I never really got on with rings. They always felt alien on my fingers and seemed to get in the way, catching on clothing and bags, or getting sticky with soap when I washed my hands. When I was younger, the only types you could get were the adjustable ones kids wore or something made out of a precious metal for the grown ups. Aside from a few silver ring acquisitions, which all now reside in my jewellery box unworn, I have never really thought much about them as an accessory. For someone who loves to accessorise, obsesses over costume jewellery and often remarks on bold statement rings worn by others, this is perhaps a little odd. After all, there’s so much more out there these days.
Rings are no longer simply divided into cheap ‘n’ cheerful or relationship status signifier. Stylish contemporary rings are now made from precious metals and traditional rings can come in a multitude of different materials. From Ciléa’s resin flowers to The Great Frog’s silver designs for bikers and rockers, even everyday rings can be used for making a statement. In addition, rings are no longer just designed to be worn at the base of a single finger. There are plenty of designs that encircle multiple fingers, encase a full finger, are intended to be stacked or to only go past the first knuckle – this particular trend goes from Chanel right through to Claire’s Accessories, who have a whole section devoted to midi rings.
There are also young designers who are pushing the boundaries even further and expanding the idea of what a ring can be. Amongst the recent graduates from the jewellery course at London College of Fashion, Shuangshuang Wang has explored a number of different options for accessories that are worn on the fingers – including a metal ‘glove’ that is worn on the ends of all four fingers, and a knuckle ring that is worn on a bent finger – while Charlotte Agullano blends traditional and unusual materials in abnormal shapes, and both Lizhu Song‘s Blue Lagoon ring (pictured above) and Sophia Mclean‘s Tetrah ring (pictured left) show that bold statement pieces don’t have to be necklaces. Perhaps I’ll try a bold ring for a night out rather than a delicate one for every day, just to see how I get on with it. How do you wear your rings?
