise ring at GetNameNecklace to suit your needs.
No strict rules on which finger to wear
Because promise rings are not made to be as formal as engagement rings, they can be worn according to the purpose of getting the rings in the first place.
- Pinky rings – Some friendships choose to get pinky rings to symbolize “pinky swear.”
- Purity rings – If the promise ring is given as a purity ring, individuals wear it on their left ring finger, to symbolize a choice of waiting until marriage.
- Pre-engagement rings – For pre-engagement promise rings, they can be worn on the left ring finger and replaced with an engagement ring later on. Depending on the personal choice, some people wear their promise rings on the middle finger of either hand so that it won’t be confused with an engagement ring.
- On a chain – Some promise rings are not worn on the finger but on a necklace. Again, this is a personal choice.
Given or exchanged creatively
Creativity is not limited to engagement proposals. Considering the kind of relationship and the purpose of having promise rings, there are creative ways of giving or exchanging them.
- Birthdays – Whether the ring is for self-love, friendship, monogamy, or pre-engagement, this can be a great day to give or exchange promise rings.
- Planned trips – Friendships and siblings can get promise rings together when going on a trip. It could be a place you’ve all wanted to visit when you were younger, or it could be somewhere you’ve all had fun memories with.
- Anniversaries – If promise rings are for pre-engagement, anniversaries could be a beautiful time to give or exchange them. It could be during a romantic dinner or a casual hike to a mountain. If you’re the adventurous kind, you can give the promise ring as a surprise when treasure hunting.
Promise rings continue to become a trend because it’s not as exclusive as engagement or wedding rings. It can be from anyone to anyone, including yourself. Even men can exchange and wear promise rings. If you have a deep commitment to something or someone, a promise ring might just be perfect.