Sterling silver cocktail rings

During the 1920s in the USA, the government prohibited the sale of alcohol.  Human nature being what it is, a network of underground drinking dens ("speakeasies") sprang up to get around the new anti-alcohol laws.  The bright young flappers and jazz babies flocked to the speakeasies and illicit cocktail parties and as they did so, held two fingers up to the establishment - as it were - by sporting huge, jewel-encrusted rings, which sparkled beautifully against the backdrop of a champagne-filled glass!  These rings thus became known as "cocktail rings".  Cocktail rings have gone in and out of fashion since the Twenties - for example they enjoyed a resurgence in the Fifties, when the big thing was to wear them over plain black gloves, along with a little black dress (think Audrey Hepburn).  After languishing in the fashion doldrums for a few decades since the 1950s, cocktail rings are back in style again now.  Perhaps it's because of the tough economic times we're going through, but there's something defiantly upbeat about a cocktail ring - putting one on is almost guaranteed to cheer you up.  It's the fashion equivalent of a really good cup of coffee.

Nowadays cocktail parties aren't a big feature of most people's social landscape, but that doesn't mean to say you can't add a bit of sparkle to your life (and your wardrobe)! A cocktail ring is the ideal thing for imparting some oomph to a plain outfit - you can even wear one with jeans and a white shirt, or perhaps with a kaftan on the beach. If you're thinking of buying a sterling silver cocktail ring - whether for yourself or as a gift - I hope this hub will give you some ideas. I've concentrated on sterling silver because of its universal appeal and keen price, and the fact that it will keep its value.

When it comes to buying cocktail rings, you need to ask yourself a few questions.  The first is "Do I (or the person I'm buying for) like plain metal, or do I want a ring with a stone or some other embellishment?"

Plain silver cocktail rings

If you prefer plain metal, then the choice isn't so wide but there are still some great rings out there!  You can go for a plain band, perhaps with a square edge to give a bit of extra impact.  If you're buying a wide band ring, do bear in mind that you will almost certainly need to get a size larger than you normally buy.  Of course, you can always eliminate any uncertainty over size by purchasing an adjustable ring!

Stone set silver cocktail rings

If however you prefer your cocktail ring to have a stone, then again, you have a choice. Do you want one big stone or lots of small, sparkly ones? Or a bit of both? My preference is for a single big stone on its own, because I think it suits my casual style of clothes much better. But of course, it's all down to personal taste! If you're going for ring with a single stone, then a cabochon stone looks great. A cabochon stone is one that has been polished smooth as opposed to being faceted. Turquoise and moonstone cabochons, for example, look fabulous when set in a cocktail ring.

If you want more sparkle, then faceted stones are the way to go - either as a single large stone, and/or lots of tiny twinkly ones set close together. This latter type of setting is known as pavé (pronounced pah-vay), because it looks as though the ring has been paved with stones! To increase the "wow" factor even further, you can also go for embellishments such as enamel. The choice is yours.

© Empress Felicity June 2010

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