Promise Rings Are Making a Comeback: Here's Why

Different types and styles of rings come in and out of fashion. Several things can influence what's popular, from social media to traditions becoming mainstream. One of the types of rings currently making a comeback is the promise ring, a ring designed to show commitment and seen as a step before a couple is ready to get engaged.

Promise rings are often traded between teenagers, young adults, or couples about to embark on a long-distance relationship. These rings fell out of favor for a while, but they look to be coming back in. But just why is that?

A Short History of Promise Rings

A promise ring is given from one person to another to show that they are committed to their relationship. It's not an engagement ring but a promise to be faithful and loyal to their partner. An engagement might follow later, but that doesn't always happen and isn't necessarily expected. By accepting the ring, the other person also promises to be committed to their relationship.

Giving a ring as a promise of a future commitment is certainly not a new idea. In fact, it's one that dates back several centuries, and the tradition of wearing a ring as a symbol of loyalty is even older. Evidence of this can be found across different societies and throughout the centuries. However, it's only in recent years that promise rings have started to become popular again. This has partly been driven by celebrities choosing to wear them.

What Do Promise Rings Mean?

Promise rings, as you might guess from the name, are given to represent a promise between people in a relationship. What exactly is being promised and the true meaning of the ring can depend on the couple. Every couple can have a slightly different meaning that they apply to the ring (or rings). For some, it might be the promise of a future engagement but, for others, it could simply be a promise to be faithful to each other.

Promise Rings vs. Purity Rings: What's the Difference?

Promise rings can sometimes be confused with purity rings. These aren't the same thing, so it's important not to get them mixed up. A purity ring is a ring that signifies that the wearer has made a commitment not to have sex until they get married. Some people might say that a purity ring is a type of promise ring, especially if a couple decides to wear purity rings together. However, a promise ring is generally regarded to be a different thing.

Promise Rings Today

Promise rings have been making a comeback in recent years and have been seen in pop culture several times. A TikTok trend in 2020 featured young couples showing off their promise rings to their followers, and several celebrities have had promise rings and purity rings.

Promise rings come in all shapes and sizes as well, from something defined like this 14K Gold Oval Morganite Ring to something more subdued, like a Pear Shaped Eternity Band. There is no “right choice” when it comes to what a promise ring looks like.

One difference in modern promise rings is that both girls and guys can wear them. For example, Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth both wore promise rings before they got married.

No matter the occasion, you can find the perfect ring from the beautiful selection at David's House of Diamonds when you explore our range.