From simple bands to sparkling statement pieces, rings are timeless accessories that never go out of style. But, did you know that there's more to these jewelry staples than meets the eye? With so many types of rings, each with its own unique features and design elements, it's easy to get lost in the world of rings.
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Additionally, rings can have deeper meanings than something shiny on your finger.
Keep reading to learn more about different ring types, how to tell the difference, and what they mean.
Anniversary Bands
An anniversary band is a ring given from one spouse to another to celebrate a wedding anniversary.
Traditionally diamonds are the preferred stone for an anniversary band.
The stones are typically either channel set, meaning set between two vertical metal walls, or three stones set in prongs side by side to represent past, present, and future.
To find this channel set band on Amazon, Click here.
To find this past-present-future band on Amazon, click here.
Antique
An antique ring is a ring that's at least 100 years old.
Rings from the 1920s would just now be gaining the 'antique' title.
Look for rings that come from the Georgian Era, Victorian Era, Edwardian Era, or the Art Deco Era to find something guaranteed to be truly antique.
To see this art deco reproduction on Amazon, click here.
Band
A band ring is typically a plain metal ring with no extra adornments.
However, bands with stones, engravings, and other additions are common. A band can be as simple or complex as you like.
Bands also have moved past metal for their base construction. You can purchase bands made of plastic resin for a more artistic look, or you can purchase silicone bands.
To find this plastic resin band on Amazon, click here.
To find this band on Amazon, click here.
Birthstone Rings
Birthstone rings are created from metal and hold a stone or stones to represent either the wearer's birth month or their family's birth months.
These are used both for personalized jewelry and as a reminder of each person in the family.
There are twelve stones that can be placed in birthstone rings, one for each month.
- January- Garnet
- February- Amethyst
- March- Aquamarine
- April- Diamond
- May- Emerald
- June- Pearl
- July- Ruby
- August- Peridot
- September- Sapphire
- October- Opal
- November- Citrine
- December- Blue Topaz
To see this multi-birthstone ring on Amazon, click here.
Bridal Set
A bridal set is a set of rings worn by . . . you guessed it! A bride.
The set typically includes her engagement ring and her wedding band.
These sets can range from a simple solitaire engagement ring with a plain metal band to extravagant rings featuring many stones, diamonds, and otherwise.
The set of rings shows that the woman wearing them is married as it has both engagement and wedding rings.
To see this bridal set on Amazon, click here.
To find this bridal set on Amazon, click here.
Claddagh Rings
The Claddagh ring has a lot of history behind it.
It comes from Ireland where it was used as an engagement or wedding ring during medieval times.
The meaning of a Claddagh ring is love, loyalty, and friendship.
The heart represents love, the crown loyalty, and the hands, friendship.
These rings can be simple metal bands or they can have jewels to decorate the heart, crown, and band.
To find this Claddagh ring on Amazon, click here.
Cluster Rings
A cluster ring has a primary stone in the center, usually a diamond, that's then surrounded by a halo of smaller versions of the same stone.
In times past the stones were brighter colors, such as emerald or ruby, but diamonds have made a comeback and taken the center stage in these rings.
To find this cluster ring on Amazon, click here.
To find this cluster diamond ring on Amazon, click here.
Cocktail Rings
Cocktail rings got their name from being a symbol of wealth and power that women wore during the Prohibition Era of the 1920s.
These rings are not intended to be worn as everyday rings.
They're more for special events where the dress is elaborate and excessive.
These rings are most commonly worn on the right hand.
To find this cocktail ring on Amazon, click here.
Contemporary Rings
A contemporary ring is one that features clean lines, a sleek design, and graceful curves.
Much like contemporary home design, a minimal approach is taken to the look of this jewelry.
Designers prefer to let the more subtle aspects of the ring take center stage rather than making it overly complicated and extravagant.
These rings can feature stones, either one or many, or they can be plain metal rings.
You can find these rings that have arrows engraved on them, rings that wrap around but the two ends do not meet, rings that resemble dolphin tails, or just about anything else you can think of.
To find this contemporary ring on Amazon, click here
Engagement Rings
An engagement ring is a ring that indicates the wearer is engaged to be married.
