Promise Ring vs Engagement Ring: What’s the Difference?

Dec 03, 2024
Promise Ring vs Engagement Ring: What’s the Difference?

Promise Ring vs Engagement Ring: What’s the Difference?

Can you tell the difference between a promise ring vs engagement ring? In terms of a symbol and promise of commitment and love, a promise ring is for a couple that is far in advance of dating. This is a pre engagement ring and can double as purity rings. If you promise your partner that you will be with her forever, then an engagement ring is for that time. There are so many reasons to give someone a promise ring and so many meanings of a promise ring. They even call them anniversary rings for couples or something of that sort before an engagement ring someday. The obvious difference between a promise ring and an engagement ring is the latter is the beginning to a full marriage. Promise bands aren’t for marriage proposals or wedding bands. 

What does a promise ring symbolize?

What is a promise ring? One of the main differences between promise rings and engagement rings have to do with the promise they symbolize. Promise rings don't always mean commitment to marriage, they can represent so much more. Each set of promise rings will come with a special meaning to the wearers, whether that means you’re hoping to be engaged down the road or just waiting for a special moment — since these rings are promises. 


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What does an engagement ring symbolize?

While promise rings can symbolize a variety of things, engagement rings symbolize one thing: a commitment to marriage. In the good old days, a man would give a woman an engagement ring to ask her to spend the rest of her life with him. Things have changed culturally a lot since then, though. New trends and styles in the engagement world are a result of the shift in gender roles. Specifically, men are choosing to wear engagement rings in addition to becoming engaged as men to their fiance, and more same sex couples are choosing to do the same by wearing even an engagement ring.

Engagement Ring vs. Promise Ring: What's the Difference?

What makes rings even more fun to choose is that they are all different from each other than the meaning behind each type of ring. Promises rings, on the other hand, tend to be less flashy when it comes to their style; an engagement ring will feature a diamond or gemstone in the middle and promise rings are usually less flashy. Small accents or birthstones for symbols could be included in them. But they can also be a rather basic and plain band, just one. And while the differences will likely depend on the jeweler from which you get them, what meaning you’re trying to impart. 

  1. For the most part, engagement rings are more expensive than promise rings. That is because engagement rings are often made with a more expensive variety of metals and represent a much larger symbol for a committed relationship. And promise rings aren’t typically made from white gold, platinum or other precious metals.

  2. Promise bands can be worn on any finger and engagement rings are worn on your left ring finger.

  3. The one person(s) giving an engagement ring to the other is usually a sign of his or her intentions to marry. Promise rings can be given for any reason.

  4. Typically, engagement rings aren’t worn until the couple is already engaged. Wearing promise rings is possible at any time of your romantic relationship.

  5. Promise rings, by the way, are much less expensive than wedding rings, especially if a promise ring is being shared by an extremely young couple who may not have a budget to spare. That doesn’t necessarily mean that wedding bands are always more expensive, but if a couple wears promise rings first and wedding rings later, you will typically pay more for the wedding rings.

Which Ring Is Right for You?

Now that you know the distinctions between promise rings and engagement rings, your final question is: does a promise ring or engagement ring fit you best?  To this question, the answer is truly only you. With the information from this guide about romantic promise rings and other promise rings, backed up with the knowledge about engagement rings, you should be having a clear choice in front.


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So let’s imagine the most common scenario where both rings are given — a romantic relationship. The actual case of how ready you and your partner are getting married. An engagement ring is what you should use to ask your partner to enter into the covenant of marriage with you, if you are ready to love, honor and sacrificially serve your partner your entire life.

How Long Do You Wear a Promise Ring?

Promise ring is worn as long as a couple is not wed but an engagement ring is worn so long as they are. A promise ring may be taken out when the promise is completed, or when the ring is changed for a more important promise, such as changing a romantic promise ring for a more significant engagement ring. If the promise has nothing to do with the romantic vows broken or yet to be, promise rings can be worn with engagement rings (oftentimes on different fingers or hands), but of course only if one is married.

In the End

But if you are giving the gift of a promise ring, you do have to make your intentions clear. If the promise ring has a diamond, this is especially true. If you are actually presenting a diamond ring, this is usually referred to as presenting a promise ring, but in this case, make sure to communicate that what you are presenting is a promise ring and not a diamond ring because your significant other might feel cheated, or like they have been doing a disservice. An engagement ring is symbolic of your lifetime commitment so it doesn’t make sense to spend more on a promise ring than on an engagement ring.


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