Guide to the main types of rings: the stories and anecdotes around the most beloved jewel in the world
Hand gestures are one of the most indirect forms of communication. Their movement can say a lot about us and our emotions, as can the jewelry and accessories we wear.
The ring is the jewel that par excellence adorns the hands. Traditionally, it should be worn on the ring finger of the left hand: according to the most romantic legends, in fact, the 'vena amoris', a vein connected directly to the heart, would pass through this finger. This belief makes the ring the perfect gift for an engagement or marriage proposal, but also the symbol of the emotional bond that you can have with a special person, or a precious gift for a particular occasion.
When it comes to rings, we often instinctively think of the most popular models. Over the years, however, this jewel has been (and continues to be) interpreted in many ways. There are rings related to particular historical moments, to suggestive anecdotes, to religion, to the desire to stop time, to female emancipation. Because if it is true that this extraordinary jewel speaks of love, it is equally true that love has many forms, and each one deserves to be represented.
For Nanis designers, reinterpreting this classic was a very exciting challenge, which led to the creation of the most diverse rings, all born from the encounter between craftsmanship and creativity, but also from the knowledge of tradition and the desire to pour on it freshness and contemporaneity.
Are you ready to discover all the stories and anecdotes that surround the most beloved jewel in the world?
SOLITAIRE RING
The iconic and romantic Solitaire is made of a single diamond and according to tradition it should be given to one’s beloved for the marriage proposal, thus promising eternal love. We have of course interpreted this ring in our own way, combining its canonical design with our workmanship par excellence: the hand engraving. Thus was born an 18kt gold boule engraved with the ancient burin technique and studded with sparkling diamonds, which we have designed in a bigger and a smaller version (AS30-583 AS29-583).
TRILOGY RING
We all know that 3 is the perfect number, especially when it comes to precious stones and diamonds. Usually, this ring is given as pledge of love because it has a very special meaning: yesterday, today and tomorrow. A temporal connotation that, in a love story, is interpreted as: I loved you, I love you and I always will. The three diamonds, or the three precious gems, emphasize the symbol of a lasting, indestructible and unbreakable bond. The second meaning associated with this jewel concerns the religious symbol of the Trinity: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In fact, the Trilogy ring is often chosen for wedding celebrated in the church. A truly romantic meaning that makes it one of the most chosen jewels not only for weddings, but also for other special occasions and moments, such as an engagement, the celebration of an important anniversary, or the joy for the birth of a child.
Our interpretation of the Trilogy? Colorful, but no less sparkling! In one version, you will find three delicate London blue topaz stones connected to each other by bright rows of diamonds (AS54-597), in the other three wonderful tourmalines (AS5-598), two pink and one green, of course embraced by sparkling rivières of diamonds. The Nanis touch? This ring is made up of two rings, that can be worn together or separately. Or, why not, by two distinct people: mother and daughter, two sisters, or by two dear friends. Yesterday, today and tomorrow: who do you want to tell it to?
THE ETERNITY RING
Another of the most desired engagement rings is the “Eternity”: this band is entirely embraced by diamonds or precious stones. In some versions it is also proposed with two rows of natural gems that resemble an Elizabethan crown. As its name indicates, this ring is a symbol of complicity, passion, fidelity and eternal love. A very common tradition is to give it as a gift for an important anniversary, such as ten years of marriage. Unlike other engagement rings, the Eternity is perfect to be matched with the wedding ring, especially if its nuances and size are respected. This iconic model inspired us in the creation of two rings from the LIBERA ICON collection, in 18kt gold and adorned with a delicate row of diamonds (AS1-604 and AS2-604): two small Italian masterpieces of sinuosity and elegance!
If you are looking for a more essential design, the ring of the Dancing Élite collection is the one for you: in this jewel the diamonds are interspersed with small hand-engraved boules (AS16-583), giving life to an elegant jewel that can also be worn every day. If you prefer natural stones instead of diamonds, don’t miss this gold ring enriched by the bright colors of the tourmalines (AS1-598).
If you are looking for a more essential version, you can go for an Eternity ring with five precious stones or diamonds, thus completing half of the ring's circumference instead of the entire one. Four Nanis rings are born with this style, using our most popular natural stones: black onyx, aquamarine, London blue topaz and tourmalines. If, on the other hand, you are looking for an unusual ring, then the Libera collection is the one for you: discover this essential version enriched by a splendid pavé of diamonds, or this double finger ring also in 18kt gold (AS13-602 AS9-602).
