What is with promise rings?

Question

I have seen many questions on these. I gather it's a promise to propose at a future date. How many more excuses for relationship jewelry do we need?

I'm waiting for someone to come out with a pre-promise ring, in which someone vaguely indicates that he will promise to propose.

Answer 1

I always thought promise rings were a kid thing.
Kind of like "I promise to be your steady date" thing.
Please don't tell me adults have been adopting this. That's just silly.

Answer 2

It is just lowering the standard for making a commitment. Rather than buying an engagement ring, because that might be seen as making a commitment, the promise ring is an appeasement. It shuts the woman up, because to her, this is as good a commitment as she is going to see from her man. While for him, it means he can get a ring which is clearly not an engagement ring.
The woman looks to what it is, the man to what it is not.
Commitment on one side, delaying commitment on the other.

Answer 3

there is only one ring that really counts. it can be made of any long standing metal, brass, copper, gold, silver etc. etc depending on your financial package or not as the case may be. wearing of a ring of the fourth finger of your left hand is significant because it is the meridian from the heart which signifies love.no matter what is worn on that finger - married, engaged, promised or pre-promised, even pre- pre-promised, if you offer your partner a ring to wear on the finger leading from the meridian of the heart, its a promise of love. i was unaware of this, at my wedding which was non-denominational, the man who married us told this story which i found very meaningful. my ring happen to be brass as we could not find a traditional gold wedding band in my size so opted for a brass ring of very little financialvalue, however is now the most valuable item of jewelley i wear, especially after 14yrs of marriage.

Answer 4

I must agree with you on this! I always wondered about 'promise rings' myself... do the guys just lack the stones to actually pop the question? Or do the girls just want a ring of some sort?

Perhaps we can skip ahead to the next level, the I-am-thinking-about-asking-you-out ring. They can be a standardized shape and color, so that no one gets confused. It can end that awkward does-she-like-me phase before you actually ask her out. Just offer her the ring; if she takes it, you ask her out.

Also, anyone else who was thinking of asking her out knows to make their move quickly or get frozen out.

Answer 5

Promise rings are b*llsh*t. They give the appearance of commitment without really committing and some women are dumb enough to believe it.