Thoughts on spouses giving Rolexes or other nice watch as ‘engagement wed rings’

[kieselguhr]

Wife said push gift sure… wedding watch instead of engagement ring or wedding band was a no

[Highlatitude]

As an Englishman, male wedding rings are quite recent, having only become common since the 1960’s. I would have been the first male in my family on any side to wear one. As I don’t like anything on my fingers I also don’t have one. There are also no male engagement rings. However, times have changed and male rings are not regarded with suspicion or considered effeminate anymore with more men than not opting for them (probably because of the cultural crossover from other countries and people not even realising they are a quite recent ‘tradition’, some even thinking that men who don’t wear them are ‘cheats’).

The origins of men not having rings are due to the prevalence of manual labour in the past making them easily damaged, lost and even being a risk to the wearer through injury. Typically the only men’s rings worn in the past were signet rings worn by the eldest sons of high status families, used to make wax seals on documents and featuring the family crest.

English Church wedding vows originally did not have an exchange of rings, just the man giving the women the ring. A modified wording now allows for both to give rings if desired.

In my opinion there is a lot more to being married than a band on your finger. My parents are happily married still, now in their 80’s, my Mother sold her band decades ago as she found it boring and preferred her other rings.

My wife has an engagement ring and wedding band that she loves but does not wear all the time. I gave her a watch for her 40th birthday. No gifts were given for our wedding or engagement other than her rings.

I personally think a watch is better as a significant birthday present but most women are really not that into watches as they often prefer jewellery. I really don’t think most care much about the functional aspect of watches like many men do.

But as this is TRF and people come here to show off, I would advise that a couple should exchange as many matching items of conspicuous consumption as possible at every opportunity. If you are a successful dentist then at the least, you will need matching Porsches, Rolex’s and branded clothing and luggage, the rest is optional.