Yes, I do agree with Marilyn…diamonds are a girl’s best friend. However, did you know that not that many decades ago wearing diamonds during the day was considered gauche?
Jewelry for day wear has traditionally been more minimalistic and featured pearls or small gemstones. For evening, ladies would bring out the larger, more glitzy pieces which included diamonds.
These days, anything seems to go! This includes diamond jewelry and cocktail rings for day wear. Which brings up another topic: I love cocktail rings!
Of course, cocktail rings are generally larger and more glittery than any ring one would wear to work or for running errands around town. Cocktail rings are so named because they are prominently displayed while holding a cocktail glass and because they are best worn while socializing, rather than working the 9 to 5.
Although I never go to cocktails at the club (other than the country club and the 127 Club, my town does not offer clubs!), I love cocktail rings.
One of my favorite cocktail rings features a large, square cognac tourmaline with prongs that are shaped like sepals, one with a small gold flower dangle. It is totally impractical for day wear, but I do it anyway because it makes me smile!
I owned a large carved carnelian cocktail ring. I wore it once and realized that, although it fit my finger in circumference, the width of the ring made wearing it impractical. It was sold on eBay and replaced with a much smaller carved carnelian ring, which is totally appropriate for office wear and too boring to be a cocktail ring.
Although cocktail rings are big and glitzy, they do not have to be expensive. A beautifully set semi-precious stone looks as lovely as a large pave diamond ring. One of my more impractical rings is Sterling silver with a large domed piece of granite. Ross-Simons and eBay are good places to look online for deals on over-sized statement rings. Garage sales and antiques stores other other great sources.
So, although I like to follow societal norms and mores, I do find the day wear of cocktail rings to be fun and harmless. Please allow me this minor indiscretion!
How about you? Do you reserve your cocktail rings for evening or do you wear them to work? How about your diamonds? Do they ever see the light of day? Or do you reserve them for moonlight and candlelight only?