03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Pinkie Rings Go Big
The pinkie ring has had a long, aristocratic history. Embraced by many, especially the ancient Egyptians, the rings quickly became accepted as visual status symbols.
By the 19th century, the most popular style in Europe was the signet, which traditionally highlighted a family coat of arms and represented power, prestige and wealth — King Charles III, for example, has worn one since 1969.
Though pinkie rings were once reserved for men, today, women have become big buyers. (Yes, Kim Kardashian and Rihanna, we have recently seen your pinkies shine.) And what once had been an important visual on that often-overlooked final finger has turned into another opportunity to display a personal style.
'The pinkie ring has always been a male-dominated idea, an expression of heritage and lineage,' said Jessie Thomas, a goldsmith and fine jewelry designer in Britain. 'But women are taking it back.'
The Pinkie Space
Ms. Thomas, now 37, began her career working with her father, David Thomas of Thomas Goldsmiths. Since going solo in 2018, she has primarily worked with 18-karat yellow gold and diamonds to create rings that are 'tiny, weighty, sculptural pieces that feel slightly organic,' she said, adding that 'it's become quite cool and fashionable to have something on your little finger. It's a movement towards caring less about gender definitions and more about self-expression.'
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