To many, promise rings are a symbol of commitment- a step before the level of engagement or marriage. History has shown that promise rings are not necessarily worn by many but when they are worn they often carry a special significance for the wearer.

A short overview of the history of the promise ring actually shows that it was really the first engagement ring, just by a different name.

These promise rings actually indicated a level of commitment that was equal to that of an engagement. The Romans engraved the names of the couple into the ring, which make the promise ring have more force.

After the Romans, the use of the promise ring ceased until the Sixteenth Century with the exception of the church, whose clergy worse promise rings to remind themselves of their commitment to their religion. In the Sixteenth Century, Poesy Rings and Friendship Rings – two types of promise rings – became quite popular. Poesy Rings were actually engagement rings that were engraved with poetry and sometimes set with diamonds.

Friendship rings were promise rings and basically were a tangible promise of marriage, which very often the man was held to. In modern times, promise rings are not as common for adults. The most popular token of commitment is the engagement ring, and younger generations use promise rings when they are dating or in love. However, the symbolic promise ring can still hold a great deal of meaning for both wearers even if they may be young in age.

The first type of promise rings that are common today have a quite a bit of force and are called a Pre-Engagement Ring. This type of ring is a statement of long-term commitment and means that at some point in the future there will be an engagement and marriage.

The second type is a Purity Ring which symbolizes the wearer’s commitment to not engage in any sexual activity before marriage. This type of promise ring echoes that of the Greeks which served as a reminder of something specific.

In the modern world, these promise rings are worn by young people in religious communities that hold chastity as a high virtue. The promise to one’s self to remain “pure” is constantly re-visited whenever the wearer sees his or her ring.

The last type of promise ring is the friendship ring. Friendship rings are typically the least valuable metal ring, as they are worn mostly by youngsters who cannot afford precious metal rings. They are a sweet reminder of a special friendship connection and are quite special for the wearers.

Although promise rings are not a salient jewelry trend in modern society, they still hold a special significance if work or exchanged. Promise rings are a lovely precursor to an actual engagement ring, and they can also serve as a comfortable leeway to an engagement ring. If one is nervous about wearing an engagement ring, it may be comfortable to wear a promise ring for a while before in order to get used to the feeling- both physically and emotionally. Either way, the tradition still exists.