Imagine this… You’ve just met the girl of your dreams and you know she’s ‘The One’.
It’s been a whirlwind three months of passion and romance, so you decide it’s time to take things further. You present her with an engagement ring, and she politely declines, citing, “Too much, too soon.” Things get awkward, and the relationship fizzles. If only it had been a promise ring...
What is a promise ring?
A promise ring is a symbol of commitment typically given to a romantic partner as a precursor to an engagement ring. It’s an expression of devotion for those who are not quite ready to marry, but assured of their love for one another and excited by the prospect of spending their future together.
What is the meaning of a promise ring?
While a promise ring is typically a romantic gesture of commitment preceding a proposal, it can mean different things to different people. For some, it may indicate the desire to make a relationship exclusive. For others already in a monogamous relationship, it can be an indication they want to take things further, but they’re not quite ready - either financially or emotionally - to propose with a diamond engagement ring.
Promise Rings for Long-Distance Relationships
Promise rings can also be given by a partner embarking on an extended overseas trip for work or family reasons. The promise ring can be presented as a parting memento, either as a placeholder engagement ring for unmarried lovers, or an affirmation of long-distance commitment in already wed couples.
Promise Rings for Non-Marrying Couples
A promise ring can also be gifted as a declaration of everlasting love between couples not intending to marry in the future, but planning to stay together forever. Making the decision to move in together, or start a family are other significant steps in a relationship worthy of commemorating with a promise ring.
Promise Rings For Friends & Family
Promise rings aren’t exclusively reserved for romantic couples. They can be gifted between best friends and family members as a symbol of eternal friendship, or joint commitment to a cause, future reunion or common goal.
When is the right time to give someone a promise ring?
Promise rings are great placeholder engagement rings for couples in the early stages of their romance. They may be too young, or feel it’s too early in their relationship for a proposal. In this instance, we find anywhere between 3-12 months is typically the time people buy promise rings for their partners.
There are, however, no rules about when to give a promise ring, as the circumstances surrounding the promise are different for every buyer.
Special celebrations like Valentine’s Day, birthdays and the anniversary of when a couple first met are popular occasions for giving promise rings, though any time of year is suitable for pledging your commitment or declaring a promise.
Who buys a promise ring?
Traditionally, men bought promise rings for their girlfriends - a practise popular between the 15th and 17th centuries in England and France, where a man would give a gold ‘posy ring’ (also spelled poesy and posie) to his lady lover, inscribed with a short romantic message or poem.
Nowadays, women are increasingly buying affordable gold men’s rings for their partners in the early stages of their relationship (or as a men’s engagement ring) and same-sex couples enjoy the same extensive range of men’s rings and women’s promise rings to surprise their partners and express their devotion.
In most cases, a promise ring is purchased in secret, however there have been instances where both partners have visited our Melbourne jewellery store to select a promise ring together.
Which finger does a promise ring go on?
Promise rings can be worn on any finger, or even around the neck on a chain. If the promise ring has been gifted by a friend or family member, it can be worn on the right hand to avoid confusion, or questions about engagement status.
For help finding your partner’s promise ring size, check out our Ring Sizer Tool. $10 from the purchase is donated to life-changing charities, and the full amount is redeemable on our entire range of exclusively designed promise rings, engagement rings and wedding bands.
How much does a promise ring cost?
Promise rings are more affordable than engagement rings. Depending on the budget, a promise ring may be a plain gold band, or a ring set with multiple smaller diamonds rather than a single centred diamond, which is typically reserved for engagement ring designs.
What does a promise ring look like?
There are no fixed design guidelines when it comes to promise rings, however hearts, three-stone settings, crossover patterns and eternity designs are popular choices due to their romantic, binding and infinite symbolism.
Curved Promise Rings
Curved promise rings are designed to gently hug a solitaire engagement ring. They make a striking display all on their own, and act as a reassuring reminder that an engagement ring is still on the way.
A curved wedding band can then later be added to the other side of the engagement ring to create an eye-catching display of three stackable rings.
Gemstone Promise Rings
Gemstones are a popular choice for promise rings, being carat for carat more affordable than diamonds. Small pave-set diamonds make for a beautiful contrast against a coloured gemstone, and can be set around a centered gemstone in a delicate halo.
Need help choosing a promise ring?
Our team of Diamond & Jewellery Specialists are available to help you through the selection process of choosing a promise ring that delivers on quality, price and exclusive design. Shop over 50 promise rings online with free delivery and 30-day exchange, or visit our Melbourne jewellery store just 30 minutes from the CBD.
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