Engagement Rings: The Difference in Traditions

• By: admin
• On: 02/18/2009 13:15:00
• In: Jewelry
• Comments: 2

In the Western tradition, engagement rings are worn by a woman on her left-hand ring finger to signify that she has accepted a proposal of marriage. In other parts of the world, however, traditions associated with engagement rings can vary considerably.

For instance, in Ukraine and Poland, the bride to be doesn't wear her engagement ring in her left hand, but on her right-hand ring finger instead. s Poland and Ukraine, it is customary for the ring to be worn on the right-hand ring finger. In classical times, it wasn't the ring finger that hosted the engagement ring at all. Rather, engagement rings were worn on the fourth finger of the left hand, as it was believed that finger contained the "vein of love" or vena amoris, as it was known.

In all societies, however, customs change over time. In contemporary U.S. and Canadian societies, in is becoming increasingly more commonplace for a woman to present her partner an engagement or promise ring  at the time of the engagement.

This exchange, though, is not all that uncommon. In several European nations, and other nations, such as Egypt and Brazil, the man and the woman will both wear engagement rings. These engagement rings are most of gold bands in white, yellow, or rose gold. They look very similar to wedding bands without diamonds of Western tradition. In fact, in these countries, engagement rings will also serve as the wedding band in time.

And, in Spain, it is common for a woman to buy a man a wristwatch at the time of engagement.

While we don't carry wristwatches, you can find a great assortment of engagement rings, promise rings, and wedding bands at SuperJeweler.com.