PAVÉ RINGS
'Pavé' is a French term and is often associated with the classic paving of cobblestones, particularly in central European countries. Ideally, these small stone cubes perfectly reflect the arrangement of the precious gems set on these types of rings. More than a real ring model, with pavé we mean a type of setting of precious stones with a unique brilliance that are carefully placed side by side. The pavé rings can be of different shapes and sizes, in this way by moving the fingers the light hits the stones from different angles, thus increasing the sparkle of the ring.
The most precious pavé is certainly that of diamonds, used not only to create elegant rings, like ours from the Dancing Élite collection, entirely hand made in Italy (AS30-583), or the Bubble ring distinguished by two 18kt gold boules and diamonds (AS4-559), but also refined earrings (OS25-583), necklaces (CS18-569) and elegant bracelets (BS5-559).
Discover all the jewels enriched with precious diamonds from the Dancing Élite collection, all handmade in Italy!
HALO RINGS
The Halo ring has a central stone that can have different cuts (teardrop, oval, baguette, princess, etc.), surrounded by smaller gems or elegant diamonds. This precious crown makes the ring particularly shining, as the composition of the diamonds reflects its light on the central stone, giving it an incredible brightness, like an actual halo indeed! This ring is an important jewel, suitable for those who appreciate being on the spotlight and getting noticed.
Which Nanis collection if not the Reverse can best express the character and qualities of this ring? Choose your favorite stone among ruby, green labradorite, London blue topaz and Australian white opal, and let yourself be enchanted by this extraordinary work of Italian craftsmanship and sublime elegance that characterizes this versatile collection. Real masterpiece, double-sided jewels, which come from a profound study of color and the ingenuity of our craftsmen, combined with an extreme level of manufacturing.
Discover the Dancing Reverse collection!
BYPASS RING
Bypass, 'Toi et Moi' and spiral: three different terms that perfectly describe this ring with a contemporary design and now particularly in vogue. Jackie Kennedy, just to name one of the famous lovers of this jewel, redesigned her emerald and diamond engagement ring in the “toi et moi” style, replacing the linear baguettes with larger, marquise-cut diamonds. Symbol of the indissoluble union between two lovers, the bypass ring is composed of a spiral band with two stones (not necessarily the same), which meet one in front of the other and that seem to hug. A contrast, but also the union of two different personalities, which intertwine and complement each other, giving rise to something precious and truly unique. The ring is also called 'Toi et Moi', literally 'you and I', and its meaning is linked to the feelings and love between two people. Giving this ring as a gift is a bit like saying: always take me with you. This model is particularly famous because Napoleon Bonaparte gave it to his future wife Josephine, after having engraved the phrase "You and I, forever." The spiral ring is made with diamonds, but also with precious stones that are used to give life to strong contrasts and bold combinations, but also to create harmony and symmetry of shapes, leaving free space for the creativity and imagination of jewelry designers.
The bypass gold rings that Nanis offers not only to lovers in general, but also to the lovers of sinuous and refined shapes, are distinguished by the suggestive shades of colored stones and the elegance of gold engravings, an ode to the Italian craftsmanship.
The ring of the Dancing Élite collection composed of two hand-engraved 18kt gold boules, the ring of the Dancing Azure collection with two splendid gems in blue London topaz interspersed with the iconic boules, or with two tourmaline stones, and finally the rings of the Ipanema collection in gray or yellow rutilated quartz and embellished with a small pavé of diamonds: which one would you choose?
THE CROSSOVER RINGS
The crossover (also called crisscross) ring is a jewel with a contemporary and unusual design, which stands out from the classic band or the solitaire. It is made up of two lines that intersect and symbolize the intersection of two paths, the fusion of two lives that no longer run parallel but have intertwined forever. The crossover ring can be given as a promise of love, for an engagement, for a graduation or birthday, or for any special occasion.
The crisscross rings made by the Nanis artisans are born from sinuous lines in 18kt gold and a delicate pavé of diamonds which give life to extremely refined jewels. Our designers, over time and with the changing trends, have designed this ring in different versions: with precious gems of aquamarine, London Blue topaz, lively tourmalines, black onyx and, finally, with the iconic hand-engraved boules.
Choose your favorite crossover ring!
BAND AND MULTI-RAW RINGS
The band ring is one of those jewel models that tests the creativity of the designers and the skill of the craftsmen. From the most minimal to the most refined, this timeless ring stands out for its very large surface, often enriched with flashy decorations and plays of light.
The sweetness of aquamarine, the unmistakable streaks of rutilated quartz, or the bright colors of amethyst, blue topaz, lemon quartz and citrine quartz: which is your favorite among these three handmade band rings from the Ipanema collection?
The alternative to the classic band ring is the multi-raw ring. We designed it in different versions, here are our four favorites: a double-band with hand-engraved boules and diamond details (AS18-583), a triple-band enriched with diamonds, 18kt gold and splendid natural aquamarine stones (AS4 -597), London blue topaz (AS39-597) or black onyx (AS31-597).
