I first noticed the trend at Chez Georges restaurant in Paris last year. While I chatted with a friend, my eyes kept darting at the woman at the table next to us. She wasn’t wearing anything particularly special, just jeans and a fuzzy caramel turtleneck, but she had several gorgeous rings piled on her fingers. Each ring was gold and chunky and had a unique spin, like an interesting shape, an embellishment, or a large gemstone. And each ring, being so unique, gave the impression that a lot of thought had gone into selecting it; that it had a special story behind it. In other words, these rings weren’t picked up in bulk at Mejuri.
From that moment on, I’ve noticed more and more French girls sporting a similar ring gallery on their fingers. They wear them to make their outfit a little more elegant—kind of like how we, North Americans, use our Dyson Airwrap and Merit mascara to look more done. But I’ve come to appreciate the contrast of elaborate jewellery paired with undone hair and makeup—and the easiness of it is certainly appealing, too.
Now of course, statement rings aren’t a new trend: Most commonly known as cocktail rings they became popular in the 1940s for women to wear to parties, restaurants, and operas. They lost their appeal in the 1970s, and according to Diamond Buzz made a comeback during the 1980s, but I’d argue that wasn’t until the 2000s. I remember cocktail rings during the boho chic era, when costume jewellery from Forever 21 was the accessory of choice—until they’d turn your fingers green.
Because here’s the thing about rings: If you’re not buying ones made out of real gold, you’re probably buying gold-plated copper, brass, or nickel. And when those materials interact with the acids in your skin, they can leave a green stain. In fact, even gold under 18k can contain a little copper, which can leave a green tinge over time.
But don’t let that turn you off of the chunky rings of today—the ones offered by high-end gold-plated jewellery brands don’t tend to contain as much copper, nickel or brass as fast fashion brands, meaning they’re less likely to lead to green fingers. Plus, if you take care of them (keep them dry and away from lotions) you’re also less likely to see the discolouration.
So which rings should you choose? I’ve been studying this trend for a while, so I know that not just any style will offer the right look. The key is to select rings that are different but have uniformity in some way—namely, the same metal and finishing. The trendiest styles to wear are shiny gold ones that boast a bit of an abnormal or hammered shape and wear them on as many fingers as possible.
The first two pictures above are a bit of an exaggeration. (That many rings would impede your texting, surely). The third picture (the one right above), shows author Coco Mellors’ ring lineup, which is a more wearable approach. She chose daintier styles that are just as eye-catching as the chunky variety.
So, where do you get these rings? You can shop vintage—if you’re in Toronto, you can shop Noah Noah Noah’s selection (pictured above) at Reformation on Yorkville Avenue (today’s the last day). Otherwise, check out some of my favourite brands below—they’re not cheap, but maybe one great one is all you need, and you can pair it with the rings you already own.
4 stunning jewellery brands with rings under $400:
Annelise Michelson
Available at annelisemichelson.com.
Lié Studio
Available at lie-studio.com.
Completed Works
Available at us.completedworks.com.
Simuero
Available at simuero.com.
Until next Sunday,
Renée
I love a good fistful but frequent handwashing and fine jewellery are not friends! (in my experience). Still admire those women who do pull it off though, including my mother.