JOIN USCelebrities are donning it. So are office-goers. The cocktail ring has become a hot favourite. Surekha Kadapa-Bose tracks the journey of this piece of statement jewellery.
What’s the common thread linking celebrities like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Rani Mukherjee, Raveena Tandon, Vidya Balan and Yami Gautam? Hint: Also think of the Hollywood brigade - Emma Stone, Paris Hilton, Beyonce Knowles, Emma Watson and Angelina Jolie. They never appear like a walking jewellery shop or a fully-lit Christmas tree. Minimum jewellery, maximum impact is their fashion motto.
All they flaunt is one statement jewellery — a cuff on the wrist, huge danglers for the ears or a cocktail ring on the finger.
Speaking of rings, have those chunky beauties bagged your attention yet? They are the ones with a large centrepiece that seem to have caught the fancy of celebrities, office-goers, kitty-party hoppers, mall-shopping addicts and homemakers alike. In fact, the piece has now
become synonymous with those who want to make a bold statement without shouting hoarse about it.
This oversized lady’s ring with a large centrestone represents a symbol of status, high fashion and a permanent fixture on the red carpet. Even the harried and often pressed for time office-goers love this bauble. Cocktail rings are bold and the large coloured stone at the centre is often surrounded by diamonds or other coloured stones that tend to attract
attention. It’s also referred to as a dinner or cluster ring. And a single cocktail ring completes the look, whether one is attending a board meeting, a lunch with friends or a romantic dinner.
Historical beginning
This piece of jewellery isn’t a recent phenomenon. Though it became a popular accessory in the 1950s, it first appeared somewhere in the 30s and 40s. During Prohibition in the US (constitutional ban on the sale and transportation of liquor from 1920-33), women often wore these rings at illegal cocktail parties, where the intention was to indicate the fact that the wearer was drinking illegally, and doing it in style. Subsequently, they were tailor-made for parties, holidays and the like to add a fun element.
Yesteryear Bollywood actress Helen
always wore one such ring whenever she performed her famous cabaret dances in films. In those days, the ring was to help women show off their collection of jewellery, along with well-
manicured fingers at parties, while holding a cocktail or champagne glass. And the larger the centre rock, the better it was to boost the woman’s ego. That is how the ring came to occupy the third finger on the right hand of a woman holding a glass of cocktail - hence the name.
Since then, they have become a status symbol for women who want to make a style statement. Anybody from the fashion maverick to the intellectual woman, or the serenely graceful lady, including royalty like the Queen of England, flaunt a statement cocktail ring. Lady Diana and her famous author aunt Dame Barbara Cartland, too, famously sported these rings. The jewellery adds character to one’s personality and sets the mood for the day or the occasion.
For the young, too
This certainly doesn’t mean that these rings can’t be worn by teenagers or the young. They can go for fun and flirtatious rings without opting for pricey ones, to suit their age and attire. The young can sport these rings even with distressed jeans and tees. They can also match them with beaded bracelets, toe-rings or funky hair accessories.
For the young, the designs differ. The centrepiece can be funky — have patterns of animal heads, skulls, large flower or whatever design one wants to adorn. And these rings can be made of silver, bell metal, silk thread, oxidised metal with centrepieces designed in wood, plastic, ceramic, beads, or even a painted large piece. Best places to find these items are not in designer stores, but with street-side vendors.
Another plus point of this special
accessory is that one can wear it as single piece or mix it with others. A cocktail ring creates a statement in itself for the wearer. Adding other jewellery will cut down its value. In this case, less is more.
Delhi-based jewellery designer Alpana Gujral, famous for her limited edition of high-end jewellery, says, “There is no set rule for wearing these rings. Anybody can flaunt it with ease. It’s just that one should know how to carry it.”
Sumit of Apala Sumit, specialising in silver jewellery, agrees, “Some outfits don’t require any neck pieces or earrings. This is the time when you turn to a funky cocktail ring to make a fashion statement. Big stone polki rings and antique silver rings are also
preferred as they add a fusion character to a woman’s look!”
Flaunting a matching jewellery set of necklace-earrings-bangles is so outmoded. A gorgeous cocktail ring is all that is needed. In fact, it has become the most important item of the ‘seven must-haves’ in the jewellery box of a woman. So ladies, it’s time now to let your hands do the talking!