It represents the agreement between the couple. It's customarily worn on the left ring finger.
Engagement rings come in many different styles, and it can be hard to keep them all straight.
Check out this list for different engagement ring designs.
Classic Solitaire Engagement Ring
A solitaire ring is a simple metal band with a single stone.
The stone can be whatever you like, but traditionally it's a diamond.
This style is the classic style of engagement ring that puts the stone on display.
To find this solitaire ring on Amazon, click here.
Halo Engagement Ring
A halo ring features one large stone in the center surrounded by a ring of smaller stones and is similar in style to cluster rings.
The smaller stones can either follow the shape of the center stone or they can create a different shape around it.
While diamonds are the favorite for engagement rings, you can always choose other stones if you prefer.
To find this halo ring on Amazon, click here.
Side Stone Engagement ring
A side stone ring is similar to a solitaire in that it has one single stone set in a band, but side stone rings have smaller stones in the band whereas a solitaire is solid.
This adds a bit of extra sparkle and glam to what would otherwise be a very simple ring.
The stones in the band can either match the center stone for a cohesive look or they can be a different color to make it more playful and exciting.
To find this side stone engagement ring on Amazon, click here.
Three Stone Engagement Ring
The three-stone ring is an engagement ring that features three stones. Sounds pretty obvious, right?
Much like the past-present-future anniversary bands, these engagement rings hold the promise of being together for a long time.
Couples enjoy choosing this type of engagement ring for a little extra meaning beyond agreeing to get married.
To find this three-stone engagement ring on Amazon, click here.
Princess-Cut Engagement Ring
A princess-cut engagement ring features a stone that's cut into a square shape and has a pyramid profile.
This type of cut creates a brilliant look as it has more facets to allow the stone to catch and reflect more light.
This type of cut is very popular as a solitaire or in three-stone rings.
To find this princess-cut engagement ring on Amazon, click here
Cushion-Cut Engagement Ring
Cushion-cut engagement rings feature a stone that's cut into either a square or rectangle with rounded corners that taper down to give the stone a puffy appearance.
This type of ring is very popular right now, but it can be hard to find in jewelry stores.
Vintage and antique rings can be a good place to look for a cushion cut, but be mindful of who you are buying from and make sure the ring is worth what you're paying for it.
To find this cushion engagement ring on Amazon, click here
Estate Ring
An estate ring is, in short, any ring that's been worn before.
Even if the ring is only a few months old if it's been owned and worn by somebody previously it's classified as an estate.
While an estate ring can also be vintage or antique, most jewelers will stop calling it an estate ring once it hits 30 years of age.
Estate rings can also be reproduction rings.
Ask the jeweler you're buying from for details on the ring's history when you see it marked 'estate' so you know exactly what you're getting.
To find this estate style ring on Amazon, click here.
Eternity Band
An eternity band is a ring that has diamonds set into the band that wrap all the way around to represent eternal love.
They are similar to wedding bands, but in a wedding band, you only see the stones wrap halfway rather than all the way around.
These most often feature round diamonds but can use other cuts and stones as well.
These rings are most often gifted on special occasions such as when a couple has a child or for an anniversary.
To find this eternity band on Amazon, click here.
To find this eternity band on Amazon, click here.
Wedding Band
The wedding band is a very simple ring.
It was traditionally the man's companion to the woman's engagement ring.
Simple, round, and solid metal was the only available look.
Today women wear wedding bands, too, and designs have gotten more intricate and detailed.
The rings with more to them are referred to as wedding rings while the simpler rings are still called bands.
To find this wedding band on Amazon, click here.
Flexible Rings
Flexible rings aren't made from solid metal like most rings.
Instead, they use flat, intertwined links that can move and flex as you move your finger to make the band of the ring. Y
ou can find these rings with either only the bottom half made flexible or the entire band.
These rings are good for those that have medical conditions that cause pain and swelling in their fingers as they adjust easily to changes.
To find this flexible ring on Amazon, click here.
Gimmel Ring
A gimmel ring has a band that is made up of 2-3 links that hook together to make a solid circle.
These were really fashionable back in Elizabethian England and were known as joint rings during that time.
