Fashion Jewelry Cocktail Rings
1990s American Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Silver
2010s French Cocktail Rings
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Black Opal, White Gold
20th Century Cocktail Rings
18k Gold, Platinum
2010s African Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Blue Sapphire, Platinum, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century Modernist Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Jade, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Indian Artisan Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Modernist Cocktail Rings
Amethyst, Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Artisan Cocktail Rings
Pearl, Sterling Silver, Gilt Metal
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Cocktail Rings
Brass
Late 20th Century Modernist Cocktail Rings
Aquamarine, Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century American Artisan Cocktail Rings
Citrine, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Art Nouveau Cocktail Rings
Topaz, Blue Topaz, Silver, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Modernist Cocktail Rings
Pink Sapphire, Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modernist Cocktail Rings
Citrine, Silver, Sterling Silver
2010s African Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Topaz, Blue Topaz, Zircon, Platinum, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Topaz, Silver, Sterling Silver
2010s European Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Chalcedony, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century Modernist Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century European Cocktail Rings
Opal, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Indian Edwardian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Crystal, Gold Plate
2010s Indian Edwardian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Onyx, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Cocktail Rings
Sapphire, Topaz, Blue Topaz, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Garnet, Silver, Sterling Silver
2010s Thai Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Amethyst, Sapphire, Tsavorite, Silver
2010s African Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Emerald, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Topaz, Blue Topaz, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Citrine, Topaz, Silver, Sterling Silver
2010s American Modern Cocktail Rings
Gold Plate, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Artisan Cocktail Rings
Agate, Brass
Late 20th Century Modernist Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Tanzanite
2010s Indian Art Nouveau Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Silver, Sterling Silver
2010s Thai Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Topaz, Blue Topaz, Silver
20th Century Cocktail Rings
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Kunzite, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Amethyst, Rose Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
Late 20th Century Contemporary Cluster Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Cocktail Rings
Citrine, Quartz, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1950s American Modernist Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
2010s French Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Bronze
2010s Thai Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Ruby, Pink Sapphire, Tsavorite, Silver
2010s Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Quartz, Rhodium, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Cocktail Rings
Morganite, Diamond, Rose Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
Vintage 1980s Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s French Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Gold Plate
2010s African Romantic Cocktail Rings
Pink Sapphire, Zircon, Sterling Silver, Platinum
Vintage 1960s American Artisan Cocktail Rings
Turquoise, 14k Gold
2010s Thai Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Topaz, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Cocktail Rings
Quartz, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Pink Sapphire, Platinum
Vintage 1980s Cocktail Rings
Amethyst, Citrine, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary English Art Deco Engagement Rings
Spinel, Platinum, Sterling Silver, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Tanzanite, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1970s German Cocktail Rings
2010s English Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Sterling Silver, Silver, Yellow Gold, Gold Plate, 14k Gold, Gold
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.