Whether you're itching to return your partner's sparkling proposal with a ring of his own or thinking of popping the question yourself, you may be researching "man-gagement" rings. And if so, you're not alone. There's a movement in man-gagement rings — engagement rings for men — that's becoming quite the trend. Here's a look at why you might love the trend, too.
Celebrities are wearing them.
If you think your guy would never wear an engagement ring, think again. Chances are a man he looks up to — from defensive end Osi Umenyiora to actor Johnny Depp and singer Michael Bublé — has been spotted sporting a gold or platinum band to symbolize his engagement. When Bublé sported a band on that all-important finger during his engagement to his Argentinian wife Luisana Loreley Lopilato de la Torre in 2010, he explained that, in Argentina, it's custom for both partners to wear rings during the engagement period.
They're a symbol of same-sex commitment.
Leave it to same-sex couples to set the trends for celebrating love in the sweetest way, man-gagement rings included. When New York-based real groom Jonathan got down on one knee and proposed to his boyfriend, he presented him with a ring. "I think giving a ring makes everything real," Jonathan explains to BRIDES. "I know for my fiancé, it's a constant reminder of our relationship and it helps him be more present in our relationship than without."
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See More: Should Your Fiancé Pick Out Your Engagement Ring?
It symbolizes the bride's commitment, too.
Real bride Petrina popped the question to her boyfriend of seven years, Antonio, on a stroll along the beach — and she did so with a ring. Petrina says the ring symbolized her love for Antonio, and he wore it until the day they got married. "I honestly don't understand the apprehension to a [man-gagement] ring," says Antonio. "Why should it only be required that a woman wear a ring during the engagement? Both partners should be committed to each other and be proud to show friends and family that they are taking the next step."
Rings can be unique.
You don't have to present your guy with a simple band. Elizabeth Doyle, co-owner of New York City jeweler Doyle & Doyle, says signet rings are popular with many men. "It is classic and masculine, but unique," Doyle says of the style that often features a crest or monogram. "Rings can also vary from very beautiful and ornate to fairly simple," she says, explaining many men even choose rings with colored jewels or opt to wear other jewelry — think: a dress set or lapel pin — to express their commitments. Radika Chin, co-founder and creative director of Dana Walden Bridal, also points out many of her ring customers work in creative careers, and crave something equally creative to symbolize their romances. "These clients respect the importance of traditional and cultural norms, but they also believe that their rings should symbolize their unique union," she says.
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