<p>Just look on facebook :)</p>
<p>Most Americans, thanks to DeBeers, are now programmed to believe that an engagement ring is a diamond (oftentimes princess/solitaire cut) set on a gold or platinum band and worn on the fourth (second smallest) finger on the left hand.</p>
<p>Not all cultures follow this, but it is definitely becoming more standardized around the world than it once was. It is rare today that you'll see women with engagement rings with anything but a diamond.</p>
<p>In Eastern Europe, the ring is worn on the right hand. Then you get stories of Russian women who start relationships with American men after not seeing a ring tan on the right hand, hoping eventually to get married and go back to America with him. They don't bother to look on the left hand.</p>
<p>That said. This is America, it should be on the left hand.</p>
<p>If a girl is in a relationship so serious that she and the guy are engaged, she'll be wearing the engagement ring on the left ring finger. It will most likely be a diamond (as opposed to a ruby or a saphire). </p>
<p>If it's a engagement-looking ring on the right ring finger, it's most likely a birthstone ring that was gift from a close family member, or it could be her class ring. When I wear mine, I wear it on the right ring finger. In recent years, some girls' class rings are made to look like engagement rings, which I think is a way-over-the-top choice since it is your CLASS ring and NOT your ENGAGEMENT ring. It's also possible that she inherited the ring from a family member. My mom wears her mother's engagement ring on the right ring finger, and her own engagement ring on the left ring finger.</p>
<p>Yes, some cultures wear the engagement ring on the right ring finger, but it's more likely that it's not an engagement ring. Check her facebook to see if she's even in a relationship or go up and ask her.</p>
<p>I'm debating whether or not I'm going to go against the DeBeersocracy of diamond engagement rings. It's so hard to fight South African manufactured consumer culture these days. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>My friend wears one just cause she doesn't want random guys asking her out. With that being said, it hasn't stopped the guys.</p>
<p>I know a lot of girls that wear rings on their left hand that aren't engaged. Of those girls, some of them are Promise rings (so not engaged, but still not available), some are because they're waiting until they're married to have sex, some are because they're in a relationship (another not engaged, but not available), and others are just 'cause they like it better on that hand (easier to get things out of pockets without it catching every time is one thing I remember hearing, for example).</p>
<p>Easiest thing is just compliment her on the ring and ask about it. It might be a little awkward, though...I dunno. If I'm curious about something, I usually ask unless I think it's something that'd make them uncomfortable.</p>
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[quote]
'm debating whether or not I'm going to go against the DeBeersocracy of diamond engagement rings. It's so hard to fight South African manufactured consumer culture these days.
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I happily went with the teeming masses on that one. I mean, you can always take the moral high ground on some other issue... a diamond is sparkly!</p>
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[quote]
I happily went with the teeming masses on that one. I mean, you can always take the moral high ground on some other issue... a diamond is sparkly!
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<p>That's what my girlfriend says. Bling bling and all that.</p>
<p>At the very least, I'm going to try to buy a cultured diamond. No blood on my rings!</p>