Welcome to the 21st century, where in some households, the roles of the male and female are rather unconventional. The man stays home and cooks for the kids, while the lady pursues a promising career. Proposals are no different. Women today have started buying male engagement rings to be given to their partners.

Male engagement rings, also fondly termed "mangagement rings," serves as a symbol that a man is committed and soon to be wed. It is gradually gaining popularity and jewelry companies have today's modern women to thank. They believe that there's nothing wrong with asking their man to marry them. They believe it is practical especially in times of recession. More so if the woman's salary is similar, or in some cases, even higher than their male partners. They believe it's unfair to put the entire financial burden on the man just because of tradition. In the past, more privileges were given by society to the men. The women had less power over their financial status. But ever since women such as Mary Wollstonecraft (Mother of Feminism) fought for gender equality, tables have turned.

There is a certain debate, however, on whether this is just a marketing strategy by the jewelry industry. Others say it is a brilliant strategy to increase their sales. It was the same thing they allegedly maneuvered back in the 1940s. The engagement rings started to be crafted using gold. They advertised that by using precious materials for engagement rings, the relationship will prosper. In comparison, male engagement rings are cheaper than women's rings. The materials being used for male engagement rings these days are those suitable for wear and tear. This means the use of materials such as:

• stainless steel
• tungsten
• titanium
• palladium
• carbon fiber