In the United States, it is customary for the newly engaged young woman to wear an engagement ring on her the third finger of her left hand. Although in recent years, a custom is growing that the young man also wears an engagement ring. In European countries such as Germany, Denmark, Finland and Sweden, it is a standard custom that both the man and woman wear the engagement rings. However, where as the woman often received an additional ring during the marriage ceremony, the man's engagement ring is often used as the wedding band as well.

Engagement Ring Customs Differ World Wide

German customs often find that both partners will wear a plain gold or platinum band on the left hand during the engagement. After the marriage ceremony, wedding rings replace the engagement bands, which are then moved to the third finger on the right hand.

The engagement ring is a symbol of love for everyone to see, it represents the intention of marriage by the young woman or man who wears it. The symbolism of the engagement ring actually dates back to the 15th century when Archduke Maximillian of Austria gave a gift of a diamond ring to his intended bride, Mary of Burgundy.

What To Do When Love Fall Apart And An Engagement Is Broken

In the case of a broken engagement, it is proper etiquette for the bride to immediately return the engagement ring to her ex-fiance. However, if the ring is an heirloom from the bride's side of the family, she should keep the ring but no longer wear it. It is also customary that the bride and groom return any expensive gifts that they had bought one-another for the wedding and future marriage.

If a young man asks a woman to marry him and she is not willing to make that commitment, it is best if she tell him immediately. To accept the engagement ring under false pretenses will only lead to hurt feelings in the long run.

The Solitaire Diamond Is a Symbol of Love

A popular engagement ring is the solitaire diamond, often called the Tiffany setting. This style was introduced in the late 19th century and still remains one of the most popular today. One of it's highest selling points is that the solitaire can be worn during the length of the engagement and the stone can be reset prior to the wedding date into a wedding band that the bride and groom pick out together.