When a couple gets married, they exchange rings that signify their commitment and love. It seems to be the cultural norm to get a huge, fancy and expensive ring but I’ve never considered that necessary.
When it came time for me to get engaged and we were looking at rings, my realization as just how ridiculous that cultural idea is really came to life. We looked and looked and finally found a ring that was perfect for me.
It had white sapphires as accents and a platinum fire topaz as the main stone. We were told by many that the ring wouldn’t last long and one jeweler even told us to just get rid of it and start over instead of trying to figure out a wedding ring to go with it. I always thought that was both absurd and rude.
We did find a ring guard to go with it and I wore the ring lovingly and proudly for five years with no problems except for a few scratches on the stone. Then a couple of weeks ago, I realized that the big stone was gone and I had no idea where it went. Another smaller stone had fallen out a couple months ago, too.
It drove me a little crazy to not have anything on my hand at all so I wore the ring guard and we decided to replace the damaged ring. We don’t have a ton of extra spending money right now because we’re busy paying for another kind of expensive stones and metal…as in the stones from his kidneys and the metal in my new wheelchair!
I found a ring that fit our needs perfectly at the same store where we bought the original ring. I’m now wearing that ring on my “wedding ring finger” but didn’t want to get rid of the original wedding ring guard entirely (it doesn’t fit the new ring). I wear it on my other hand and get compliments on my new “mod” ring. No one realizes it’s the same ring I’ve been wearing for nearly five years.
Some might think it’s a little strange that I prefer a ring with synthetic stones. To me, the value of a wedding ring isn’t in the jewels. It’s about finding a ring that I enjoy wearing, but more importantly it’s about the man who gave me that ring.
When I glance down, even now, and see the ring, I’m not thinking about the worldly treasure. I’m reminded that I’m married to a man who loves me with all his being and who puts my needs ahead of his own. I’m married to a man who has already stood by me in sickness and in health, for richer and poorer.
When I see the rings, both old and new, I remember that I am loved and cherished. What could be more valuable than that?
I did some research on this and just as I suspected, the idea of a man spending a certain part of his income on an engagement ring was started by DeBeers in order to increase the sales of diamonds. So it’s all marketing.
In colonial times, a thimble was given to a woman as a symbol of betrothal. All that matters is that the two of you love one another.
That figures! What a waste of money. I mean if you’re in to that kind of thing, I guess it’s your income to spend how you please. But I’m just not.