A Men’s Guide to Wearing Multiple Rings

Wearing jewelry is a great way for sharp men to express themselves and show off their style and personality. Thanks to hip hop artists and sports stars, men’s jewelry has become increasingly popular and accepted. 

However, while many guys are happy to pile on the gold chains for men, many of them are uncomfortable wearing more than one ring at a time. Often this comes from not knowing how to combine rings to create a dynamic look that isn’t over the top or uncomfortable. If this sounds familiar, you’re in luck; this is the ultimate men’s guide to wearing multiple rings.

Mixing and Matching Metals

When it comes to any type of jewelry, there are always contrasting opinions about mixing metals. While some people claim it’s tacky and a definite fashion faux pas, others dismiss this kind of thinking as old-fashioned and restrictive. 

Ultimately, mixing metals such as silver; platinum; and white, rose, and yellow gold is about personal style. However, if you’re new to wearing multiple rings, it is sometimes easier to ease into the look by picking a metal and sticking with it, as it makes less of a dramatic statement. 

When building your mixed metal ring look, you should consider the other jewelry you wear, not just your rings. For instance, do you wear a watch, a bracelet, or a neck chain? There’s no need to limit yourself to only wearing jewelry made of the same metal (unless you want to), but you should begin to view all the jewelry you wear as a cohesive look rather than separate pieces you love. Love sporting iced-out chains? Why not highlight your favorite piece of neck jewelry by choosing a ring that echoes the use of diamonds? 

business man with a cigar and rings

Creating Contrast

The key to creating a multiple ring look that is stylish rather than ostentatious is contrast. Piling on rings of the same style and size looks at once overwhelming and bland. 

The first thing you should think about contrasting is the width. Two wide or two narrow bands next to each other, either on different fingers or the same one, is less aesthetically pleasing than the combination of wide and narrow rings. This mixing of ring widths is particularly pertinent if you plan to stack more than one ring on a single finger. 

Similarly, contrasting rings with a high profile –– those that stick out farther from your finger –– with flat or low-profile rings creates interesting dimensions. Sandwiching your simple wedding band between a diamond-encrusted signet ring and a pharaoh ring is more eye-catching while still being tasteful. 

Next, you should consider ring texture. A selection of smooth bands is underwhelming, while multiple textures or patterned rings are overkill. The eye needs somewhere to rest. Pairing simplistic smooth rings with ornate textured rings allows each piece to be appreciated for its individual beauty. 

Finally, when curating your multi-ring look, opt for a mixture of ring styles. Five fingers of signet rings, even if each one is a different size and texture, is pretty uninteresting. But combine your favorite signet ring with a nugget ring, a chic band, a cuff ring, and a chain ring, and suddenly you’re making a style statement. 

man with mic and ring

Cohesive Bling

Most men start experimenting with plain gold or silver rings before they branch out into iced-out pieces, but men’s diamond rings are worth exploring for anyone who loves jewelry. Whether you go for pavé set diamonds or a large solitaire, a bit of ice adds excitement and opulence to your look. 

Once you dip into the diamonds, it’s hard to stop. Not only will you want more diamond-set pieces, but you may also want to experiment with other gemstones such as rubies and sapphires. There’s nothing wrong with wearing multiple rings with different gemstones on one hand, but it should be done with an editing eye.

Diamonds combine nicely with other gemstones because the colors don’t clash, but your accessories can look overdone once you start mixing more than two colors. If you do want to play with multiple gemstones at once, it’s a good idea to create a minimal base by sticking to only one metal, such as yellow gold. This ensures the gemstones stand out and minimizes any color clashing.

Another way to introduce different gemstones or even diamonds of different colors is to wear just one multicolored ring and pair it with solid metal, or metal- and diamond-only rings. For inspiration on how to combine fun colors while keeping things classy, look to Rolex watches for men. Rolex’s watch designers are experts at managing this delicate balance. 

One of the best examples of this can be seen in the Rainbow Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, a joyful timepiece that has been spotted on celebrities such as Mark Wahlberg, Daniel Craig, and Anthony Davis. The restraint exercised on the watch’s simple gold bracelet allows the rainbow-colored dial bezel to stand out while stopping the watch from looking like a childish gimmick. Showing a similar mix of restraint and extravagance in your ring choices creates an enviable look.

Choosing the Right Finger

Once you’ve gathered your collection of rings in a great mix of styles, sizes, and textures ready to build your look, you need to know where to place them. 

The important thing to think about when placing your rings is balance. If you put all your larger rings together on one hand or adjacent fingers and the smaller pieces on the other side, you’ll make one hand look bulky and lose the contrast benefits you gained by choosing a variety of rings. Instead, leave at least one finger between each statement ring. These fingers could be left unadorned, or you could wear a minimal ring, such as a wedding band.

When deciding where to wear each style of ring, you should think about the practicalities and symbolic meanings that are attached to each finger. Consider:

The pinky

The pinky

This is a classic finger for men’s statement rings, partly because it stands out at the end of your hand and partly because its distance from your heavily used index finger means larger rings can be worn without affecting your daily activities. 

