I don’t know much in this world. I know that gin and tonics prevent malaria, I know that if it doesn’t last longer than a Ramones song you don’t have to add him to your How Many Have You list and I know that –as I’ve said before– life is too short for small jewelry.
This past weekend Twistie was talking about rings the size of snails and that got me thinking about doing another rings post since the last one was so popular.
I wrote a while ago that people think costume jewelry is inherently Less Than fine jewelery (i.e., jewelry made exclusively with precious or semi-precious materials) but it ain’t necessarily so. First of all most of the fine jewelry you can get at malls is so treated and ballsed up that it doesn’t deserve the name, much less the price tag. Secondly, better costume jewelry holds its value as well as if not better than run-of-the-mill fine jewelry in the collectors’ market.
Unfortunately, Miss Plumcake has large hands and most decent costume rings in the shops only come in one size and that one size is not Plumcake-sized at all. Enter HSN.com. HSN knows a good thing when it sees it and quickly figured out that one size does not fit all, and so offers most of its amazing rings up to a size 10 or even 12.
So, let’s take a look at a few sparklies that have been catching my eye, shall we? I believe they’re all under $100 with many well under $50. Bonus!
Of course if you’re going to wear a ring the size of a snail, it might as well be the shape of a snail, no?
Click on the image for links.
I luh-uve the first because it’s totally something I would wear, particularly as I love amber and citrine colors on rings and –fun fact– snails are totally my totem animal. The second one isn’t quite my style but I wanted to toss something in for the silver lovers among you.
Of course you can’t talk about costume jewelry without bringing up the Fake It ’til You Make It trope. Eh, I don’t really have a burning desire to buy or have bought for me one of those cute little clover-shaped Van Cleef and Arpels rings, but this amethyst-colored jobber gives the same feel for a lot less dosh, plus it’s different enough not to feel like a knock-off.
See also the Cartier leopard. Cartier has been making gorgeous jewel-and-enamel leopards for probably close to a century now and they are iconic. So too are the Kenneth Jay Lane leopards that followed them. While The vintage Kenneth Jay Lane ones fetch a pretty penny this ring by Adrienne is a quite nice homage to Joaillier des Rois, Roi des Joailliers without the royal price.
SPEAKING of enamel, I love the stuff. It’s such an elegant look and people hardly wear it anymore, which is a shame. I particularly like enamel “figurals” like these floral rings (the green one is my favorite ring of this batch, click to see more)
Of course not all enamel has to be figural, and not all figurals have to be enamel. Witness this fab Op Art number and below, a jewel-encrusted Foo Dog which reminds me exactly of something Miss Myrna Loy would’ve worn in the outstanding pre-code Mask of Fu Manchu
.
Finally I’ll leave you with possibly my favorite style of day-wear ring –generally speaking one does not want to wear a cocktail ring before cocktail hour– the dome ring.
I particularly love this green one because if you look closely at the dome, you’ll see it’s done in a snakeskin treatment, which makes sense since it’s from Carlos Falchi and he does exotics better than anyone this side of Hermès but I wouldn’t kick the bold nautical-feeling blue enamel number out of my hammock for eating kippers. Enjoy!
Yay for pretty things!
Comment by jen209 — November 4, 2010 @ 2:51 pm
Big rings annoy me terribly (on my own hands, not as a category), but I may have to get over it for that leopard…
I really couldn’t agree more that life is too short for small jewelry. Or boring jewelry, for that matter, so I’m all for more posts on statement pieces!
Comment by Emily — November 4, 2010 @ 5:16 pm
The leopard is so cool!
Comment by dcsurfergirl — November 4, 2010 @ 8:06 pm
So, um… I think I need all of these, even the gold ones, and I detest gold. I assume that the ideal layout is to wear one of these either on the ring finger or middle finger, and leave the rest of the hand bare?
Also, I have big hands too. My pinky is a 10, my ring finger is an 11, and the other two are at least a 12.
Comment by ChloeMireille — November 4, 2010 @ 9:58 pm
It is really impossible to have too many geegaws. Love. Wearing these, I would swan around gesticulating, saying things like “Where’s mummy’s drinkie?” and the like.
Comment by Lisa from SoCal — November 4, 2010 @ 11:18 pm
Pretty shiny happy. I especially like the green flower!
Comment by Rebekka — November 5, 2010 @ 6:02 am
They are very beautiful, but unfortunately rings, bangles, watches or even long sleeves (even in the coldest of winter) are a no-no for me. Can’t stand them!
I prefer multi strand necklaces or scarves.
Comment by mariebruxelles — November 5, 2010 @ 10:02 am
That Foo Dog is awe-inspiring — and would make a fine weapon if you needed to sock someone in the jaw.
Comment by Thalia — November 5, 2010 @ 4:45 pm
I love the last two rings! I nearly succumbed to buying one (or both), then I remembered that I just bought a pair of big rings at Loehman’s last week! I need to pace myself with my shopping.
I’ve embraced the “big” ring as a signature piece for me – I have about a half dozen that I rotate through my wardrobe. One of my favorites is a chunk of green amber the size of a walnut.
Comment by Grace — November 5, 2010 @ 11:29 pm
Miss Plummy, I love the artistry of jewelry and you have shown some lovelies. QVC also has some very nice things that will fit my “weenie fingers.” (This was not a name I came up with, but one a vendor in Mexico showing his wares in a plaza while my friends and I were enjoying copious cocktails came up with to describe my friend’s and my own digits. As I said, we were imbibing and mellow so we weren’t offended. Besides, why would you complain when you can drink gin and tonics on a leisurely afternoon while people come to you with jewelry.) QVC has Kenneth Jay Lane jewelry as well as Nolan Miller and other lines that include some beauties.
Comment by Miss Louisa — November 6, 2010 @ 4:41 pm