Do Men Wear Engagement Rings? Traditions and Styles
Yes, men wear engagement rings, and more of them do every year. In the United States and the United Kingdom it is still the exception, because the custom there grew up around a single ring for the bride. In Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Sweden and Norway, both partners have worn an engagement ring for generations. There is no rule against it anywhere, so the real question is not whether a man may wear one, but what kind of ring he will actually keep on. Below you will find where the custom comes from, what we see in our own workshop, what happens to the ring after the wedding, and how to choose one that suits a man's hand.
In this article
- Do men wear engagement rings?
- Where do men traditionally wear engagement rings?
- Why do more men wear an engagement ring today?
- Does a man keep wearing his engagement ring after the wedding?
- Which hand does a man wear an engagement ring on?
- What does a men's engagement ring look like?
- How do you choose an engagement ring he will actually wear?
- Frequently asked questions
Do men wear engagement rings?
Some do, and the number is growing. For most of the twentieth century in the United States, the engagement ring was something a man bought, not something he wore. Jewelers tried to change that in the 1920s with men's engagement rings sold under names like "the Master" and "the Stag", and the idea did not catch on. A man got a wedding band at the ceremony and nothing before it.
That habit is now loosening. Women propose to men, couples propose to each other, and same sex couples often want two rings from the start. None of these fit the old one ring model, so the man's engagement ring has stopped being a novelty and become one more option.
We see the shift directly. Over the last four or five years, more and more of the women who order from us tell us they are buying the ring to propose.
Where do men traditionally wear engagement rings?
In a large part of the world a man with an engagement ring is completely ordinary. The American custom of one diamond ring for the bride is the exception rather than the global rule.
| Where | What men do |
|---|---|
| Chile, Argentina, Brazil | Both partners wear a plain band on the right hand while engaged, then move it to the left hand at the wedding. |
| Sweden, Norway | Both partners exchange engagement rings, usually simple bands. |
| Bulgaria, Armenia | Rings are exchanged between both partners and worn on the right hand. |
| Germany | The engagement ring goes on the left hand and the wedding ring on the right. Matching rings for both partners are common. |
| Spain | At the pedida de mano the woman traditionally receives a ring and gives the man a watch in return. |
| United States, United Kingdom | Traditionally only the bride wears an engagement ring. A man's ring is a growing but still uncommon choice. |
I grew up in Bulgaria in an Armenian family, and in both traditions the couple exchanges rings at the engagement, the same way as in most of the world. The ring is worn on the right hand. You will sometimes hear that unmarried people wear it on the left, but in my experience that is more myth than custom.
Our order book follows the same map. German customers buy matching sets of two rings more than anyone else. Customers from the rest of Europe come next. American customers order sets the least.
Why do more men wear an engagement ring today?
A few reasons come up again and again in conversations with customers.
- Women propose. A woman who asks needs something to offer, and a ring is the obvious answer.
- Couples want symmetry. Many see the engagement as a promise from both sides and want both hands to show it.
- Mixed traditions. A couple with one partner from Chile or Sweden and one from the United States often adopts the two ring custom.
- Long engagements. When the wedding is a year or two away, a man may simply not want to wait that long to wear a ring.
None of this makes a man's engagement ring necessary. Plenty of couples skip it, and some men who are not used to rings prefer to start with the wedding band. As long as both partners agree, either choice is right.
Does a man keep wearing his engagement ring after the wedding?
There are three common paths, and all of them are normal.
- The engagement ring becomes the wedding band. This is the simplest route and one we see often. The ring is given at the proposal, worn through the engagement, and simply stays on after the vows.
- It is stacked with the wedding band. Both rings go on the same finger, with the wedding band closer to the hand. Choose the same width for both so they sit evenly, and remember that two bands on one finger feel tighter than one.
- It moves to the other hand. The wedding band takes the ring finger and the engagement ring moves to the opposite hand.
If you already know the engagement ring will double as the wedding band, choose it with that in mind. It needs to be a ring he is happy to wear every day for decades, not only for the months before the wedding.
Which hand does a man wear an engagement ring on?