Unlike some other fingers, there is no religious connection with wearing a ring on your little finger; however, Hollywood mafiosos are often depicted sporting one, which can give pinky rings a negative connotation.

The ring finger

The ring finger

In the United States and many other countries around the world, the ring finger on the left hand is reserved for a wedding ring, with some people opting to place their engagement ring on their right hand. 

Some single people avoid wearing anything on this finger because they consider it to be unlucky to wear a ring there before you are married. It’s also worth noting that choosing to do so may signal to others that you are attached. However, despite some more adventurous types, most married men stick to a simple wedding band, meaning that if you do choose to wear a ring on your fourth finger, as long as it is not a wedding band style, you’re unlikely to cause confusion.

The middle finger

The middle finger

Although, due to its central position, you may think that the middle finger is the ideal location for a large statement ring, such as a cuff or Versace ring, it is often reserved for smaller bands. This is because it is right next to your most used finger (the index), and bulky rings can get in the way of doing day-to-day tasks.

The index finger

The index finger

Wearing a larger ring on your index finger, also known as the pointer, is less uncomfortable than wearing one on the ring finger, making it a popular choice for jewelry enthusiasts. Centuries ago, the index was the favored finger for men’s rings, though only men of a certain class were typically allowed to wear one.

These days, choosing to place your favorite on this finger is popular because –– with all the indicating you use the index for –– the ring is sure to get noticed.

The thumb

The thumb

The thumb is a fantastic choice for men who want to wear multiple rings on one hand because its distance from the other fingers means you can easily avoid overcrowding. Because of their size and the space between them and the index finger, chunkier rings tend to work well on thumbs.

Balancing Rings with Other Jewelry

Just as it’s important to balance the size and style of rings you put on each finger, it’s crucial to consider what other jewelry you will be wearing along with your rings –– particularly, bracelets and watches. 

Although you can create an amazing look by piling on the rings and bracelets, it’s important to achieve balance. If your philosophy is “more is more,” and you have jewelry on both hands and wrists, you will be blinged out but balanced. 

However, if you are more restrained with your jewelry, you should make sure your most heavily decorated hand is the opposite to your wrist with the most adornment. For example, if you wear a luxury watch on your left hand, put more rings on your right hand than the left one and vice versa.

Stacking Your Rings

Despite only having four fingers and a thumb on each hand, you are not limited to wearing only 10 rings in total. Putting multiple rings on one finger, known as stacking, is a great way to curate a unique look. However, doing this successfully takes some thought.

When stacking your rings, you have two options: stack multiple small rings on one finger or stack a mix of large and small rings. More than one big ring is not only uncomfortable and impractical but also usually looks like too much. 

If you’re not quite sure how to make a stack of rings look good, you could opt to purchase a set of rings that have been designed for that exact purpose. Often, these rings will have clever interlocking shapes that look fantastic together but which can also be worn separately. 

Another bonus of ring stacking, aside from it looking cool, is that it can allow you to wear a particular ring on more than one finger, giving each piece more versatility. For instance, your pinky ring will be too small to fit on your ring finger as a main ring, but it might be perfect stacked above another one.

The Right Direction for Rings

Rings that have a picture or are a certain shape –– such as skull-shaped rings or a ring with an engraving of a saint –– have a distinct top and bottom. Whether you wear the ring facing out (so that it appears upside down to you but right side up to others) or facing in (so that it’s the right way round for you) is a personal choice that many people have strong opinions about. 

There are some circumstances where there is a generally accepted right way to wear a ring. For example, people who are members of biker clubs wear their insignias facing out. But, in general, how you wear your rings is up to you. However, a good rule is for private, meaningful rings to face in and statement rings to face out.

tattooed mans hands

Build Your Look Around One Ring

If you’re keen to sport a multi-ring look but are unsure where to start building a collection, focus on one statement piece. This can be any style of ring meant for any finger, but it should be a ring that you love. 

From there, you can slowly add other rings. If a ring doesn’t work with your statement ring, leave it or save it to be worn alone. This way of building a ring collection may encourage you to look at styles of rings you had previously ignored. 

For instance, lovers of big, bold, blinged-out rings often ignore the minimalistic pleasures of a simple band or chain ring, but those are the kind of rings you need to add to create a dynamic look. You may even discover new styles you love.

Go with Your Gut

Although these tips and tricks to wearing multiple men’s rings should help you create a dynamic, stylish look, in the end it’s all about how you wear it. If you love what you’re wearing and you sport it with confidence, you will make it look good.

Fashion rules are a useful guideline, particularly when you’re trying out a look for the very first time, but half the fun of rules is knowing when and how to break them. Once you’re comfortable with your carefully curated ring collection, throw the rulebook out of the window and follow your gut.


Image Credits

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Cat Design/shutterstock.com

Cara-Foto/shutterstock.com

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Paul Vinten/shutterstock.com

August 12, 2021

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