Fashion Jewelry Cocktail Rings
2010s Indian Edwardian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Sterling Silver
2010s British Cocktail Rings
Quartz, Sterling Silver, Gold Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Cocktail Rings
Mid-20th Century Unknown Cocktail Rings
Amber, Silver, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Topaz, 18k Gold, Gold Plate
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Nouveau Cocktail Rings
Gold Plate
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Nouveau Cocktail Rings
Gold Plate
21st Century and Contemporary American Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Silver, Sterling Silver
2010s American Contemporary Fashion Rings
Opal, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary French Artist Cocktail Rings
Gold Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Cocktail Rings
Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Artisan Cocktail Rings
Gold Plate
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Nouveau Cocktail Rings
Silver Plate
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Nouveau Cocktail Rings
Silver Plate
Vintage 1970s Italian Artisan Cocktail Rings
Coral, Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Morganite, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Fashion Rings
Diamond, Opal, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1980s German Art Nouveau Cocktail Rings
Gold Plate
Early 2000s French Cocktail Rings
Vintage 1970s Unknown Cocktail Rings
Coral, 18k Gold
Vintage 1950s Cocktail Rings
Vermeil, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Quartz, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
20th Century Greek Classical Greek Cocktail Rings
Lapis Lazuli, Yellow Gold, Gold, Gilt Metal, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Cocktail Rings
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Nouveau Cocktail Rings
Gold Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Cocktail Rings
Citrine, Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
Antique 19th Century American Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Other, Multi-gemstone, Crystal, Citrine, White Gold, 10k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century European Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Gold, Silver
Late 20th Century Italian Retro Cocktail Rings
Carnelian, Brass
2010s African Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Topaz, Blue Topaz, Zircon, Platinum, Sterling Silver
Antique 19th Century American Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s African Modern Cocktail Rings
Garnet, Zircon, Platinum, Silver, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Cocktail Rings
Mid-20th Century Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Zircon, Blue Zircon, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Balinese Artist Cocktail Rings
Sterling Silver
2010s African Modern Cocktail Rings
Topaz, Blue Topaz, Zircon, Platinum, Silver, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1960s Cocktail Rings
Silver
Antique 19th Century Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
Antique 19th Century American Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Gold
20th Century American Edwardian Cocktail Rings
Crystal, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s European Cocktail Rings
Amazonite, Lapis Lazuli, Gold Plate, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Cocktail Rings
Amethyst, Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Edwardian Cocktail Rings
Gold Plate, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary French Etruscan Revival Cocktail Rings
Gold Plate
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Citrine, Silver, Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century Unknown Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Opal, Platinum
Antique 19th Century American Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Cocktail Rings
Onyx, Gold Plate, Brass
Antique 19th Century American Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Gold
2010s European Cocktail Rings
Turquoise, Gold Plate, Brass
Vintage 1970s Cocktail Rings
Gold Plate
2010s African Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Amethyst, Zircon, Platinum, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Aquamarine, Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1960s Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire
Mid-20th Century Retro Cocktail Rings
Amethyst, Diamond, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Cocktail Rings
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century American Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Marcasite, Pyrite, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1920s American Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Marcasite, Onyx, Sterling Silver
Fashion Jewelry: Antique and Vintage Cocktail Rings for Sale
Shopping for cocktail rings in the collection of fashion jewelry on 1stDibs?
A flashy symbol of wealth during the early 20th century, antique and vintage cocktail rings have gained broader appeal in the decades since for the hefty dose of glamour they bring to any ensemble.
Cocktail rings earned their name for their frequent appearances during glitzy cocktail parties at the height of the Prohibition era. Back then, these accessories were seen not only as statement pieces but as statements in and of themselves. They openly represented a sense of freedom and independence as well as a demonstration of opulence. After all, the 1920s heralded the Harlem Renaissance and Art Deco design, and a slew of social and cultural shifts meant that women in particular were breaking from pre–World War I conventions and embracing newfound freedoms to express themselves as individuals.
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 cocktail rings created over the years by the likes of J Dauphin, Miriam Haskell, Kenneth Jay Lane, Elsa Schiaparelli 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.
Women expressly wore cocktail rings on the fingers of their right hand versus the left, which was “reserved” for an engagement ring or wedding band, accessories definitely paid for by a suitor. And for cocktail rings, the bigger the colored gem at the center — which is usually mounted in a high setting — and the more elaborate the design, the stronger the likelihood of being noticed.
Cocktail rings remained a popular piece of jewelry for women until the 1930s, when the Great Depression and the onset of war marked a change in behaviors nationwide. While the 1960s and ’70s saw a return in visibility for the accessory, it wasn’t until the 1980s that cocktail rings once again assumed their position as a beacon of luxury and glitz.
So, how do you wear a cocktail ring? Cocktail rings “can be worn for almost anything — dinners, date nights, parties, special events, on the red carpet,” explains David Joseph of New York-based jewelry brand Bochic.
Can you wear cocktail rings with other rings? “In my opinion, cocktail rings should stand on their own since they showcase a large gem in the center,” says Joseph.
These glamorous jewels can be worn inside or outside crowded taverns, in either daytime or nighttime with casual or dressy attire. On 1stDibs, find a wide variety of antique and vintage cocktail rings in our collection of fashion jewelry, including those offered by Chanel, whose elegant cocktail rings often feature pearls and, of course, diamonds, and sometimes were styled after showy flowers like the camellia, and Van Cleef & Arpels, whose detailed and intricate designs are viewed as miniature pieces of wearable art.