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The best rings for men to live your Liberace fantasy
Whether you’re into silver or gold, slick or chunky, here are GQ’s pick of the best rings to dress your fingers up
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There are plenty of people we could assign blame (or give thanks depending on your stance) for the resurgence of wearing too many rings: Harry Styles for one, Liberace for another, or the recently trending ‘Mob Wife aesthetic’ for a third. Men’s rings were once a category from which you had to choose one or two things: a simple gold ring to go alongside your wedding ring, or a signet ring, too, if you were feeling particularly daring. Now, wearing all of these and more is de rigeur.
Traditionally a symbol (in the way that engagement rings still are) rather than a fashion accessory, men’s rings have come to share a lot in common with tattoos. While you could have them permanently welded on like so many inky roses, we’re referring more to how they can be a signifier of status, class or religion, like military tattoos. Rings are now less of an identifier of social position or status, but much more of a representation of personal style and just something that pretty much everyone has — and has a lot of.
While the trend towards wearing as much adornment on your fingers as humanly possible may be a fleeting thing, the practice of owning and wearing at least one piece beyond your wedding band is likely to stick around. And while many guys don’t tend to stray into other areas of men’s jewellery such as necklaces or bracelets, we can bet that most of them want to be wearing two things: a watch and something on their knuckles.
Want a fistful of bling to rival Snoop Dogg’s collection? Or just fancy a simple metal ring with onyx or black titanium? We got you: here is our pick of everything from the minimalist to the mind-bending.
What is the best material for rings?
When it comes to selecting your first piece of finger bling, it’s worth facing a timeless and daunting piece of introspection… are you a silver guy, or a gold guy? For those drawn to decadent yellow-gold tones, life is simple. In sticking to gold and gold-plated rings, your jewellery box will forever be imbued with a subtle '80s-inspired verve that enhances the warm colour palette of your seasonal ensembles.
The silver-inclined, however, have altogether a more challenging decision to face. Whilst sterling silver and silver-plated constructions benefit from the shining, iridescent appearance we all know and love, opting for a silver-hued alternative can offer different qualities, be it platinum's hypoallergenic properties or palladium's added durability. Before shopping, it's important to assess what exactly is important to you in a ring… besides no longer turning your fingers green, which, by the way, comes from less precious metals like copper or nickel oxidising when they come in contact with your skins chemical cocktail.
What different types of rings are there?
As mentioned above, rings can be differentiated by their material, and sometimes what they’re made of is an identifier of purpose: diamond rings, for example, are usually reserved for celebratory styles like engagement or achievements (looking at you, huge Superbowl Rings). Beyond the world of gemstones and carats, though, there’s a plethora of ring types to choose between.
A band ring is a subtle affair, and synonymous with men’s wedding rings. Signet rings, often conflated with the pinky ring, are a smaller piece, usually forged with more precious metals, and have that signature flat surface that can feature design details like engraving or inlays. From thousands of years ago until the present day, the style has signified great wealth, often bearing a family crest or seal. Today, men’s signet rings can belong to anyone, trust fund or not.
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