What is a placeholder ring? As the name may suggest, a placeholder ring is a temporary engagement ring that is presented during the proposal. Placeholder engagement rings are generally engagement rings made of cheaper materials. For example, the ring may be set in 925 silver rather than platinum and use CZ in place of diamond. Often placeholder rings are upgraded or replaced further down the line. Many are kept and treasured by women because of the sentimental value that they hold. Most placeholder rings are later re-purposed as travel rings.
The wedding ring has been an integral part of human history; evidence of ring exchanges date back to over 3,000 years ago!
What about diamond engagement rings? According to Wiki, The first well-documented use of a diamond ring to signify engagement was in 1477. The Archduke Maximilian of Austria offered a diamond ring upon his betrothal to Mary of Burgundy.
Today, this tradition of proposing with a diamond engagement ring is still going strong. However, many couples now opt for rings that are slightly different. For instance, some women wear placeholder rings instead of real diamond ones.
In this article, we’ll discuss what a placeholder ring is. We will also outline various benefits of wearing a temporary engagement ring.
PHOTO: A placeholder engagement ring is sometimes called a temporary engagement ring, a stand in engagement ring or a presentation engagement ring. Typically the ring is used to make a surprise marriage proposal. Seen above is a pink topaz engagement ring from Luxuria. It is one of many temporary engagement ring ideas.
What Is a Placeholder Ring?
A placeholder ring is what it sounds like; it’s not what you’ll be really wearing for the rest of your life. Usually, placeholder rings are temporary engagement rings. While good quality placeholder rings look like the real deal they are usually constructed of lower cost materials. For example 925 silver is typically used in place of white gold and diamond simulants used instead of diamond.
PHOTO: What is a placeholder ring? A placeholder ring is a temporary engagement ring looks like the real deal. Its purpose is to act as a “stand-in” ring to make a surprise marriage proposal with. If she says yes, congratulations. Later when time and budget allows you can shop for the real diamond engagement ring together. Seen above is a 3 carat cubic zirconia solitaire ring from Luxuria®, perfect as a stand in engagement ring. [SOURCE: Luxuria Diamonds]
Placeholder rings are also called many different things. Some examples are temporary engagement ring, stand-in engagement ring, holding band and fake engagement ring. Other names include presentation engagement ring, faux engagement ring or a temporary presentation ring. Further, they are sometimes also incorrectly referred to as promise rings. Promise rings serve a different purpose.
More generally, a placeholder ring is an inexpensive cubic zirconia ring. These are used for proposals before the couple purchase a “proper” ring together, to make sure the final choice is picture-perfect.
Placeholder engagement rings are the latest proposal trend in the USA. The trend of collaborative ring shopping is also catching on in certain parts of Asia.
What Are the Benefits of a Placeholder Ring?
You might be thinking: why would you ever choose to wear a placeholder ring over a real one your partner gives you?
Read on to find out all the advantages for both parties of buying and wearing a placeholder ring.
A temporary engagement ring is a good idea for a surprise marriage proposal
Placeholder rings can reduce groom stress. If you step back and think rationally about it how’s a guy who knows squat about Jewelry to begin with supposed to ace the perfect choice of diamond engagement ring for his beloved?
Most men aren’t in the habit of wearing diamonds, and no men are mind readers.
The stats said it all. 72% of women say they wouldn’t trust their partner to choose their engagement ring.
Beaverbrooks Survey
Most men won’t know exactly what style of ring their partner likes. It’s not wise to potentially throw thousands of dollars away by buying a fancy ring that just isn’t suited to their tastes. Nor do you want to spend a significant amount of money for them to just reject your proposal. Nearly 1 in 4 women has turned down a marriage proposal. Ouch.
What you can do is buy a placeholder ring for cheap first. Once you’ve had a successful proposal, you can then take your significant other shopping – to jointly find a ring.
And if you just can’t afford a nice ring right now, at least your fiancée will have a pretty ring to wear while you save up. When you can finally afford the ring of her dreams, she can then swap it out!
Video: How to choose a Placeholder Ring or Temporary Engagement Ring? In this video we give five tips on how to choose a placeholder ring that looks like the real deal. Placeholder engagement rings reduce groom stress and make surprise marriage proposals easier. [SOURCE: Luxuria Diamonds – Diamond Simulant Rings YouTube Channel ]
You’ll Have a Ring on Your Finger While You Wait for the Real One
When your loved one proposes with a placeholder ring, then you’ll have something to wear in the period between shopping for a real ring and receiving it. Or, if they’ve proposed with a real ring but it doesn’t fit right, you’ll still have something pretty to wear on your finger while you get it resized.
Either way, you’ll get to show off your engaged status, no matter what. We understand how exciting it is to be betrothed, so don’t let an ill-fitting ring put a damper on your excitement!
PHOTO: A temporary engagement ring is sometimes referred by jewellers as being a presentation engagement ring. A presentation engagement ring is often a simple solitaire setting with a quality diamond simulant stone. The presentation ring program is designed, so you can give your fiancée the simple presentation ring and then come back into the store and get the exact engagement ring she wants without any hassle. Seen above is a fake solitaire ring from Luxuria Diamonds.
You Won’t Lose Your Real Ring
Some people are in professions where they do a lot of work with their hands. If the ring doesn’t fit right, or you need to keep taking it off and putting it back on, there’s a higher chance that you’ll lose it at some point.