Discover them all!
COCKTAIL RINGS
After a series of rings dedicated to love and engagement, the time has come to tell the story of one of the rings that par excellence represents the desire of fun and transgression: the Cocktail ring. You must know that this jewel dates back to the American Prohibition period, between the 20s and 30s, during the abusive cocktail parties full of particularly rebellious women. The impositions of severe laws on the consumption of alcohol and on social customs, in fact, developed small forms of transgression adopted especially during these happenings. It seems that to attract the waiter's attention, women raised their hand showing off this precious and showy ring to everyone attending. Moreover, the Cocktail ring was worn strictly on the right hand, to distinguish it from the engagement rings or from any ring related to personal affections.
Big and showy: cocktail rings are the perfect gift for someone with a whimsical and lively character! We designed this legendary jewel in two versions: one in amethyst and one in "satin" gold, all of course handmade in Italy. Which one suits you best?
STACKABLE RINGS
One of the most popular jewelry trends, especially during summer, is to wear many rings together on the same finger. Indeed, why wear only one ring, when you can build a real look by playing with colored stones and different models? Choose and combine these jewels based on your favorite colors and look!
From the main Nanis collections we have selected for you a series of rings in 18kt gold, diamonds and natural stones perfect both to wear alone but, above all, when combined together! Aquamarine, London blue topaz, black onyx, pink and green tourmalines: choose your favorite handcrafted rings and let your creativity run free!
Come and discover all the stackable rings we have chosen for you!
FREEFORM AND OPEN DESIGN RINGS
Rings are not just about sinuous shapes. Recent trends show more essential and minimal designs, which favor geometric and contemporary taste instead of roundness.
It is precisely from the research and exploration of new shapes and lines that Libera design rings were born. The geometries of these rings set free from conventional canons and tradition, giving life to jewels that recall the alphabet of a secret language, like mysterious and precious hieroglyphs. 18kt gold and diamonds are, once again, the materials chosen for these creations handmade in Italy, which, floating between the fingers, seem to blend with their gestures.
Discover all the 18kt gold and diamonds design rings of the Libera collection!
RINGS WITH NATURAL STONES
Ruby, aquamarine, sapphire, amethyst, London blue topaz, black onyx, aventurine, tourmaline, rutilated quartz and many more: if you love color, you will be spoiled for choice among the wonderful stones that Nature offers!
At Nanis we have always had a deep passion not only for stones, but for the most unusual and peculiar ones. An example above all? The delicate milky aquamarine, characterized by inner veins that some consider imperfections while for Laura, our designer, are exactly what makes this extraordinary stone unique: "It is literally impossible", the designer always like to remind "having two identical stones, and this is what makes each jewel unique ". And what better way to express your uniqueness than through some colorful rings?
Choose the stone that suits you best based on the taste, the color, the properties it possesses, or according to your zodiac sign, and let yourself be overwhelmed by the positive vibrations of these precious gems!
"STATEMENT" RINGS
Literally “statement” means declaration, affirmation, and in fact that’s exactly what statement rings do: they show a style, they affirm something in a decisive way.
Since ancient times, mankind has used jewels to express and declare his belonging to a social class, a religion or a particular cultural identity. And today more than ever jewels have become the real protagonists in making original and personal a style that alone could be anonymous. But what characterizes a statement ring? A bit like the cocktail ring, this jewel generally has a big size, a refined design and is very eye-catching. By wearing a statement ring, a woman decides to break the mold and stand out boldly.
Nanis' statement rings? They are the ones designed for special occasions and they won’t make you go unnoticed! Amaze yourself with the bright diamond pavé of the Bubble ring (AS3-559), by the hand engravings in the 18kt gold boule of the Elite ring (AS27-583), by the luxurious diamond details of the Trasformista ring (AS1-251), by the intense red of the ruby of the Reverse rings (AS26-584), by the green of the Labradorite (AS11-584) or by the delicacy of the blue London topaz (AS6-584).
Choosing a ring as a gift to someone or to yourself is a real experience. There are many meanings and memories that a ring can hold thanks to its precious presence in everyday life, giving a pinch of brightness and enriching any look. We have told you about the meanings and anecdotes related to the most popular rings but remember that any experience with any jewel remains first of all personal. Nothing prevents you from giving your girlfriend a Cocktail ring nor from pampering yourself with a Solitaire if you are single.
Essential or sophisticated, classic or unconventional, with natural stones or studded with diamonds: each Nanis ring is unique, not only because it is handmade in Italy with passion, but above all because it is always unique the one who chooses it.