Cocktail Rings
1990s European Retro Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold
1960s Australian Retro Vintage Cocktail Rings
Opal, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s British Modern Vintage Cocktail Rings
Quartz, Gold
1960s Unknown Art Deco Vintage Cocktail Rings
Onyx, Diamond, Aquamarine, Platinum
1960s Art Deco Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Platinum
1990s Italian Cocktail Rings
Tourmaline, Gold, 18k Gold
1960s British Modern Vintage Cocktail Rings
Gold
1960s British Modern Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Tourmaline, 18k Gold
1960s American Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Onyx, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s Swedish Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
1960s Retro Vintage Cocktail Rings
Jade, Gold, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Cocktail Rings
Tanzanite, Tourmaline, 18k Gold
1960s German Modernist Vintage Cocktail Rings
Lapis Lazuli, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
1990s Swedish Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold
1960s American Modernist Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
1960s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
1990s Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, White Gold
1960s Swiss Vintage Cocktail Rings
Aquamarine, Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
1960s Modernist Vintage Cocktail Rings
Beryl, Green Beryl, 14k Gold, 18k Gold
1960s French Modernist Vintage Cocktail Rings
Tourmaline, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s European Retro Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Silver
1990s Italian Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Gold
1990s Thai Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Ruby, Diamond, 14k Gold, Gold
1960s French Modernist Vintage Cocktail Rings
Coral, Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s Retro Vintage Cocktail Rings
Tsavorite, Topaz, Blue Sapphire, Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold, Rose Gold
1960s Unknown Art Deco Vintage Cocktail Rings
Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald, Diamond, 18k Gold
1990s European Retro Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Opal, 18k Gold
1990s French Cocktail Rings
White Diamond, Brown Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Italian Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Sterling Silver
1990s Italian Modern Cocktail Rings
Emerald, 18k Gold, White Gold
1990s European Retro Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold
1960s Modern Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold
1990s Italian Cocktail Rings
Lapis Lazuli, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Sterling Silver
1960s American Modern Vintage Cocktail Rings
Carnelian, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s Vintage Cocktail Rings
Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Italian Artisan Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Victorian Cocktail Rings
Chalcedony, Pearl, Quartz, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s American Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
1990s Art Nouveau Cocktail Rings
Garnet, Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s European Retro Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Enamel
1990s Italian Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, White Gold
1960s Burmese Contemporary Vintage Cocktail Rings
Ruby, Platinum
1960s Belgian Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Gold
1990s American Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Yellow Gold
1990s American Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s European Retro Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Topaz, Blue Topaz, 14k Gold
1990s French Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Purple Sapphire, White Gold
1960s French Modernist Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Kunzite, 18k Gold
1990s European Artisan Cocktail Rings
Pearl, Diamond, Coral, Silver, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
1990s Cocktail Rings
Yellow Gold
1960s European Retro Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold
1990s British Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Aquamarine, Yellow Gold, White Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
1960s Retro Vintage Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Pearl, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold
1990s European Retro Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Enamel
1960s Swedish Modern Vintage Cocktail Rings
1990s European Retro Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald
1990s American Modern Cocktail Rings
Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald, Diamond, White Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s American Vintage Cocktail Rings
Topaz, 10k Gold, Yellow 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.