Usually the same hand as the wedding ring where he lives, on the fourth finger. In the United States that means the left hand. In Chile, Argentina and Brazil it is the right hand until the wedding, then the left. We cover every country and the reasons behind each custom in our guide to which hand a man wears his wedding ring on.
What does a men's engagement ring look like?
Very rarely like a woman's solitaire. A man's engagement ring is almost always a band, often a little wider than a classic wedding band, and the difference is in the material and the detail rather than in a raised stone. The main styles look like this.
| Style | What it is | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Plain band | Titanium, forged carbon fiber or ceramic with no inlay | Men new to rings, or a ring meant to become the wedding band |
| Stone inlay | Meteorite, opal, malachite, moss agate or turquoise set flush in the band | The closest thing to a "stone" engagement ring, without a raised setting that catches |
| Wood inlay | A hardwood such as snakewood, ironwood or redwood inside or over the band | Men who want something warm and natural, often outdoorsmen |
| Metal inlay | Brass, sterling silver or gold leaf combined with carbon fiber or titanium | A classic metal look with more character than a plain band |
A flush stone inlay is the most popular way to give a man's ring the meaning of an engagement stone. The stone sits level with the band, so there is nothing to snag on a sleeve or chip against a door frame. Meteorite and opal are a natural pair for a proposal. If he likes deep blacks, our black ceramic rings for men carry most of our stone inlays.
Campo del Cielo meteorite and lab-created blue opal set flush in black zirconia ceramic.
Wood is the other strong choice, especially for a ring given at a proposal. Rare snakewood, with its spotted grain, makes a ring no one else will have. Rings from our forged carbon fiber collection pair these woods with a marbled black shell that weighs almost nothing.
Rare spotted snakewood lining a forged carbon fiber shell, light enough to wear from the proposal on.
How do you choose an engagement ring he will actually wear?
A man who has never worn a ring will notice weight, width and anything that catches. Get those three right and the ring stays on.
- Keep it light. Titanium and forged carbon fiber are among the lightest materials a band can be made from, which helps a man get used to wearing a ring at all.
- Pick the width for his hand. We make our bands in 6 mm and 8 mm. A 6 mm band suits slimmer fingers and men who want something discreet. An 8 mm band sits better on larger hands and gives an inlay more room to show.
- Get the size right the first time. Titanium, forged carbon fiber and ceramic cannot be resized after they are made. If the ring is a surprise, borrow a ring he already wears on that finger, or follow our guide to measuring ring size at home once you can ask openly.
- Add an engraving. A date, initials or the coordinates of the place you proposed turn the band into an engagement ring that no one else could have. We engrave inside every ring, and our wedding ring engraving ideas has more to start from.
If you are also weighing materials for the wedding band that may follow, our guide to choosing a men's wedding band compares them side by side.
Dense ironwood shaped over a Grade 5 titanium core, a band strong enough to stay on long after the wedding.
Frequently asked questions
Do guys wear engagement rings in the US?
Some do, but it is still less common than in Latin America or Scandinavia. Traditionally only the bride wore one. That is changing as more women propose and more couples choose two rings.
Who buys a man's engagement ring?
Usually the person who proposes. If a woman proposes to a man, she buys his ring. Some couples buy both rings together as a matching set.
Can a man's engagement ring be his wedding band?
Yes, and many men do exactly that. The ring is given at the proposal and stays on after the wedding. Choose a ring he will be happy to wear every day if you plan it this way.
What is the difference between a men's engagement ring and a wedding band?
Often only when it is given. Men's engagement rings are usually bands, sometimes with a stone or wood inlay, and many look the same as a wedding band. The engagement ring marks the proposal and the wedding band marks the marriage.
Should a man's engagement ring have a stone?
It can, but a raised stone catches and chips on a man's hand. A stone set flush in the band, such as meteorite, opal or malachite, gives the same meaning in a ring that is practical to wear.
Master jeweler with over 35 years of experience working with precious and alternative metals and materials. He handcrafts men's rings in carbon fiber, titanium, and black ceramic. More about Berch.
A ring to propose with
Handmade black ceramic bands with meteorite, opal and stone inlays, engraved inside at no extra cost.
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