Ditch the dainty, because chunk is back and high jewellery is taking the single-stone cocktail ring a step further. Picture this: illegal cocktail parties, emerging rebellion, and gleaming gemstones worn on the finger—the cocktail ring got its name in 1920s Prohibition era America. As partygoers smoked, drank and danced the night away with abandon, flamboyant cocktail rings became the jewel of choice for women as a sign of both protest and newfound independence.
Cocktail rings are still statement jewels and great conversation starter pieces, but now rings are taking on a more oversized profile. The focus is no longer a single bedazzling rock—the rings of the moment are broader, taller, and their stature demands equal attention as the gemstones set in it. In a time when the desire for individuality and self-expression is greater than ever, the return of such provocative, flashy and ornate rings makes perfect sense.
View this post on Instagram
Certain celebrities have been championing the use of the finger as a glorious little canvas. We turn to the king of K-pop himself, G-Dragon. Known for his eclectic and unapologetic style, G-Dragon is a consistent patron of more-is-more jewellery. The artist often wears and even works with Jacob & Co. on one-of-a-kind jewellery pieces. One of the more recent standouts is the Cocktail Dragon ring, set with a 44.25ct blue topaz, an array of colourful gemstones, and with ornate dragon detailing. It’s an intuitive, authentic look for G-Dragon, for whom themes of rebellion and non-conformity are woven deeply into his music and style.
The artist has even been seen wearing more than one big, fat ring—because a chunky jewel should never be left to feel lonely. Bold, opulent choices are a signature look for him, even if those combinations might look ostentatious on anybody else. Take for example the double-stacked Boucheron Ourse and Serpent Bohème rings, which, when worn together, make for a dazzling affair.
View this post on Instagram
This style of chunky statement rings has also cropped up in a number of this year’s high jewellery collections. Cartier made a strong case when it introduced new animals to its Into The Wild collection: tiger, carp, parrot, crocodile and rhinoceros. The maison introduced five new rings, each a stylised head of one of the five animals, with an open mouth and dramatic volume and heft. The wearer is meant to slot their finger through the gaping jaws, beaks and maws—and, like ferocious predators, the rings seem to gobble up the finger.
Chanel took the chunk a step further in its Signes & Symboles collection with the Lion Magistral ring. The design takes the shape of an ornate lion, crafted in rose gold with diamonds and emeralds, that rests across two fingers. And if you’re ever bored of wearing this great feline on your digits, the jewel also comes with a rock crystal and diamond base so you can place the ring on its pedestal and turn it into a display piece. Chanel’s lion is as striking on the hand as on a sideboard or a mantle—there aren’t many rings that can do that.
In Boucheron’s Carte Blanche Human Being collection, the stars of the show were a set of five matched-but-different necklaces, but the high jewellery house also had its own set of chunky rings. They match the five flower, checkers, light, tattoo, and rain design concepts, but sprawl across the fingers and knuckles. Chunky rings tend to boast tall and broad profiles, but Boucheron’s twist on the trend is flat and wide, like elevated knuckle dusters.
A big, fat, chunky ring on the finger is a provocation. Wear one and embrace its boldness, and how it challenges wearers and viewers alike to discover individuality within the details. It makes a fine statement of style, and perhaps even a tempting bit of rebellion against the status quo.