In a poll of more than 600 married women, found more than half had lost a piece of jewelry. Rings, earrings and necklaces were lost most often, with rings accounting for about half of the losses.
Jewelers Mutual, USA
Also, if you’re going on your honeymoon or vacation to a place with higher crime than your home city, you may be worried about your ring getting stolen.
When you have a placeholder ring, you can show off your engaged or married status without worrying about losing your actual ring.
You Won’t Damage Your Ring Either
In addition to doing a lot of work with your hands, you may also be in a career where you do lots of manual labor as well.
For example, if you work as a chef, the soft gold in your engagement ring may quickly become malformed from handling heavy and hot pots, or it may get scratched up from pots, pans, and other utensils.
Washing dishes wearing an engagement ring is also a no no. Slippery skin means that your ring can suddenly do a down-the-drain disappearing act. Furthermore, soaps and exfoliating washes can dull and damage your diamonds.
PHOTO: A temporary proposal ring eliminates the heartbreak of a damaged diamond engagement ring. Losing diamonds whilst washing dishes is no fun. One of the benefits of proposing with a placeholder ring is that the ring can be used in situations where you don’t want to risk loss, theft or damage of your natural diamond ring. A temporary proposal ring can look great too – like the lab created emerald ring above.
With a placeholder ring the worry of damaging your precious diamond engagement ring can be left behind.
This doesn’t mean you can’t ever wear your actual rings! For instance, if you’re going out to a nice dinner with your fiancé or spouse, you can exchange your placeholder ring for the real one for that occasion.
You Can Ward off Unwanted Suitors
Placeholder rings aren’t just for actually taken people; they’re great for single folks too!
Unfortunately, we live in a sad world where some women suffer unwanted attention unless they’re “spoken for.” If you find yourself getting irritated with undesired advances, and men not taking “no” for an answer, consider getting a placeholder ring.
There’s a worrying new trend of women wearing fake engagement ring at work—not as a way to proclaim their love and commitment, but rather as a way to deal with customers and coworkers who won’t leave them alone.
Brides.com
Placeholder rings can help stop pests dead in their tracks. The next time they start harassing you, all you have to do is hold up your hand. Show them your ring, and say you have a fiancé or husband already.
PHOTO: Beyond proposals or temporary engagement ring use, a placeholder ring is ideal for other purposes to. For example they make great travel rings. Seen above is the Luxuria® LUMINESCE silver wedding ring set. This cheap engagement ring set comprises of a comfort fit 925 wedding band and a 2 carat solitaire diamond simulant engagement ring. [SOURCE: Luxuria Diamonds]
A Placeholder ring can accommodate changes in your body throughout the years
Let’s face it. As we go through life, our bodies go through lots of changes. We all age, sometimes add a few pounds or decide to have children. Pregnancy can really put your body through the wringer!
Even if you just gain a little bit of weight, it can change how your ring fits on your finger. If you find your engagement ring no longer comfortably fits, you may have to temporarily retire it.
This doesn’t mean you need to be without a ring. In situations like this a placeholder ring can act as a temporary replacement.
Get Yourself a Placeholder Ring Now
What is a placeholder engagement ring? It’s a temporary (or placeholder) engagement ring which is generally a less expensive piece of jewellery that provides you with bling for a surprise proposal. The idea is that the “stand in engagement ring” is just that, a stand in until she says yes and you shop together for the real deal.
PHOTO: A Temporary engagement ring is less expensive than a real engagement ring but can still be constructed from precious stones and precious metals. Seen above is PEDORETES a Peridot gemstone ring which combines a semi-precious 1.4 carat peridot gemstone with precious sterling silver.
A placeholder ring benefits all parties
For guys it reduces risk of losing lots of money on an engagement ring she hates or is not accepted. It’s also much easier to make a surprise marriage proposal if you don’t give the game away by asking ring questions! These inexpensive engagement rings could save you thousands of dollars. Not all jewelers accept returns.
For gals such rings can be a fantastic addition to your jewelry box, especially when you consider all the benefits that come with wearing one. Even if you later buy an engagement ring together, the placeholder ring can still be used for travel purposes.
For all the fun of travel, keeping your valuables safe can be a constant source of stress. You already have to worry about your phone, wallet and laptop. Why add your engagement ring to the mix?
Further, because it’s a cheaper alternative to a real gold and diamond ring, it can take a lot of pressure off. The risk of loss or theft is reduced. Plus, it can enable you to send a clear signal that you’re taken and help ward off pests.
So consider picking out a placeholder ring to wear. It’ll certainly give you peace of mind in a lot of situations!
We hope we’ve provided some temporary engagement ring ideas. If you are ready to start looking for placeholder engagement rings, then take a look at our selection now!
Want to learn more?
Read this article which outlines five reasons why faux diamond engagement rings are gaining popularity.
We outline in this article tips on how to select an engagement ring based on finger shape and personality.
Looking for cheap engagement rings under 100? Luxuria® Diamonds excels at offering placeholder rings for proposals which still use precious metals and materials.
We regularly get questions asking what the differences are between lab-created, simulant, synthetic, cultured and hybrid diamonds. The terminologies can be confusing. Moreover, incorrect use of the various terminologies in online articles and adverts can mislead and cause further confusion. In this article we demystify the differences between diamond simulants and synthetics and also explain hybrids.