You can attend a wedding and not notice the details of the rings on the couple, but it’s almost impossible not to observe the details of an engagement ring on a proposal evening. So, why are engagement rings fancier than wedding bands?
Engagement rings are fancier than wedding bands because they have more diamonds, get more attention, have an aristocratic history, and have a high level of craftsmanship involved in making them.
There are many traditions behind engagement rings and wedding rings. The rest of this article will discuss this more in-depth and help you make better ring decisions when it’s time to tie the knot. Let’s get started!
5 Reasons Why Engagement Rings Are Fancier and More Expensive Than Wedding Rings
1. Engagement Rings Attract More Attention Than Wedding Bands
Engagement rings must be fancier than wedding bands to serve their purpose effectively. What other thoughts cross your mind when you propose to someone you love? Impressing the person would be top on the list.
While your engagement ring doesn’t have to be outrageously expensive, it should adequately represent the love and value you put on your intended fiancée. This can be in the form of the type of gemstone inside the ring or just the overall style of ring you pick.
There are different types of design to give you the type of attention and impression you want to leave on your intended fiancée. The purpose of an engagement ring naturally makes it more charming, fancier, and expensive than a wedding band.
2. Engagement Rings Have an Aristocratic History
Engagement rings and wedding rings have a rich history, and engagement rings have always been the most fashionable and expensive of the two. So both rings have retained their value from ancient times to the present.
Years ago, engagement rings were a practice only reserved for the rich and influential in society who were ready to tie the knot with their fellow aristocrats. It wasn’t for the average person because they couldn’t afford the precious ring made of precious metals and pure diamonds.
But with all those differences, the economic gap in society soon became blurry in the 1950s when salaries increased, thus leading to people becoming richer. With this economic boom, many more people could now afford the fine diamond engagement rings they had always admired from afar. Even people who couldn’t afford it comfortably strived to get it, by all means.
The tradition of getting a fanciful and expensive diamond engagement ring is very much alive today. The number of couples who buy engagement rings has increased significantly, making it a social norm. Today, almost every couple gets an engagement ring before a wedding ring.
Wedding rings have a great history too, but it was never really thought to be only for the rich. The first wedding ring, arguably worn in ancient Egypt some three thousand years ago, was made of reeds or hemp to symbolize commitment and love.
However, those materials weren’t durable, so wedding rings had to be made with more durable materials. In ancient Rome, couples started wearing a more durable wedding ring made of iron. They engraved their love and commitment on the ring.
From the seventh century, wedding rings started becoming fanciful and designed with more precious metals. Today the more precious a wedding ring is, the stronger the love and commitment behind it are thought to be. However, it still doesn’t compare with engagement rings which have had a long tradition of being precious, fanciful, and expensive.
3. The Value of Engagement Rings Is High Due to Social Trends and Pressure
The wedding industry has been getting a great deal of attention. Sometimes, it looks as though everyone is a competition, especially the competition to wear the best engagement ring.
While the first thing that catches the attention in an engagement evening is the engagement ring, there are other things to see in a wedding other than the wedding band or ring.
Celebrity couples on social media have ensured that the pressure to get the best engagement rings and throw the most expensive engagement parties remains very much alive with their opulent rings and special engagements.
This social pressure to have the best engagement night and ring makes people borrow money to buy and present an expensive ring. The level of attention to engagement rings has made them even costlier.
4. Engagement Rings Usually Have More Diamonds
Diamonds are the most obvious difference between an engagement ring and a wedding band. While most wedding rings have a plain design, engagement rings have a diamond center that makes them look more sophisticated and expensive.
Additionally, the weight of the diamond in the center influences the price of most engagement rings. They become more expensive if they’re made with more expensive metals like palladium and platinum.
Recent trends have seen some couples add embellishments and diamonds to their wedding rings. But even at that, engagement rings usually have more diamonds than wedding bands, making them fancier and more expensive.
5. Engagement Rings Demand a Higher Level of Craftsmanship
The level of craftsmanship invested in making an engagement and wedding ring is not the same. If you’ve looked at both rings, you’d notice that engagement rings have more intricate designs than wedding rings.
A standard wedding band looks plain, but engagement rings look more intricate with extras such as cathedral mountain or pave accents. Compared to wedding bands, the intricate designs on engagement rings justify the price difference; the more intricate the design, the costlier.
How To Choose the Right Engagement or Wedding Ring
If you’ve tried to find an engagement ring to buy, you’d agree with me that it can be a tiring affair. Sometimes love blinds people, and they become indecisive or, even worse, make the wrong decision.
Many allow all the social pressure to get to them while choosing an engagement ring. They break the bank to get a ring that will impress their intended fiancée, only to realize weeks later that they made the wrong choice.
