Engagement ring... For guys

[Deleted]

Is that a new thing?

I have met 3 guys so far with what I thought were weddings bands but they are actually "engagement rings" that their fiancées bought for them.

Is that a new trend? Or is a way for the "engaged" ladies to mark their territory prior to the actual wedding day?

[8 Bit WWBG]

My feelings on the concept in general have been made crystal clear over the years.

I do find it interesting that a guy would choose a ring as his engagement token, but whatever works.  I have not met anyone who has received one, or insisted on one.

What would you have chosen cawiau?  I still want an engagement rolex someday.

[Tennesseer]

Never heard of men's engagement rings but...

"In some countries it is common for both men and women wear engagement rings. In many Lutheran sects often the man wears an engagement ring. The rings are often in the form of a plain band of a precious metal. Sometimes, the engagement ring eventually serves as the wedding ring for the man. In Brazil, for example, the groom and bride-to-be usually wear a plain wedding band on the right hand during the course of their engagement. [citation needed] After the wedding, the band is moved to the left hand. In Argentina, it is also known for the groom and bride-to-be to wear a plain silver band on the left hand while engaged. Then, after the wedding a silver band is either replaced with the wedding ring or moved to the right hand. [citation needed]

Traditionally, women in the British Isles may propose marriage to men during a leap year. [15] Women proposing has become more common in recent years [when?][citation needed] , to the point that some jewelry companies have started manufacturing men's engagement rings. They resemble typical men's rings, often with a diamond centrepiece. In the countries where both sexes have traditionally worn engagement rings, the rings tend to be plainer bands, and there is no real difference between "men's" and "women's" engagement ring designs."

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engagement_ring

[midjd]

DH started wearing a ring when we got engaged. It was his idea - he said he wanted a visual token of his commitment. Somewhere along the line he lost a ton of weight and the ring started falling off, so it was replaced with the wedding ring he's currently wearing. The e-ring is still around here somewhere.

We were engaged for almost 3 years, though - maybe that makes a difference?

[Deleted]

Apr 27, 2013 16:17:38 GMT -5 8 Bit WWBG said:

What would you have chosen cawiau?  I still want an engagement rolex someday.

Probably nothing, I hate jewelry and the only reason I wear my wedding band is because my wife seems to get upset when I don't wear it.

And that is the only jewelry I wear: no other rings, earring, necklace or watch. Yep, I am one of those that use my cell phone as a watch

[quince]

I proposed and I hate wearing jewelry- so no engagement rings...until I decided I felt possessive and asked my husband nicely to wear a ring. He did, and I did as well- they are now our wedding rings.

He still wears his. I don't wear mine- still don't like wearing jewelry. Also slightly swollen pregnant fingers.

Don't know what it is for other women, but for me it was totally the equivalent of peeing on his leg.

[NastyWoman]

Quite common in Europe. In my home country the rings are traditionally plain bands and worn on the right hand (for catholics, left for protestants) during engagement and switch hands upon marriage. So, unless you know a person's religious affiliation, you won't really know whether a guy is married or engaged.   And then there are also the couples that forego rings altogether, just to make it a little more complex.

[goldensam]

Not a ring, but I did buy DF a nice watch after he proposed.  Not a Rolex, though.

[Tiny]

What about claddagh rings?   I've seen a few guys wearing them (along with their gals) to indicate the level of their relationship - from "friends" to "going steady" to "engaged".  No one I know has used this symbolic ring as wedding bands though.

I like the idea of an "engagement ring" for guys - or at least some way to show they are involved in a relationship - but that's mostly because I hate that women have no ambiguity about their sexual availability as they progress thru various relationship statuses (no ring, an engagement ring, a wedding ring) while men have that ambiguity up until their wedding day.   Yeah, I know people can remove their rings anytime they want...   
If guys had some way to indicate they were in an exclusive relationship but not yet married... I think that would be cool and might make me more positive towards the whole 'engagement' ring tradition.

[toomuchreality]

Apr 28, 2013 9:29:47 GMT -5 goldensam said:

Not a ring, but I did buy DF a nice watch after he proposed.  Not a Rolex, though.

What?! Not a Rolex? 

[formerroomate99]

I bought DH a ring after he had proposed, just because it was something I knew he'd like. 

[Deleted]

I have never heard of an engagement ring for a guy.     What will these kids think of next?

[Deleted]

Apr 27, 2013 15:13:01 GMT -5 TheHaitian said:

Is that a new thing?

I have met 3 guys so far with what I thought were weddings bands but they are actually "engagement rings" that their fiancées bought for them.

Is that a new trend? Or is a way for the "engaged" ladies to mark their territory prior to the actual wedding day?

I think your circle of friends will find any excuse to spend money! 

[hoops902]

::I hate that women have no ambiguity about their sexual availability as they progress thru various relationship statuses (no ring, an engagement ring, a wedding ring) while men have that ambiguity up until their wedding day.::

THey don't?  So women who are in a relationship but not engaged are sexually available just because they don't have a ring?

[Deleted]

The ring is a modern day chastity belt! 

[goldensam]

Apr 29, 2013 7:15:29 GMT -5 toomuchreality said:

Apr 28, 2013 9:29:47 GMT -5 goldensam said:

Not a ring, but I did buy DF a nice watch after he proposed.  Not a Rolex, though.

What?! Not a Rolex? 

Ha, no way! I'm a good YMer! 

[Deleted]

Apr 29, 2013 9:42:36 GMT -5 hoops902 said:

::I hate that women have no ambiguity about their sexual availability as they progress thru various relationship statuses (no ring, an engagement ring, a wedding ring) while men have that ambiguity up until their wedding day.::

THey don't?  So women who are in a relationship but not engaged are sexually available just because they don't have a ring?

I think she meant that outside observers have a visual cue, not that your availability is actually in flux.

As a single woman, I appreciate it when guys wear wedding rings.  It's a bit of a time saver, really.  Rarely, so that I don't waste my time hitting on a married guy.  More often, so you don't have to have to work the girlfriend into conversation every few minutes to convey the whole "I'm aware you have a girlfriend, I'm not a man thief and I am not interested in you romantically, I really was just interested in talking about the subject at hand" nonsense.

So, please, gentlemen, just let her pee on your leg and wear the ring.

And if you want to start in with engagement rings, I am all for it.  But if you aren't a jewelry guy, then I just think some big gift equity is nice.  My BIL got an engagement TV, if memory serves.

[hoops902]

::I think she meant that outside observers have a visual cue, not that your availability is actually in flux.::

Right, but my point is...do they really?  If I see a woman with no ring on, or I see a man with no ring on...I still have no idea if they are available or not.  It's not just that men have ambiguity up till the wedding day, it's that there is a LOT of ambiguity out there because everyone in a relationship without a ring makes it ambiguous. 

[Deleted]

True, no ring is meaningless.  Ring is usually meaningful.
Male engagement rings just buy you 6 extra months without the total ambiguity.

[zibazinski]

DF wanted a big screen tv. A REALLY big one with Bose to go with it. Not as expensive as a ring but not cheap either. He wears the claddaugh I got him right after we got back together. I mostly wear the ring he got me first.