The giving of promise rings has been traced back at least as far as the sixteenth century and they were usually given by young men to their girlfriends as a token that they were committed to their lady love but couldn’t afford to marry her straight away. In other words it was used as a pre-engagement ring. The popularity of heart jewelry meant that often promise rings had heart shapes in their design because this, for centuries, has been a virtually universal symbol of love.
Back in the 1950s in the USA, when teenage girls and boys were “going steady”, quite often to show their friends and other people their relationship was serious the boy would give his girlfriend his class ring to wear on a chain round her neck. In a way this was a kind of promise ring as it was showing that the girl was involved with somebody and was not available for dating other guys. The next stage after the class ring would be the giving of a “promise” ring, especially if it was an open heart ring, to show that the relationship had moved to the next stage – exclusivity. It all seems so formal and such a long time ago now, doesn’t it?
Promise rings are traditionally less expensive than an engagement ring and are still popular today to show your loved one and the world that you are committed to each other but are not quite ready for the next step – marriage. Choosing something like an open heart ring conveys the fact that you have let one very special person into your life. If you want to have matching rings then you should check out the open heart collection by Jane Seymour as they have a style for both men and women at very affordable prices.
A promise ring given as a precursor to the actual engagement ring can be worn on any finger but is most often worn on the ring finger of the left hand. It is usually moved to the right hand ring finger to accommodate either that beautiful diamond engagement ring or a wedding band. But promise rings are not just given as a precursor to “popping the question”. They can also be used to signify other promises. For example:
- Some teens are wearing promise rings or bracelets as a sign of chastity and purity – promising to retain their virginity until they get married.
- Young couples give and wear them to show monogamy – promising to stay faithful to that one person.
- As a friendship ring, especially the Claddagh heart ring, given to a close friend – promising loyalty, friendship and love.
- It can be a symbol of sobriety and abstinence – promising to remain sober or drug free or not gamble.
Although there can be any number of meanings to a promise ring, it is still predominantly given as a pre-engagement ring. If you search on the Internet for promise rings you will find there are numerous outlets selling them in lots of different price ranges and designs. Lots of the designs feature hearts from simple silver heart rings to more elaborate styles with diamonds or other precious stones.
If you truly want to show that your hearts are entwined you might choose a double heart ring and then at a later date complement it with a double heart necklace or some heart shaped earrings. To make the ring even more meaningful to you both you might like to have the band engraved with both your initials or with a special phrase. Whichever open heart ring you choose, you can be sure that it will be loved and cherished for the rest of her life.
