what is the deal with promise rings?

They're only not engagement rings because they are small - like someone said - all a scam put on by the jewelry stores - just think, they can sell twice as many diamonds - one starter, one for real.

Yes, it is the new pin.

The abstinence ring is called a purity ring.

A promise ring is basically a commitment ring for people who want a commitment, but it is too soon to actually get engaged. Like someone young or a couple who haven't been together that long.

I got a promise ring for my 20th birthday from my bf of 2 months. We knew we were right for each other, but getting engaged so soon would not have been the responsible thing to do. And we did keep that promise by the way, I wore my sapphire promise ring as my "something blue" last month :)

EDIT: Why all the haters?? Why do some people care what others do? Does it affect you in some way that I got a ring and called it a promise ring?

What a promise ring is a ring that a guys gives a girl as kind of a pre-engagment ring. It symbolizes that they are committed to each other and are eventually planning to get married one day. There are promise rings out there that are also a symbol of abstinence usually given to the girl or guy from parents as a vow to stay a virgin until marriage but they are, obviously, two very different things. But the one you are refering to is a promise that you are in a committed relationship with each other and are planning to one day get married. Since this is a pre-engagment ring sometimes they break up because they are only still 'dating' and not engaged but it's a symbol of the man's commitment to the women before they are planning a wedding.

It's a promise to get engaged one day.

Like others, I don't get the whole idea of this. It's like you're engaged to be engaged. I find the whole thing a bit ridiculous. If you want to give a woman a piece of jewelry, then go ahead. I hate that a ring that's not an engagement ring is labeled a "promise ring."

They're pre-engagement rings, which I think is absurd. Women only used to get a single plain band when they married (and the men wore nothing), and now women need THREE rings? Plus there are also "anniversary" rings and "upgrades" to the original engagement ring. The diamond industry is raking it in.

I think it is almost like a pre-engagement ring.

I don't see the point either. When you are ready to get engaged - you will be engaged. Of course, this new trend is probably a boom for jewelers ... so you could try to claim it is helping the economy somehow.