According to folk legend, ancient Irish women grew tired of men having the monopoly on popping the question, prompting St Brigid herself to complain to St Patrick, who allowed it to happen once every four years, on the leap year.
However, according to Matthew Weldon of Courtville Antique & Vintage Jewellers, modern women don't need the excuse of a Leap Year to pop the question to their guys. In fact, Weldon says there's more women proposing at all times of the year.
The leap year - also known as Bachelor's Day, or Ladies Privilege - falls on this Thursday, and while you might want to have been sure of your decision long before the holiday rolls around, there's still time to consider what token you're going to propose to your fella with - particularly as more couples are choosing the ring together.
Speaking about the practice of proposing on the leap year, Weldon says that "it is rare, but it definitely does happen". During the last leap year he got two couples into the shop, adding, "obviously that was February 2020, so I actually don't know what happened after that".
He wont be expecting any newly engaged leap year couples until after the holiday itself, however, as - like with many engagements now - the couples like to choose a ring together.
"Normally the person who's getting it has come in before by themselves", he says, with them preferring to do some "groundwork" before popping the question. Regardless of the gender of the couple, Weldon adds that the process of proposing and searching for the right ring is "exactly the same".
"It's also budgetary. They don't be putting each other under any pressure and they want to be working in the right ballpark."
Particularly when it comes to antique jewellery, Weldon says, the rings are so unique that "it's hard to buy something for someone without their input".
He adds: "I would certainly go along the lines of maybe having the experience together. You can get a token ring. Then you can go a shopping together or maybe get a watch or get the signal ring engraved, or get a different piece, but just something to mark the moment and then more significant purchase together."
Although watches are sometimes touted as the male equivalent to the engagement ring, Weldon doesn't outright agree, saying that men's rings are becoming more and more popular.
"A lot of men are not used to wearing rings", he says. "It takes trying on a few to kind of get used to them. But I would say once a guy finds a ring that he really likes, he'll wear it forever, no matter what. Gym, going swimming, at home, at work, whatever."
With a watch, however, Weldon notes that they are more often swapped and changed depending on the setting, from the gym to formal meetings and everything in between.
As for what ring to propose with, Weldon suggests two classics: a signet ring embellished with lapi, onyx or carnellian, or an antique Claddagh ring, which are "super rare". For something truly special, he suggests a Victorian old cut diamond ring.
"I would go for an old cut diamond in a lovely victorian piece, because a lot of those are actually gents' rings", he explains. "They're not twinkly, sparkly like a traditional ladies ring, but they have a nice glimpse of sparkle and I've seen them on some men and they're very discreet and stylish. And the old cut diamonds have a lovely, subtle sparkle and they tend to be heavier gold pieces."
