With all the pomp and circumstance surrounding women’s engagement rings— reference Elizabeth Taylor’s record-breaking 33.1-carat diamond or Kate Middleton’s whopping 18-carat sapphire—you might wonder: why do the ladies get all the dazzle? Are men supposed to wear engagement rings? Can men wear engagement rings? Read on for all the answers from the ring authorities here at QALO. Traditionally, Only Ladies Wear Engagement Rings Traditionally, in Western cultures, men do not rock engagement rings to showcase that they’ll soon be getting hitched. But that’s all changing. In fact, trend-setting guys like Ed Sheeran and Michael Bublé have been seen sporting pre-wedding bands before tying the knot, indicating that there is a changing shift in perspective when it comes to the guys’ engagement rings. Why Don’t Men Wear Engagement Rings? The reason why guys don’t traditionally wear engagement rings isn’t entirely known, but we do know that the tradition for women traces its roots back to the early part of the 20th century, when DeBeers launched its historic ad campaign featuring the slogan A Diamond is Forever, marketed towards men planning to propose. Interestingly, around the same time, there was something called the “Breach of Promise to Marry” law, which allowed women to sue men for breaking off an engagement. When states began striking down this law in the 1930s, women began seeking other forms of insurance to ensure that they weren’t left high and dry before the wedding day. This helped catapult the already growing popularity of the engagement ring for women. You see, at the (very sexist) time, a premium was put on the virginity of women, and yet many engaged couples still engaged in premarital sex. If the groom were to break off the marriage pre-engagement, it might leave the bride in a difficult position finding another mate. The ring—standing in for the law—served as a kind of insurance to protect the woman’s market value. Sounds crazy, right? Men’s Engagement Rings Are In As you can see, the reason why only women traditionally wear engagement rings is tied up in a lot of old-fashioned, outdated and downright misogynistic concepts. Thankfully, we’ve come a long way since then, and no longer need to preserve a woman’s “market value” before she gets married. Instead, we tend to see engagement rings as a symbol of eternity, commitment and love, as well as a sign of good intention and a promise to eventually make it official. None of these things are gendered concepts. In fact, they’re things that many men want to display proudly. Wearing a unique engagement ring as a man can symbolize equality and mutual respect. Historically, the tradition is for men to propose to women, but we see that changing as well. Surveys show that, though women only propose about five percent of the time, the vast majority of men—around 70 percent—would be excited if their girlfriend got on one knee! At the same time, with the legality of same-sex marriage and conventional engagements becoming a bit unpopular, it’s no mystery why we’ve seen a big rise in the popularity of men’s engagement rings. The Perfect Engagement Ring for Men These are just a few of the reasons why we believe men should wear engagement rings if they want to. If you’re looking for a great way to show your enduring commitment before the big day or if you’re a bride-to-be looking for the perfect ring to present when you get down on one knee, consider our trendy and unconventional silicone rings for men. Discover our unique silicone rings for men