Everything you wear makes a statement about you. Whether you go to work in camo or khakis or a full business suit, your clothes tell the world something about who you are.

The same goes for statement rings. A staple of fashion for the wealthy for hundreds of years, these rings have come in and out of style, and now they’re back. These rings can be simple and practical or striking and unique. Each one tells a part of your story, and statement rings are for anyone who wants their story written in bold letters. 

Where Did Statement Rings Come From?

A statement ring does just what its name implies—it makes a statement. While it's certainly not a firm rule, statement rings are designed to be worn as a fashion statement or an announcement of status. It's actually been that way since ancient times, when noblemen and women would often wear rings bejeweled with precious stones, while common workers would wear plain rings that wouldn't gather dirt or get damaged in the fields. Versions of statement rings were often worn in Viking and Celtic cultures as well. Throughout history they've been worn by warriors, hunters, kings and craftsmen alike to represent their status and tell their story. 

During Prohibition in the 1920s, a type of statement ring called cocktail rings were particularly popular with wealthy women and celebrities. As a statement of independence and rebellion, many women would attend parties wearing gold or platinum rings with huge gemstones. Diamonds, pearls, rubies, emerald, citrine, topaz and amethyst were some of the most popular. The trend stuck around and by the mid-1900s, as jewelry had become more affordable for middle-class Americans, wearing statement rings had become an increasingly common occurrence. 

Statement rings have seen a resurgence in the last couple of decades, as have some other fashion trends that are currently making a comeback (round glasses and cargo pants, anyone?).

Going Beyond Fashion

While some wear statement rings for fashion, others still wear them as a representation of something personally valuable. They can express something deep and resonant about ourselves. They provide an outlet for showing off your creativity and personality. It could tell the world something about your passions, your values, your family history or your heritage.

Many statement rings incorporate family crests to represent a treasured family history, while others are carved with words or phrases we find meaningful, or include a significant design or symbol. The materials used to make the ring can be significant too, like wood to represent your kinship with nature, or elk antler to symbolize your inner hunter.

Make Your Statement

During this recent revival of statement rings, their meaning and significance is much more nuanced than it was in the past. Today, statement rings are less about showing off and more about wearing something subtle that can be customized and meaningful to you. A statement ring doesn’t need to be big and flashy. Rings that tell a story can make a statement as well.

At Rustic and Main, we specialize in crafting custom rings for your style and story. Using a wide array of alternative materials, from whiskey barrel wood and coffee, to pink ivory wood, turquoise and celtic tartan, we can customize your ring to be as colorful or as unassuming as you want. We are also more than happy to incorporate materials into the ring that our customers provide.

Your ring design can say a lot about you: a whiskey aficionado, a nature lover, a history buff, a hard worker, an ostentatious spender. But statement rings can represent other things about us too, especially when they incorporate creative designs and materials. Take our ring style quiz to discover which ring style is best for you!