Have you ever noticed the price difference? You’re not wrong. It’s more to buy the ring for your engagement than the ring for your wedding. Why is that? Well, wedding bands are less expensive than engagement rings for a number of reasons. The very obvious answer is just that wedding bands usually have simpler designs and smaller or fewer gemstones. They aren’t as intricate, and they’re made (for the most part) to be an understated symbol of commitment that’s worn daily.
Engagement rings often feature elaborate designs with larger diamonds and sometimes multiple smaller stones. They have designs that are crafted with the purpose of drawing the eye immediately. The most important word when it comes to engagement rings is “Wow!” The wow factor, is, in fact, an important thing for many people.
On the other hand, wedding bands tend to be plain. They typically have minimal design and few, if any, gems. Stones they may have are typically set flush with the metal, designed to be decorative, sure, but in no way the focus of attention. Wedding bands, in comparison to engagement rings, are sedate. Therefore, wedding bands cost less than engagement rings.
Okay, that’s sort of an answer.
But the real question isn’t addressed. Maybe instead of asking why wedding bands are less expensive, the real question is something different. Why do we make engagement rings so intricate and ostentatious? Why are engagement rings designed to impress (and priced accordingly) while wedding bands are designed to fit into any outfit or any activity?
It has to do with the historical purpose of an engagement ring. Part of the reasoning behind it was that a ring was a token of the groom’s ability to care for the bride. Keep in mind we’re talking about a tradition that started centuries ago. Obviously today, there are all sorts of different marriages and one partner being solely responsible for supporting the other isn’t a given these days. That is, though, the answer. Engagement rings were originally intended to remove any doubt about the proposing party’s ability to care for the proposed.
Well, what about today? Engagement rings are still much flashier and showier than wedding bands but society isn’t what it was so long ago. Like many things, the original purpose isn’t the primary thing anymore. Now, people see the ring as an expression of the love of the proposer. That context can be beautiful but it can also put unhealthy expectations on people. The key to everything, in my mind, is to remember that engagement rings are symbols of love. They’re not the love they symbolize.
If you need an engagement ring in San Diego, get in touch with you. You can send me an email, call, or just drop by the La Jolla showroom. We’ve helped countless couples with their engagement rings, and I can promise you we’ll treat you right.
Read this post next:
Comments