Buying a promise ring for your sweetheart is generally considered a significant milestone in a relationship. Because this gift is so significant, you want to be sure that you are getting a quality promise ring that your special someone can cherish forever!
The cost of a promise ring varies based on the features you add for personalization, the materials the ring is made of, and the quality of these materials. However, more expensive rings are not always better. Why? That’s what we are here to discuss!
Today, we’re going to tell you how much a promise ring costs based on the features you want, why a promise ring is significant, and where you can find the perfect choice for your budget.
Typically, you can buy a decent quality promise ring for anywhere from $50-$300. This is great, because no matter your budget, there is a promise ring on the market for you!
Meaning of a Promise Ring
The exact meaning of a promise ring is still unclear to many people, though they know that a promise ring is generally expected in a long term relationship.
Simply put, a promise ring is the tangible symbol of a promise that you make to your loved one. In most cases, this is a sign that you promise to love them forever. It’s the precursor to an engagement ring!
However, this does not always have to be the case. This ring can be a symbol of any promise you make that you plan to keep.
Your promise could be to always be there for your partner or to always make them laugh. The meaning behind any promise ring depends on the intention of the person giving it.
Average Cost of a Promise Ring
Promise rings range greatly in price based on where you go and what you want out of the ring. While engagement and wedding rings have a more concrete price range, you can get wonderful, high-quality promise rings at nearly any price point.
Typically, you can buy a decent quality promise ring for anywhere from $50-$300. This is great, because no matter your budget, there is a promise ring on the market for you!
Factors Affecting Price of a Promise Ring
There are quite a few factors that affect what the price of your promise ring will be, but the two main factors are what the ring is made of and what you add to personalize the piece.
- Ring Material and Price
All metals are not made equal, as many of you may already know. Some ring metals are less resistant to warping breaking.
Some are alloys made with nickel, which can cause allergic reactions and copper, which can turn your finger green. You can expect to pay less for rings like those.
The most popular choices for promise rings are sterling silver and white gold. White gold is the more expensive of the two options. A white gold promise ring will cost you $100+ while a decent sterling silver promise ring can start at around $50.
Platinum is the most expensive ring material, but it isn’t a very popular choice for promise rings.
Platinum is reserved mainly for engagement and wedding rings, as these should be more permanent fixtures on your sweetheart’s hand. Any platinum promise ring you may see on the market will likely start at $400+.
Of course, there are many more affordable promise ring options to choose from. The average tungsten ring starts at $60, though you can find quality tungsten rings for less! Stainless steel rings can be of high-quality for as low as $25-$30.
- Personalization and Price
You can personalize a promise ring in two main ways – with birthstones and engravings.
Birthstones on a ring add a pop of color and grace, but they also make a ring unique to its wearer. Adding a birthstone or two to a promise ring or buying a ring with these stones included will cost more than buying one with a plain band.
While a plain promise ring band may cost only $40 or $50, rings with birthstones generally cost $60 or $70 and can sometimes cost more depending on where the stones were sourced or if they were created in a lab.
Engraving a message into the band of your promise ring is not usually too expensive. It may add $10-$20 to the price of the piece, but the price difference between it and a plain ring should not be drastic.
Adding a personal, heartfelt touch to the promise ring you give your partner costs more, sure, but it does not need to break the bank.
Difference Between Men and Women’s Promise Rings
Men, too, can receive promise rings from their significant others! Promises aren’t just for women, so why should rings symbolizing these promises be?
While men can wear promise rings, theirs often differ from women’s in a few ways, and this does in many cases affect the price.
- Men: Simple is Stylish
Men tend to wear rings with a plain band instead of those adorned with jewels of any kind. This means that no birthstone is necessary and thus, the price of men’s promise rings tends to be lower than women’s rings.
- Men: Inlays Over Stones
Instead of birthstones, men often choose to wear rings with inlays of a different material or color than the rest of the ring.
Take, for example, this stainless steel piece. The outer edges of the ring are silver, but the ring is inlaid with blue. It adds a pop of color in much the same way as a birthstone would while keeping the design simple and subtle.
- Men: Bigger Bands
Men typically have bigger fingers than women, so their promise rings will use more material. The band itself is also thicker to add a masculine touch. This will affect the price because more metal is being used to create the ring.
Men or Women: Which Ring is Cheaper?
On average, men’s promise rings are cheaper than women’s. The lack of birthstones and the use of indelicate materials will cancel the price increase from using more metal to create them.
A man’s promise ring often costs anywhere from $20-$250 depending on who you buy from.
Women’s Promise Rings: What Do They Look Like?
Women’s promise rings come in a wide variety of styles to suit the woman in your life! Each style sends a unique message to her from you with the promise you are making. Let’s go over some of these rings and give you an idea of what a woman’s promise ring should look like.
- Birthstones
Many promise rings for women come with the option to personalize with her birthstone (and sometimes yours, if multiple stones fit.)
This single birthstone ring is made of sterling silver, a popular choice of band material for this type of jewelry. The silver delicately wraps around the stone in the center, holding it in place between two names, yours and hers. For pricing information, click on this link.
If you prefer to see both of you represented side by side on the ring, this two stone piece is perfect. Both birthstones are cut in the shape of a heart to symbolize your love. For pricing information, click on this link.
Of course, not all promise rings have to look so similar. This sapphire promise ring with a birthstone has a thinner band, and the sterling silver is plated with rhodium for a slightly tinted look. For pricing information, click on this link.
