FINALLY a break from all that damn poultry. Seriously, I thought I was going to get that Chinese chicken disease.
It might not surprise you that I have Important Opinions about rings. Wedding and engagement rings should be tasteful bordering on discreet (there is nothing so vulgar as an enormous diamond solitaire. “Better no money than new money” as grandma always says) but if the threat of an open-handed smack while wearing a cocktail ring doesn’t leave the potential victim worrying about risk of concussion, then your ring isn’t big enough.
One of the great things about being a big girl is you can get away with Big Jewelry. In fact, you ought to be wearing it because little tiny delicate things, no matter how precious, just get lost and it ends up looking sad and sometimes –though I’m not sure why– trashy.
For big flashy cocktail rings I particularly like HSN.com, yes THAT HSN.com. Their stuff is fun, affordable, and they carry some really significant designers including My Dear Friend (okay we met once, but she loved my outfit and thus is obviously good in all things and every way) Kendra Scott.
This ring looks just like burned velvet to me, and it’s lovely. You know how I feel about overly-romantic stuff and anything that smacks of Stevie Nicks, but this is just delightful. Romantic but not delicate with a bit of bold design to balance out the Renn-fest (ptui ptui)leanings.
For the Machine Age Sophisticate,
I love a bit of industrial design in jewelry, and this is done beautifully. I know it’s not completely gold, but it’s got some gold –actually yellow stainless steel, made in Italy– in it, so I’m counting it. Why? Because I’m the editor and I said so. Don’t make me turn this blog around.
This is my favorite of the bunch. I love the delicate basket and the rope setting with that big hunk o’ lemon quartz. Kendra Scott Jewelry has been popular among the cognoscenti for quite a while, and she’s really a delightful woman –Style Spy and I had a nice chat with her this summer at the Lifeworks White Party. Her accessible line for HSN has all the charm of design of her more exclusive collection at more accessible prices.
Love this ring, and you just KNOW it would be even better on.
It’s sort of Viv Westwood goes tribal during the last days of Studio 54. I’m new to Arnold Scaasi’s jewelry, but of course the man is one of the last legendary couture-age designers (we are now post-couture, in case you were wondering) and while he was never as famous as Hubert Givenchy, he’s dressed his fair share of first ladies including Jackie Kennedy.
BOOYAH. (that’s right, I said it) and don’t pretend you don’t love it either, because deep down in our souls WE ALL want to be Mrs. Roper. I would buy this thing in a heartbeat, and wear it with a great long patio dress AND my jeweled canary yellow turban AND my long dangly Balenciaga earrings AND I’d have the girl who does my lashes take me from Mostly Tranny to Full Blown Tranny Mess and I would be FIERCE.
These rings are divine, but what about us girls with the larger fingers? I am a big girl of height, and I wear an 11 or 12 in rings. Any suggestions?
Comment by Sarah — December 30, 2008 @ 10:54 am
Mrs. Roper was sadly under-appreciated, wasn’t she? A truly divine style icon.
That Kendra Scott ring is droolworthy.
Comment by La Petite Acadienne — December 30, 2008 @ 12:11 pm
Mrs. Hendricks has a large cocktail-esqe engagement ring of platinum and peridot, for the very reason Plumcake mentions: a tiny diamond, or worse, many even tinier diamonds, would look ridiculous on her monumental frame. We love, love, love it!
Comment by Mrs. Hendricks — December 30, 2008 @ 12:39 pm
I prefer GemsTV to HSN.
http://www.gemstv.com
The web stuff is okay, but to get the really fantastic stuff, you have to watch the TV channel. You can stream it here:
http://www.gemstv.com/tv-live.htm
Comment by Christina — December 30, 2008 @ 12:58 pm
Oh, I forgot to warn you. They do it in a reverse auction thing, so wait for the crash to get an idea of what the real prices are.
Right now, they’re selling a 1 carat morganite white gold ring for $69.
ooo! Swiss Blue Topaz earrings, 1 carat each, in silver for $32.
/wanders off to look at jewelry/
Comment by Christina — December 30, 2008 @ 1:08 pm
I simply must have that square stainless steel diamond ring. I will be ordering it shortly. That thing is awesome.
Comment by Cat — December 30, 2008 @ 2:41 pm
Love love love this post. I love a good ring! Don’t forget to check Etsy.com for some gorgeous handmade stuff you won’t see anywhere else. Great job so far on the 12 days of Christmas, Plumcake! Can’t wait for the rest!
Comment by Kerry — December 30, 2008 @ 7:08 pm
I’m not convinced I am not Mrs. Roper. Viva la caftan! I’m totally buying that last one.
Comment by Chaser — December 30, 2008 @ 9:32 pm
This is going to sound hilarious to some, but I have to do my ring shopping at Renaissance Faires. My pinky is a 10, and my ring finger is a 11 on a good day. Let’s not even think about the other two fingers on that hand.
Comment by ChloeMireille — December 31, 2008 @ 11:06 am
QVC has a lot of rings in 10 or 11 too. I am not too crazy about Joan Rivers as a comic, but a lot of her jewelry is quite pretty. Judith Ripka has a sterling line there (I just recieved a large size 11 ring) as does Tacori.
Comment by ML — January 1, 2009 @ 12:09 am
So, I did order the square stainless steel ring from Forzieri, and it arrived yesterday. It is, wow, a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be. I don’t know why the part about open-handed smacks and concussions didn’t tip me off, but for some reason I thought it would be smaller. It is probably too big for my small frame and teeny little hands, but I’m going to keep it and wear it anyway because it is so pretty.
Comment by Cat — January 10, 2009 @ 1:24 pm
Well this is very interesting indeed. Would love to read a little more of this. Great post. Thanks for the heads-up
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