I'm not into jewelry and my fiance is upset I won't wear my engagement ring, even as a necklace on a chain. He takes it personally and thinks I don't want people knowing I'm taken.
Here’s hoping you knew each other well enough that your partner was aware you’re not into jewelry. If this was a surprise, I wonder how great the communication is in your relationship.
If he knew bling ain’t your thing, it’s odd that this is an issue. If your relationship has existed for a reasonable length of time, you generally know your partner’s basic likes and dislikes. Do they like spicy food? Do they like a certain kind of music? Do they wear a ton of accessories? These aren’t difficult things to figure out over the course of a strong relationship before that all-important question is popped.
Secondly, why buy you something and waste the money – if your communication is strong enough that he knows you don’t like jewelry? Sounds like he’s giving into societal norms with a ring having more significance than the emotional connection between two people. It would be more special and unique if you two found something other than traditional jewelry as a symbol of love. Everyone does rings. Bleh. Get creative and come up with something else. (And no, I’m not talking about tattoos of each other’s names. That’s even worse.)
I also wonder why people feel the need to announce their relationship status by wearing something on their body. It’s sort of like how on social media you’re expected to disclose your relationship status to the world. Why? Has Instagram become just a desperate pick-up joint? Well, yeah, I guess it has.
Nevertheless, if your partner’s insistence is on you announcing you’re taken, that’s maybe an insecurity that he needs to work through. Then again, if his response is specific to you – as in, you’re a flirt and he wants you to remember you’re engaged – well, that’s what we call a relationship red flag.
I think the meaning of a ring has gone from being a symbol of love shared between two people to a repellent for singles on the prowl. If that’s the case in your relationship, it doesn’t sound like the love and trust are all there. But, you do you – or whoever your partner thinks you’re doing.