Cocktail Rings
1970s Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold
1910s Edwardian Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Pink Sapphire, Gold
1930s Art Deco Vintage Cocktail Rings
Sapphire, Platinum
1980s European Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
1920s American Art Deco Vintage Cocktail Rings
Coral, 14k Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Retro Cocktail Rings
Aquamarine, Ruby
Mid-20th Century Cocktail Rings
Pearl, Peridot, Gold, 9k Gold
1920s Unknown Art Deco Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Platinum
1980s European Retro Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
1960s European Retro Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Early 1900s European Victorian Antique Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Gold, Silver
1920s Art Deco Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Star Ruby, Platinum
1940s Italian Art Deco Vintage Cocktail Rings
Aquamarine, Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
Early 20th Century British Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Aquamarine, Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Platinum
Early 1900s European Victorian Antique Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Jade, Gold, Silver
1990s European Retro Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
Early 1900s American Antique Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Onyx, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1980s French Baroque Revival Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold
1960s Modern Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold
20th Century Chinese Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Garnet, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1970s Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s European Victorian Antique Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold
1930s British Art Deco Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Platinum
1960s Swiss Vintage Cocktail Rings
Aquamarine, Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Early 1900s Asian Victorian Antique Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Gold
1970s Vintage Cocktail Rings
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Cocktail Rings
Tourmaline, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s European Retro Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold
1990s Italian Cocktail Rings
Lapis Lazuli, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Sterling Silver
1920s Art Deco Vintage Cocktail Rings
Pearl, Platinum
1980s European Retro Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Early 1900s Antique Cocktail Rings
Mid-20th Century Unknown Cocktail Rings
Citrine, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s American Vintage Cocktail Rings
Topaz, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s European Retro Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Opal, 18k Gold
1990s Italian Modern Cocktail Rings
Emerald, 18k Gold, White Gold
Early 1900s European Victorian Antique Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Opal, 14k Gold
1960s Burmese Contemporary Vintage Cocktail Rings
Ruby, Platinum
1940s Unknown Retro Vintage Cocktail Rings
Citrine, Diamond, Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s European Victorian Antique Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold
1960s Vintage Cocktail Rings
Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1970s Turkish Retro Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century Spanish Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Amethyst, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Late 20th Century Unknown Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century American Modern Cocktail Rings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century American Native American Cocktail Rings
Opal, Black Opal, Gold, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
1950s Italian Retro Vintage Cocktail Rings
Topaz, Tsavorite, 14k Gold
1990s Italian Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, White Gold
1980s European Retro Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, 14k Gold
1910s North American Edwardian Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Platinum
Late 20th Century Unknown Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1950s Unknown Vintage Cocktail Rings
Amethyst, Diamond, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Modernist Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s European Retro Antique Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1910s Dutch Art Nouveau Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
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.