Cocktail Rings
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Cocktail Rings
White Diamond, Yellow Diamond, Black Diamond, Brown Diamond, 18k Gold, P...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Amethyst, White Diamond, Pink Sapphire, Palladium, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Cocktail Rings
Early 2000s Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Cocktail Rings
White Diamond, Brown Diamond, Sapphire, Zircon, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Blue Diamond, Rubelite, Pink Sapphire, Tsavorite, 18k Gold, Pal...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Citrine, White Diamond, Blue Diamond, Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Carnelian, Chalcedony, Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Palladium
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Cocktail Rings
White Diamond, Topaz, 18k Gold, Palladium
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Yellow Diamond, 18k Gold, Palladium
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Black Diamond, Spinel, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Citrine, White Diamond, Yellow Diamond, 18k Gold, Palladium
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Citrine, Yellow Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Palladium
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Topaz, Tsavorite, 18k G...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Cocktail Rings
White Diamond, Blue Diamond, Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold, Palladium
Early 2000s Cocktail Rings
Aquamarine, Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Citrine, White Diamond, Yellow Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Palladium
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Cocktail Rings
White Diamond, Black Diamond, Rubelite, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Early 2000s Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
Early 2000s French Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Cocktail Rings
Pearl, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Black Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
1990s Cocktail Rings
Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s Cocktail Rings
White Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Early 2000s Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, White Gold, 18k Gold
Early 2000s Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Black Pearl, White Gold, 18k Gold
Diamond and Sapphire Cocktail Rings and Other Antique and Vintage Cocktail Rings
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.
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.
During the 20th century, the range of dazzling cocktail rings seems to have been limitless, from glimmering gold rings set with carved jade diamonds designed by David Webb to Pomellato’s pink quartz confections to striking Gucci butterfly rings with accent diamonds set in a pavé fashion.
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, 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.