À mon fiancé

Thanks to all our readers for voting in last week's poll on single-stems (which generated a 60% LOVE IT result -- we love it, too!). This week, we invite you to consider:

I love you.
I love you so much, I am not going to wait for you to propose to me (and why should I?) I am just going to go ahead and buy you the low-weight, simple ring (perfect for "sports and maintenance activities") you've always wanted as a symbol of my commitment, and you are going to wear it proudly.

p.s.: this means you should probably get me one, too. Right?

What do you mean you haven't invested?

OR

I love you.
I love you so much that when you propose to me and present me with the stunning cut of perfect-carat diamond of my dreams, I am going to reciprocate by handing over a ring to match (almost perfectly) as a symbol of my commitment, and you are going to wear it proudly.

THAT'S right. Why should you get all the fun in proposing? Why am I the only one who has to walk around sporting a prefiguration of the old ball-and-chain that will keep us anchored to each other for life? Why?

Engagement rings for men: hate it or love it?

Read about them here, then cast your vote.

Our slice:
While we like the idea of visibly branding our men to in some way rope them off from the masses (after all, they are surely pretty irresistible to the ladies if we are willing to marry them ...), we think:
a) for all that we put up with, women should get to keep exclusive rights to the big bling. Did you actually think we were going to let the guys steal our thunder?
b) male engagement rings are for pansies. We like man's men ... you know, the manly and the tough ... go get some hot ink seared into your epidermis if you love us. We'll believe you then.

Nothing says "taken and proud of it" like a tattoo sleeve.

(Plus, everybody knows that most women, if they feel the need or the desire materialistically to reciprocate the gesture of a proposal will do so by another means. One of the articles linked to above mentions "money clips" or "cuff links" as viable alternatives to male engagement rings. Lots of women also plan trips or conjure up other personalised and thoughtful ways of showing their men they care, with or without objects).