They were used as betrothal rings then, and each person would wear one link until the wedding when they would join them together.
For 3 link rings, a witness would hold the 3rd piece until the wedding.
While gimmel rings aren't readily available anymore, here's a print that shows one for you:
To find this print of a gimmel ring on Amazon, click here.
Nugget Rings
Nugget rings are traditionally considered men's jewelry and are made of a gold band with a rough, rocky texture on the top side.
The texture is designed to look like gold nuggets and the metal commonly used is, of course, gold.
Most of these rings are simple, but some do display gems like diamonds to add some sparkle.
These are becoming a popular choice for a man's engagement ring.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TYX2P3H?tag=stylecheer-20&th=1
Mother's Rings
The mother's ring is a variation of a birthstone ring that's worn by mothers and grandmothers.
These rings represent living and deceased children and grandchildren through their birthstones.
These stones can all be set in one band or in stackable bands and can feature just the birthstones or the stones with names engraved beside them.
To find this mother\'s ring on Amazon, click here.
Mood Rings
Mood rings are nifty little things that can display your mood. No, really!
These rings have a special type of liquid crystal in the ring that changes color based on the temperature of your finger.
Okay, so more like a temperature ring, but still cool, right? These rings can be either a simple band or a band with a stone and can have engravings or designs to boost the look of it.
To find this mood ring on Amazon, click here.
Posy Rings
A posy ring is a simple gold finger ring with an inscription, usually on the inside of the band.
These rings were traditionally exchanged between courting couples in 17th-century England and France.
To find this ring on Amazon, click here.
Promise Rings
Promise rings are given to symbolize commitment in relationships.
These rings can sometimes precede an engagement ring, but the 'promise' of a promise ring is not always engagement.
It can simply mean the promise to remain faithful during the relationship.
To find this promise ring on Amazon, click here.
Puzzle Rings
If you want a brainteaser as well as a piece of jewelry, this one is for you.
A puzzle ring is made up of interlocking bands that can be taken apart and then reassembled if manipulated correctly.
The rings can contain 2 or more bands, though commonly six is the most you'll find.
To find this puzzle ring on Amazon, click here.
Semi-Mount Rings
A semi-mount ring is a ring that has all the design and accent stones in place but without the feature stone.
This allows you to choose a setting that you love and place a loose stone you already have in it or that you purchase separately.
To find this semi-mount ring on Amazon, click here.
Signet Rings
Signet rings got their start back when most people were illiterate so that they could still sign important paperwork.
They morphed into a status symbol of the wealthy and powerful, but today they're still popular for the sense of style they have.
These rings are metal bands with the wearer's initials engraved into a flattened spot on the top portion of the ring.
To find this signet ring on Amazon, click here.
Spinner Rings
Spinner rings are made of two bands.
One is locked in place on your finger while another band layered on top of the first can spin around your finger.
These rings are useful for managing anxiety symptoms as well as being fashionable.
To find this spinner ring on Amazon, click here.
Stack Rings
A stacking ring is a fun trend right now and a great way to showcase a personal style.
Stacking rings come in many designs, but all are thin rings to allow you to place many of them on one finger.
You can mix stack rings with other rings such as statement rings for a bold look or just stick with your stack rings for a subtle design.
To find these stack rings on Amazon, click here.
Vintage Rings
A vintage ring is similar to an antique ring in that it's older and likely used.
However, rings are only considered vintage if they're between 30 and 100 years old.
Vintage rings right now are rings that were popular after the 1920s such as:
- Hollywood-inspired costume jewelry
- Jacqueline Kennedy-inspired jewelry
- and dramatic, bold jewelry
To find this vintage-style ring on Amazon, click here.
In conclusion, rings come in various shapes, sizes, designs and symbolize different things.
From simple bands to statement pieces, there's a ring for every style preference.
Understanding the different types of rings will help you make informed decisions when it comes to purchasing jewelry.
But it's not just the design that matters, the weight of the ring is also an important factor to consider.
If you're interested in knowing more about the weight of gold rings, be sure to check out our article "How Many Grams of Gold in a Ring?" for all the details.
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