Fashion Jewelry Cocktail Rings
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Artisan Cocktail Rings
Pearl, Sterling Silver, Gilt Metal
2010s European Cocktail Rings
Quartz, Gold Plate, Brass
Mid-20th Century Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Moonstone, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1980s Cocktail Rings
Silver
Vintage 1940s Cocktail Rings
Silver
Vintage 1980s Cocktail Rings
18k Gold
Vintage 1970s Dutch Artisan Cocktail Rings
Turquoise, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Art Nouveau Cocktail Rings
Mid-20th Century Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s Cocktail Rings
Silver Plate
1990s French Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Onyx, 18k Gold
Vintage 1970s Cocktail Rings
Gold Plate
Vintage 1980s Cocktail Rings
Silver
Vintage 1920s American Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Marcasite, Onyx, Sterling Silver
2010s European Cocktail Rings
Amazonite, Lapis Lazuli, Gold Plate, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Aquamarine, Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Etruscan Revival Cocktail Rings
Silver
2010s European Cocktail Rings
Amazonite, Brass, Gold Plate
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Morganite, Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
2010s Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, White Gold, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Baroque Cocktail Rings
Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Pearl, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s Cocktail Rings
Late 20th Century Cocktail Rings
Sterling Silver
2010s Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Other, 18k Gold, Vermeil, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary French Artisan Cocktail Rings
Gold Plate
Mid-20th Century German Modernist Cocktail Rings
Crystal, Yellow Gold, Gilt Metal
21st Century and Contemporary French Etruscan Revival Cocktail Rings
Gold Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Cocktail Rings
Moonstone, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s European Cocktail Rings
Quartz, Gold Plate, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Pearl, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Silver
21st Century and Contemporary French Pre-Raphaelite Cocktail Rings
Gold Plate
Vintage 1960s English Modernist Cocktail Rings
Agate, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Tanzanite, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Artist Cocktail Rings
Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Jade, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Emerald, Yellow Gold, 10k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Artisan Cocktail Rings
Rubelite, Zircon, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century French Cocktail Rings
Silver Plate, Gold Plate
Vintage 1960s Unknown Cocktail Rings
Enamel, Gold Plate
21st Century and Contemporary British Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Black Diamond, Rhodium, Silver, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Nouveau Cocktail Rings
Silver Plate
2010s Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Emerald, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary British Contemporary Solitaire Rings
Opal, Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Renaissance Cocktail Rings
Gold Plate
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Gold Plate
Mid-20th Century Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Zircon, Blue Zircon, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Georgian Cocktail Rings
Silver Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Artisan Cocktail Rings
Silver Plate
Antique 18th Century Unknown Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Cocktail Rings
Citrine, Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
Late 20th Century Cocktail Rings
Marcasite, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary French Hellenistic Cocktail Rings
Silver, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Silver Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Cocktail Rings
Gold Plate
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.