As I stroll towards the train station, a sense of anticipation fills me. Among the other commuters, I can’t help but be aware of the middle finger on my right hand. Will anyone notice it? Maybe someone will even ask me out on a date because of it?
My excitement stems from the understated yet significant pale green ring adorning my finger. This ring, known as the Pear Ring, was created by a British dating company to encourage online daters to meet in real life. It costs £19.99 and is marketed as “the opposite of an engagement ring”.
The concept behind the Pear Ring is similar to university traffic light parties where different colors indicate relationship status. Red means “taken,” amber means “seeing someone but not serious,” and green signifies a green light.
It seems that there is a growing desire for more traditional forms of dating. While around 300 million people worldwide have dating app profiles, a recent study found that almost four out of five daters feel burned out by online dating. Lindsey Jane Gordon, a resident of Somerset, has worn the ring twice a week for six weeks, but so far, it hasn’t attracted any attention or eligible men wearing the ring.
Meanwhile, the rate at which people download and delete dating apps is second only to that of online gambling apps. Pear officially launched in the UK and US in March, introducing a lilac ring for LGBT daters as well. The ring gained popularity on TikTok with over five million views under the hashtag #pearring. There have been Pear meet-ups in New York and the first London event is set to take place soon.
Pear’s founders refer to the ring as “the world’s biggest social experiment” and believe that if every single person wore it, dating apps would become obsolete. However, the question remains: do single individuals, particularly women, want to wear jewelry that advertises their relationship status to the world and invites judgment? Will it empower them or make them appear desperate?
At 35 years old, I have been single for most of my life and have been using dating apps for the past decade. Being single used to feel like an adventurous journey of unknown possibilities. However, with most of my friends now in relationships, it has become slightly disconcerting. Am I really the last single woman at the party?
While I used to enjoy using Hinge and Bumble, the apps now feel tiresome. I have decided to take a break from online dating for the past year and a half, and honestly, I haven’t missed it. But should I be putting myself out there more? With no desire to reactivate my dating app accounts, I was intrigued by the Pear Ring ads I saw on the Tube.
Could such a small, symbolic item challenge the dominance of dating app giants? And despite the promise of attention from attractive strangers, are there unwanted consequences to publicly declaring one’s single status?
To find out, I decided to test the ring for a couple of weeks. The ring, a pale green rubber band, arrived with instructions to add a pear emoji to my social media profiles to indicate that I am single and open to direct messages from strangers. The website urges users to make the pear the international symbol for being single, with the choice of fruit symbolizing the desire to find a partner.
I followed the instructions and added the emoji to my Instagram profile, eagerly awaiting the influx of messages. However, none arrived. The company keeps the number of rings sold confidential, but during my morning commute, no one paid any attention to the ring. In fact, even if they had noticed it, I doubt anyone in my train carriage would have understood its significance. Part of me was relieved; I certainly wouldn’t have worn a sign saying I am single during my commute.
The next time I wore the ring was at work, and I noticed a colleague glancing at it briefly. Journalists are usually up to date with the latest trends, but she didn’t comment on it. A few days later, a friend asked if it was a form of wearable tech similar to smart rings or discreet versions of smartwatches. Then, during a wedding I attended, my sister’s husband was the only person to inquire about the ring, reading the tiny text on it. He jokingly shouted, “Come on fellas, she’s over here!” I cringed at the embarrassment.
These incidents made me realize that perhaps the privacy offered by dating apps is preferable after all. While it’s nice to be approached, did I really want everyone to instantly see me as a desperate figure in search of a man? Maybe I needed to be braver, but the last time someone asked me out in person was at the beginning of this year, and it was a friend. Prior to that, I couldn’t recall dating anyone I hadn’t met through an app.
This raises the question: are we so afraid of flirting in person that we need a rubber ring to give us permission? Recent research from dating app Inner Circle shows that three out of four single people in the UK would prefer to meet potential partners in real life. However, on average, singles approach someone they’re interested in just once every 2.4 years. The fear of rejection from an attractive stranger feels more intense face-to-face than behind a screen. The MeToo movement and conversations surrounding women’s experiences of sexual harassment may have made men more hesitant to make the first move as well.
Dating coach Kate Mansfield explains that there is a strong desire for in-person connections, but there is also increased suspicion and mistrust among women, which leads to resistance from men in using old-fashioned pick-up lines. Men are often confused and hesitant, while women complain that men have become too passive. It’s a central challenge in modern dating.
Could the Pear Ring be the solution? Lindsey Jane Gordon, a 36-year-old finance professional, wears the ring as an alternative to dating apps, which she despises. She hasn’t used them for seven months due to the endless chatting, lack of actual meetings, and ghosting. However, Lindsey didn’t anticipate the embarrassment that comes with broadcasting her single status. She admits feeling shocked by this embarrassment, even in front of her family, who are aware of her singlehood and would love for her to find a partner. Wearing the ring invites a feeling of desperation that she finds uncomfortable.
In conclusion, the Pear Ring is an intriguing concept that aims to bring people together in the real world. While it has gained popularity and sparked curiosity, wearing such a ring comes with its own set of challenges. From potential embarrassment to feelings of desperation, the ring may not be the ultimate solution to the struggles of modern dating.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
