As a Purity Ring

• Coming into fashion in the 1990s, the promise ring (also known as a purity ring) is given to Christian girls around ages 13-17 to show an outward symbol of their devotion to Jesus and their commitment of abstinence until marriage. The ring may be given to them by a family member (usually the father) at a ceremony in the church in which the girl also takes a vow of chastity until marriage. The girl may also choose to purchase the ring herself and wear it as a personal token of her faith. The promise ring is to be removed by the husband on the wedding day and replaced by a wedding ring. A promise ring, like a wedding ring, is worn on the left ring finger.
  
  

Engagement

• Starting in the 16th century, men and women exchanged "friendship rings" (which could be between two women or two men as well, with no expectation of a love relationship) simply as a token of their deep friendship. Records also indicate that men gave these types of friendship or promise rings to their wife-to-be if he could not afford a more valuable ring. This ring would be in place of a much more valuable ring that would be purchased when he could afford it. Nowadays, promise rings are often given between younger couples as an outward symbol of their monogamous status. It is usually a step toward engagement, but does not necessarily mean engagement.
  
  

Men and Promise Rings

• Generally speaking, men do not wear promise rings. A woman may give her beloved a ring as a token of her affection, but it is not "traditional." Christian men sometimes will wear a promise ring as a purity ring (on his left ring finger) and a promise to abstain from sex until marriage. He can put on the ring with accompanying vows or simply purchase it for himself. Parents can give the ring to their sons, but it is generally not thought of as a promise between son and parents as it is between daughters and parents. This dates back to the tradition of men "owning" women and fathers being responsible for their daughters' actions.
  
  

Brief History of Rings as Promise Symbols

• The earliest records of rings symbolizing promises date back thousands of years. Engravedstyle.com states that the Ancient Greeks often wore rings to remind them of things with engraved messages like, "I shall respect the will of Zeus." The ancient Romans wore cast iron "betrothal rings" with the name of the couple slated to be married engraved in it. Promise-rings.info, a website devoted to the promise ring, states that for more than 1,000 years, priests and nuns have used a ring as a symbol to their commitment to the church and their symbolic marriage to Jesus Christ. In the 15th and 16th centuries, it became fashionable for lovers to give each other uncut diamonds so they could carve love messages to one another in glass windowpanes.
  
  

Promise Rings in Music

• In 2007, singers Tiffany Evans and Ciara collaborated on a song called "Promise Ring." The story centers around the singer receiving a necklace with a promise ring on it from a supposed boyfriend. The song reached #1 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (a list of the songs who have not quite made the Hot 100 list) and #66 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
  
  A band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin entitled "Promise Ring" emerged on the scene in 1997 and were classified as "indie pop." After making five albums, they broke up in 2002.