Discover Engagement Ring Traditions from Around the World!

It's a common tradition here in the US and in most parts of the world to receive an engagement ring before her marriage. All proposal rings have come into existence because of this tradition, such as moissanite engagement rings, diamond engagement rings, and colored gem engagement rings. However, in some places, couples practice unique and memorable engagement ring traditions. You may now think, "Ain't nobody got time for that!" But, well, some cultures do. Here is the list of engagement ring traditions all over the world.

One of the most common rules of engagement rings is this: engagement rings should be worn on the left hand always. Well, that is not the case for would-be brides in Eastern Europe. For them, the place where the engagement ring should be is in their right hand. Grooms also follow this trend when it comes to wearing their wedding rings. Those who practice this unique engagement ring tradition are couples from Austria, Germany, Russia, and Poland. So if you see one wearing their engagement and wedding bands on their right hand, count them under this category.

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Ring equality for all, you all. There's no such thing as a lady's preference in Chile regarding engagement rings and wedding bands. Although it is a common tradition for girlfriends and boyfriends to seal their love with an engagement ring for the lady, Chileans eschewed it. For them, engagement rings and wedding rings should be given to both men and women. How unique is that? Proposal rings are given to both, just a glimpse of how marriage should always cater to each partner's needs. Isn't that cute?

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In the Latino-dominated country of Argentina, the engagement ring traditions are strong. These traditions may either appeal to or raise other people's eyebrows. Their engagement ring tradition is this: Forget the wedding bands. Engagement rings are more important. The Argentinians practice this tradition that once partners have already exchanged engagement rings, they are no longer required to exchange rings during the wedding ceremony. Now, this is practicality at a whole new level for couples. I honestly dig this tradition.

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For Hindi women, engagement bands are not always rings. In the traditional Hindu culture, instead of going for the standard way of opting for engagement rings, women wear toe rings instead. These toe rings are known as bichirs. Bichiyas are made of metals and precious to semi-precious gemstones. This toe ring can either be made of metals or non-metals. However, even though Hindu women wear these toe rings to signify their relationship status, some still wear Western-style engagement rings.

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People (especially women) nowadays prefer rings with big, giant, sparkly diamonds. Although this style is a hit among Westerners and countries with Western influence, such is not the case for Native American women. Instead of the traditional rose gold and diamond ring, they prefer silver rings embellished with semi-precious to precious gemstones. Natural-looking gems are also a plus for them. Gems such as turquoise and red coral are a favorite among Native American brides-to-be.

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French people always have romantic ways. So, it's just fitting that they opt for sparkling diamond rings, right? Unfortunately, that is not the case. French women eschew the traditional sparkly diamond rings and opt instead for rings with semi-precious to precious gemstones on top. For some people, colored engagement rings are much preferable because of the romantic flair given by colored gemstones. Several celebrities also take French women's views as they shrug off the clear diamond for the colored gems.

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Swedish couples have a tradition they also uphold, and that is this: men and women must give each other engagement rings. Yes, it's not the bride to be alone who will get a band; the groom also deserves to have one, too.

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When it comes to engagement rings, the Irish has unique preferences. They don't often go for sparkly diamond engagement rings. Instead, they profess their love through what is famously called the Claddagh-style engagement ring. This engagement ring comprises two hands holding a heart with a crown. This is not only symbolic of love; it also plays a significant role in their culture. One exciting thing about this ring is how you wear it says something about your relationship status. If you are etched to be married, you wear the ring in a way that the crown is facing. When you are already married, the direction of the crown is away from you.

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One of the cultures that have eschewed the traditional engagement ring game is Indian culture. Instead of going for rings, a bride-to-be is gifted with a lovely, trinket-filled bangle. Since Indians are very in love with jewelry pieces, a ring can sometimes overshadow the rest. So a bangle is just the right jewelry to give. These iron bangle bracelets are often decorated with precious stones and other tinkling trinkets.

Today, in modern-day China, couples practice the Western way of engagement involving an engagement ring. Nevertheless, it's not always the case for these people. Initially, Chinese men had to give the women's families a portion of the money to show that they could afford to feed them. More often, asking for a daughter's hand in marriage involved many gold coins and treasures. Even though the Chinese people have become more Westernized in the engagement process, giving money instead of a big, chunky diamond engagement ring is still practiced.

11. Kenyan

Another standout tradition in engagement jewelry is that of the Samburu Warriors from Northern Kenya. These men, like women, have engagement jewelry pieces to signify their relationship status. For these warriors, jewelry is a necklace decorated with many colors, signifying a man's relationship standing in the community.

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Engagement rings are a thing of the present for Filipinos. It only came to Filipinos' attention when Western culture entered (around the mid-20th century). Before the engagement ring's existence, Filipinos told everyone that one woman was set to marry a man through service. Men had to spend a lot of time in service to the woman's family to let her parents know and the community to provide well for their wife-to-be. (Honestly, I'd have this, love,r a giant, glittering diamond ring too.)

Like the Filipinos, men from the islands were also not big fans of engagement bands. They have a unique and peculiar way of getting the Yes of the woman they love: through cows. In the early islander days, cows symbolize how wealthy a person is and how willing he is to give up these treasures for the woman he likes. The more cows given to the woman's family, the more prized she is (or the wealthier he is). However, since the emergence of the engagement ring, islander men became practical and switched to rings over cows.

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Should the ring be on the left or the right? Should it match your wedding ring or not? Should it contain a diamond or a colored gemstone? These are just some of the global traditions regarding proposal rings—the way these rings are used and worn isdiffers from country to country. The right way of using an engagement ring (or the non-use of it) is still up for debate. However, it's still nice that some people don't rely on engagement rings alone to show their love for their better half.

So which traditions do you like among those that are on the list? Which among them do you prefer? Which one don't you like? It's fun how engagement rings are not just sparkly stuff -- they are also made up of traditions of different cultures. The key is to show respect and appreciation for the vast cultural diversity that gives more meaning to proposal bands. Are you also planning to propose soon? We have one tradition here at IceCarats.com: Provide the best engagement rings out there. So hurry, look at our collection, and get your best pick.