Luxury watches are the new engagement rings

WHILE diamonds are a girl’s best friend, there isn’t a person who would say no to a diamond-studded Rolex in place of a traditional ring.

What better way to watch your love stand the test of time!

The pandemic has forced us to do things differently. Weddings, if not virtual, have become more intimate. Couples have come up with creative and sometimes quirky ways to say their ‘I dos’.

In the same way that ceremonies have changed, the traditional engagement gift has evolved.

Global fashion shopping platform Lyst has reported a 42% increase in searches for ‘couple,’ ‘engagement’ and ‘wedding’ watches.

An analysis of their Wedding 2021

Report predicts a rise in sales of upmarket timepieces.

According to Refinery29, Morgan Le Caer, the content lead at Lyst, had this to say about the trend: “This season, more couples have been forgoing traditional rings as engagement presents, instead opting for gender-neutral watches.”

Social media has been flooded with people voicing their opinion on the watches-over-rings issue.

Some declared they would prefer to receive an expensive timepiece such as a Rolex instead of an engagement ring.

One Twitter user wrote: “Here’s a thought: Instead of an engagement ring, how about an engagement watch? Make sure I know what time it is.”

A spokesperson from Ernest Jones believes that the rise in same-sex marriages could be influential in this trend.

“Our retail colleagues have noted an uplift in people buying watches as both an engagement present and as a wedding day gift,” said Jones.

“We know that giving a watch for such an occasion is the perfect symbol to mark the start of a couple’s time together. It’s often said that when a woman gifts a man a watch, it means ‘my time is your time’, so it’s a tradition with a long-standing meaning.

“We’re seeing many men choose watches for their husbands-to-be over rings to mark this moment, too. A beautiful timepiece is fast becoming as relevant as a diamond ring when it comes to marking the big day in style.”

But about the price? Twitter users are saying the engagement watch you choose has to be in a similar price range to the ring you would have bought.

So if you were going to spend three months’ salary on a classic solitaire 1-carat diamond ring, best you be ready for a luxury timepiece.

A Rolex will do nicely.