There are several factors to consider and things to do while choosing an engagement ring. These factors help you make a more informed decision before buying an engagement or a wedding ring.
Start With the Right Motive; Love Isn’t Just About Flashy Diamond Rings
Don’t head to the jewelry shops thinking, “I’ve got to buy a fanciful diamond ring to win her over, even if it costs an outrageous amount.”
There’s nothing wrong with buying a good diamond ring for your intended fiancée, but something is wrong if you have to do it at all costs. So you’ve got to stop in your tracks right there. A diamond ring is not all you need to impress.
By the way, your intended fiancée can consider your actions faked or think you have other intentions if it’s too obvious the diamond ring is way out of what you can afford.
Do Your Research Before You Buy a Ring
If you think you can just go to a jewelry shop and ask them for a good ring, you’ve got to devise a better plan.
Whether buying a wedding or engagement ring, you should do visual research and have a range of specs in mind before going to the jewelry shop. Good research will save you the headache of indecisiveness. Research with search engines, visit Pinterest, Instagram, and other social media platforms.
Create a Budget
You must have a budget to avoid spending more than you can afford on a wedding or engagement ring. Having a clear budget also saves you from wasting time finding the right jewelry shop or jeweler.
Be realistic and logical with your budget. Ask yourself the following questions:
- What do you want?
- What’s your budget range?
- What rings can you find within that range?
If you answer all these questions before you go to a jewelry shop, ring shopping will be easier and more fun.
Visit More Than One Jewelry Store
Unless you have a trusted jeweler or jewelry store, don’t stop at one jewelry store to choose a ring. To get the best ring in your budget range, you must check what’s available in different stores, and don’t hesitate to leave a shop if you don’t see what you want.
To make ring shopping easier for you and your partner, list shops to visit with your budget in mind. You can also book appointments with specialty jewelers ahead of time if your budget can accommodate it.
Social media platforms and online stores are good places to start your ring shopping, especially if you’re looking for something special. You can browse jewelers’ social media accounts and pages and different online shops such as Etsy.
Always Go for Comfort
You can easily be carried away by the financial and emotional process of choosing a ring and fail to consider very practical factors determining how comfortably you’ll wear your ring daily.
If you feel more comfortable wearing ornaments with a simple design, don’t buy an engagement ring with a big diamond center out of pressure or because you have the money. You might feel better wearing lighter metals like titanium or stainless steel.
Also, double, check the stones or metals used to design your ring. It might look dazzling, but you won’t get to wear it much if you react to it. You wouldn’t want to buy a ring with a metal that gives you allergies.
Be Open-Minded When Looking at Rings
Having a budget and specs before going to the jewelry store is good. However, you could walk into a jewelry store and see rings with a better design than you have imagined or even better rings in your budget range.
You can also make a special connection with a ring that’s not on your list. If you do, don’t block out the feeling. Weddings and engagements are very special, so don’t limit your mind to popular specs. The popular ones aren’t always necessarily the finest. Be open to different designs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Do We Wear Engagement Rings on the Fourth Finger on the Left Hand?
There are many theories and stories, so it depends on the story or history you can relate to the most. This question has many answers in history and folklore.
The ancient Romans believed that the vein in the fourth finger on the left hand led straight to the heart. It was the vein of love, therefore, the best place to wear a wedding band.
Some believe that wearing wedding rings with the fourth finger on the left hand is a tradition from the Christian community when priests say the trinitarian phrase at weddings. The amen part of the phrase falls on the wedding finger.
How Can You Value a Diamond Ring?
Jewelers can cheat you and make you believe the diamond on your ring is worth more than it’s actually worth. You can know the diamond’s worth on your rings using the 4C’s:
- Carat: this tells you how much the diamond weighs.
- Clarity: This shows you how flawless the diamond is.
- Color: Colorless diamonds have more quality.
- Cut: This shows you how faceted the diamond is.
Should You Wear Your Wedding and Engagement Rings Together on the Same Finger?
Yes, you can. It tells a story: “I accepted the proposal and tied the knot afterward.” Some wear their wedding ring first, bring it closest to the heart, then crown it with their engagement ring, while others do the opposite. The most important thing is to wear the rings in a way that makes you comfortable.
Conclusion
Engagement rings are more expensive and fanciful than wedding rings because they’re designed to catch your intended fiancée’s attention and leave a good impression. They also have more intricate designs and precious metals.
The task of buying an engagement ring or wedding ring is daunting. It’s easy to make mistakes and choose the wrong ring, especially if you allow yourself to come under societal pressure.
To have a good ring shopping experience, you must make a good budget, research, be open-minded, and choose what makes you comfortable.
