Before the final moment when a man and a woman tie the knot, it is customary for the man to give his fiance an engagement ring. This ring is often, but not always, a diamond ring. However, what many couples do not know is that there is an additional stage preceding  the couple’s engagement altogether; this stage is that of the promise ring.

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For the last 100 years, the most popular engagement rings were rings set with the highest quality diamonds. However, with the newfound awareness of blood diamonds and a media blitz that has covered the phenomenon very thoroughly; many brides are opting for alternatives. Brides also are opting for alternative because of the fact that diamonds together with bands and engagement ring settings are quite expensive unaffordable in the current economic environment. Thus, for those who would like to propose but do not want to use an engagement ring, here are some popular alternatives. If you would like to still use a ring, a great alternative is a ring that is set with gemstones, such as rubies, sapphires and emeralds. Royalty has used gemstones in lieu of diamonds for most of history and if you use this type of ring, your beloved will feel as if she is royalty. In addition to this, these gemstones are nearly as hard as diamonds and thus they can take about the same amount of abuse as a … [Read More...]

What are the importance of promise rings in today’s Western society? I will explain, in a totally needlessly circuitous way, why promise rings are indispensable today. It has to be stated. Monogamy is hard. Living with one person your whole life can weigh heavily on a brain. There are things you start to notice about a person, habits and idiosyncrasies and ticks that you only thought existed on sitcoms, but no, they actually exist in reality. Take, for example, armpits. I know a guy who has been married for 5 years whose wife has a right armpit shaving phobia. This is so rare that the scientific community hasn’t even coined a Latin term for it yet, like dexteralatondeophobia. Dexter meaning right, ala meaning armpit, tondeo meaning shaving. Phobia meaning phobia. You heard it first here. This woman apparently had a cyst develop on her right armpit due to a shaving incident when she was 18 that need not be described in detail. Ever since surgery, there has been no shaving there. Now, despite this being a case you’d only expect to see on some twisted Seinfeld episode, the man, entered into a monogamous relationship without knowing his future wife had this phobia about her right armpit, the results of which you can imagine for yourself. The two will have to deal with this problem for the rest of their lives. Behavioral therapy, hypnosis, electroshock, whatever. It’s none of our business. But let’s look at this case from the perspective of promise rings. This man gave this woman a diamond engagement ring without knowing about her case of dexteralatondeophobia. Once she had the engagement ring, she knew he wouldn’t turn back. They’re just too expensive and it’s too embarrassing to return. She didn’t have to tell him about her phobia. However, if he had instead given her a promise ring, otherwise known as a pre engagement ring, then this middle step may have inspired her to spill the beans. A promise ring is traditionally cheaper and less … [Read More...]