- Engravings
Promise rings are perfect canvases for engraved messages! The inner band can be engraved with your promise to her, and the outer band can bear your names for the world to see. Most women’s promise rings feature an engraving somewhere in or on the band.
This promise ring is elegant and simple. The band wraps around the finger and disconnects in the front, leaving two spots for an engraving! This could be the date that you first kissed, your names, a quote – whatever you desire. The only limit is the character amount. For pricing information, click on this link.
A rose gold promise ring would look lovely on her finger, especially when it features your names together on the band! This one has two spaces for name engravings as well as one on the inside for a special message. For pricing information, click on this link.
- Designs
Though most engagement and wedding rings look the same, a promise ring’s band design can vary widely! There are no strong rules or traditions to adhere to when it comes to a promise ring. There are many beautiful choices that don’t follow what a traditional ring looks like.
This ring features an engraving of two hands locked into a “pinky promise” to signify that the promise you are making is sacred. It’s cute, unique, and if you two often pinky promise each other, this ring is the perfect homage to that! For pricing information, click on this link.
Oftentimes, when people speak of making promises or of getting married in the future, they liken it to “tying a knot.” This promise ring is a nod to the phrase, the thin band featuring only one knot in the front. For pricing information, click on this link.
Men’s Promise Rings: What Do They Look Like?
We’ve spoken of men’s promise rings and what they typically look like, but now is the time to see the common features put together. Though men’s rings are still more limited than women’s in style, you have more than just a plain band to choose from!
- Engravings
The chief feature of a man’s promise ring is the engraving. This can be either on the outside or the inside, depending on who you buy yours from. You can have your names engraved, your promise to him, or nearly anything else you can think of. (If you would like to browse engraving ideas, please click on this link.)
This promise ring can be engraved with a message from your own handwriting. It adds a special touch and makes his ring completely unique. As long as there is room on the band, there’s room for what you want to say. For pricing information, click on this link.
This ring is more understated for the man who likes subtle jewelry. The message is engraved on the inner band for his eyes only, while the outside is two-toned black and silver. It’s masculine, yet still elegant. For pricing information, click on this link.
- Inlays
While not all men’s promise rings have any sort of inlay, some do and they add flair to the piece that may have been missing before.
For example, this ring is inlaid with wood for a rugged finish while being stylish. The black band compliments the inlay and allows the red tones in the wood to stand out; no birthstone necessary! For pricing information, click on this link.
Looking for something more unconventional for the man in your life? This promise ring is inlaid with meteorite and deer antler, which is certainly not something you see every day. The outer band is made of tungsten for extra durability, too. For pricing information, click on this link.
What Finger Does a Promise Ring Go On?
Promise rings can be worn on any finger on any hand – you can even wear yours on a chain around your neck if you’d like! However, the most popular choice is the fourth finger on your left hand, where an engagement or wedding ring will eventually go.
Because the original meaning behind a promise ring is, “I promise to be with you forever,” the receiver wears it on this finger as a placeholder until an engagement ring is presented.
Remember, though, that since the meaning behind the ring can be whatever you want it to be, don’t feel pressured to wear it like everyone else! What makes this ring special is that it’s unique to every couple.
When to Buy a Promise Ring
Giving someone a promise ring is a serious thing. You have to be sure that you are ready to commit to this promise, and to the person you are giving the ring to.
For most couples, promise rings are given after a year or more of being together. Some choose to give promise rings when moving in together, as this is a significant milestone in the relationship.
Difference Between a Promise Ring and Engagement Ring
You may be thinking to yourself, “If promise rings are usually a precursor to engagement, why not just get an engagement ring?” There are two reasons why promise rings are often given before engagement rings:
- You are not quite ready for the way your life will change after getting engaged. If you want to spend your life with someone but aren’t ready for engagement parties, wedding planning, and being called someone’s “fiance” yet, a promise ring is the perfect way to declare your love. While your honey knows that you are committed to this relationship, you don’t have to start going to cake tastings and dress fittings yet. You have time to take it slow and save up until you are ready to take that next step.
- Promise rings are more affordable. If you don’t quite have enough money for your sweetheart’s dream engagement ring yet, a promise ring reassures them that you want to be theirs forever but that you need more time to save money before popping the question.
With the changing behind meanings, though, be clear if your promise is not what the rings traditionally symbolize. Be clear to them that this promise is not necessarily a precursor to a wedding.
If you two don’t want to get married but want to be together forever, for instance, a promise ring could be the perfect beginning and end to the ring milestones.
This means that you don’t have to get an engagement ring at all, as that implies a wedding to follow. This is a less common third reason why you might get a promise ring instead of an engagement ring.
What to Do With a Promise Ring if You Break Up
Because a promise ring isn’t a binding contract, many people wonder what happens to it if a couple breaks up. While we certainly do not want to see this happen, who gets the ring is up to the couple.
Because you didn’t spend thousands of dollars on your promise ring, you may let the recipient keep it. After all, it isn’t going to be of much financial value to you, but it still holds great sentimental value to them.
In short, promise rings cost less than a down payment on a car, as opposed to engagement and wedding rings. These are a symbol of your undying love for your partner or even just a symbol of a promise to make them laugh or to be supportive! While the price point ranges based on several factors, these rings typically stay within the price range of $50-$300, though you may find high-quality options for less.
Whatever promise you are making to your loved one, be sure to make it one that they’ll never forget. Beautiful promise rings come in all styles and colors; you add the final touches to personalize it, and the person that you give yours to will cherish it forever.
