Having a special person in your life does not necessarily mean that you have to tie the knot as soon as possible. While you may be committed to this same individual, there is a huge chance that you are not yet ready for a lifelong commitment although you are already sure that this is the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. This is where promise rings come in. Promise rings are the next best thing to engagement rings since, while they do signify a commitment to a monogamous relationship, it does not necessarily mean that the couple wearing these promise rings are bound for marriage just yet.

Choosing the Right Promise Rings

When you and your partner decide to commit to a relationship that is monogamous and you want to symbolize this trust with a couple of promise rings, there are quite a number of promise ring designs to choose from. You can find a few promise rings that have gems, multiple or single gems in various design settings. Some promise rings are simple thin rings that have either etched designs on the outside or a smooth, shiny surface. There are promise rings that look a bit like wedding bands, only on a thinner scale. Choosing the right kind of promise rings for each other could be the first step in realizing just how well suited you are to each other and how well you two can adjust to the choices each one makes.

If The Price Is Right

Since these promise rings do cost a certain amount of money, who gets to pay for what? Normally, promise rings may be given only to the female of the couple, but these days, there are people who do exchange these rings as a sign that they are indeed committed to each other and that they share this mutual trust and show the bond by wearing identical promise rings that each one bought for the other. The cost of a promise ring may range from a few dollars to a few hundred, depending on the kind of materials used to make these promise rings, what kind of stone is embedded into its design, if there are any, and the quality of the ring itself. You may need to discuss the price of these promise rings with your partner to see which kind of ring can fit within your specific budget if you two do decide on a matching pair and not just a ring for the girl to wear. This kind of an agreement is another of the early obstacles that a promised couple faces—the challenge of being able to agree on a certain budget for something.

To Engrave or Not to Engrave

Another possibility that couples often consider when buying promise rings for each other is the engraving of each other’s name inside the rings. This kind of practice is common when it comes to wedding rings and is slowly becoming a trend with promise rings. You can get your partner’s nickname engraved in each of the rings or you can have your first names engraved on both. Another possibility would be having your pet names for each other engraved in the inner part of each promise ring that you wear. You can also have the date when you both agreed to the commitment engraved along with your names in these promise rings. While this is not a necessity for those who do give each other these promise rings, it can be an added personal touch that each one is indeed into the bond seriously and possibly for life.

Different Metals Used for Promise Rings

Promise rings are becoming more and more common these days, and can be easily seen being worn by couples from high school and upwards, are often made from metals that have been constantly used for jewelry making. There are promise rings that are made out of silver and cost a little less than their other more precious metal counterparts. You can also find gold and platinum promise rings if you are feeling rather extravagant with this piece of commitment jewelry. Gold promise rings can come in different shades, like the more common yellow gold, the rather subdued matte gold, and the pretty fashionable white gold. These kinds of metals are used in creating these commitment rings, and these are often priced according to the kind of metal that is used in each ring’s creation.

Different Stones and Gems for Promise Rings

Aside from the precious metals used in these promise rings, there are also different gems that can be used in these rings. The possibilities for the stones used in these promise rings range from the semiprecious to the very expensive, and this all depends on the couple doing the exchanging. The most popular gem used has always been the diamond, although people have turned to other gems more of late. This kind of trend is due in part to the fact that diamonds can be pretty expensive and that they are often associated with engagement rings. Since a promise ring is a step behind such engagement rings, the people who do exchange promise rings want to create a certain distinction between one and the other with the use of other gems for their promise rings. Among the more popular gems that are used include the garnet, sapphire, ruby, and emerald. All of these are still precious and semi-precious stones; however, they do help make promise rings move away from the usual engagement ring staple which is the diamond.

Exchanging these promise rings indeed signify a commitment to stay in a monogamous relationship. Whether these rings symbolize taking a committed relationship to the next level or are a precursor of things to come, such as a true engagement ring or wedding bands, they can represent your unique relationship perfectly.