Bvlgari Jade Ring

Greek silversmith Sotirios Voulgaris arrived in Rome in 1881 and set up his own shop there in 1884, calling it Bulgari, an Italianization of his last name (in the brand's logo, it's styled BVLGARI, using the classical Latin alphabet in a nod to ancient Roman culture). In 1905, he opened the company’s flagship boutique on Rome’s Via dei Condotti. Since then, Bulgari has looked to Rome as a source of reference for its fanciful and decidedly romantic designs for necklaces, bracelets, earrings and other accessories.

Although the iconic jewelry house found success with its silverwork and Art Deco designs, popular through the 1920s, Bulgari’s signature style — bold, often using yellow gold embellished with big colorful gemstones — began to emerge when Sotirios’s sons inherited the business, in 1932.

The brand truly hit its stride in the dolce vita era of the 1950s and ’60s, when the founder’s grandsons Paolo, Gianni and Nicola Bulgari decisively departed from demure traditional styles to develop the house’s exuberant multi-gem looks, attracting celebrity collectors like Elizabeth Taylor.

In the 1940s, Bulgari debuted perhaps its most famous design, the Serpenti bracelet watch. The piece’s snakelike coils were made possible by the tubogas jewelry technique, which links a flexible series of thin horizontal bands. Both the sleek, modern tubogas construction and the sinuous snake motif continue to be synonymous with the Bulgari brand. 

On 1stDibs, the collection of vintage Bulgari jewelry includes rings, pendant necklaces, watches and other accessories.

Throughout history, people have worn rings as symbols. They represented wealth and power for kings. Rings, whether fine jewelry or vintage fashion rings, have been given as gifts to mark significant occasions and accomplishments in life. They are also seen as a sign of love when worn on a certain finger.

For enthusiasts of costume jewelry, which is typically designed to accessorize with current fashions and made of inexpensive materials, there has been no shortage of coveted rings created over the years by the likes of J Dauphin, Miriam Haskell and others. A range of fashion rings created in ceramic or embellished with rhinestones — the latter a source of instant, affordable glamour — have also been designed at Chanel. The founder of the internationally revered luxury house, Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, loved costume jewelry but couldn’t resist designing jewelry with diamonds.

Signet rings are one of the oldest types of rings. They often have a family crest or seal engraved on the ring that the wearer can imprint into melted wax. Although most people don’t use wax seals anymore, signet rings are an enduring style.

The type of metal chosen for a ring is an important factor in its design. Gold is a classic choice for fine jewelry, and, for costume jewels, gold offers a range of hues that includes yellow gold, white gold and rose gold. Platinum is becoming a popular choice for its elegance. For fashion jewelry lovers, silver rings remain a must-have accessory, particularly those embellished with turquoise or coral.

A stone can add a pop of color or allure to a ring. Many people choose to wear rings featuring their birthstone. Diamonds are popular with those seeking the perfect engagement ring (a search that can prove intimidating), and they also make beautiful fashion rings, from solitaire rings with single stones to rings with groups of stones.

Zircon rings are similar to diamonds and come in various colors. Some rings feature a large stone surrounded by smaller stones in a halo. They can all be the same stone, or they can have different stones to include more colors.

Fashion rings are an easy way to add jewelry to any outfit. Find a collection of vintage fashion rings on 1stDibs that have glitz and glamour to match your style.