Gothic is often associated with mysticism, with the unknown at the intersection of life and death, religion and blasphemy … As for Gothic jewelry, it is as mystical as the fashion trend itself. Contrary to a popular belief, Gothic jewelry isn’t for a specific group of people (you shouldn’t confuse Gothic and the Goths). Hence, it appeals to everyone who appreciates sophisticated and intricate designs with profound meanings. Here are some great options to introduce Gothic to your wardrobe.
For Everyday Wear
Although some of the distinguishing features of Gothic jewelry are heft and larger-than-life sizes, this fashion trend gets to be on the delicate side, too. This means that it won’t be hard to unearth dainty pieces that comfortably sit on your finger. Hence, Gothic rings can be worn every day.
For this purpose, we suggest picking men’s gothic rings made of stainless steel, platinum, and sterling silver. As for embellishment, the best option is carved or embossed patterns (such as geometric or floral ones), as well as small gemstone inlays of inconspicuous colors – clear, white, or black.
For Special Occasions
If you’re looking for a Gothic ring for a special occasion, the best strategy is to go big and bold. Such a ring will help to speak volumes about your penchant for Gothic without shedding a single word.
Design-wise, only the sky is the limit for Gothic rings intended for special events. However, you need to make sure that they engage attention. For instance, you can choose a large gemstone inlay as a focal point of your ring. If you do so, it’s best to skip faceted cuts since they didn’t really exist when the Gothic style dominated in Medieval Europe (but it’s fine to go with facets if authenticity is not your primal goal). Instead, you might be interested in cabochons (polished domed stones) featuring Gothic statement colors – green, blue, and purple. Red stones will do as well, especially in the context of love, feelings, suffering, blood, and passion.
You don’t like stones? Then high-relief patterns are your best bet to engage many admired looks. You can go as bold and daring as you wish with those – snakes wrapped around your ring, huge crosses, intricate roses, or swirly patterns, all of this and more can become an exclamation mark of your look.
Engagement / Wedding Gothic Rings
Gothic can be as romantic as it is mysterious. The very Gothic style originated at the times of noble knights and their beautiful ladies, and a great deal of its symbolism came straight from the Middle Ages. Despite being as old as the hills, these symbols are still relevant in the present: hearts, holding hands, roses, knots symbolizing the union of two hearts, romantic chivalry symbols, and many others.
If you don’t want to go too literate with love symbols, how about Gothic combined with the statement features of foreign cultures? For example, the famous Claddagh rings, although they belong to the Celtic culture, are not deprived of a strong Gothic appeal. These pieces feature three elements – the heart that stands for love, two hands that denote friendship, and the crown symbolizing loyalty. Such a ring for your nuptials isn’t only beautiful, it is profoundly meaningful.
One more Gothic style inspired by foreign culture, this time Japanese, is all the rage in this day and age. We are talking about Koi Carp ring designs. These fish are undeniably beautiful thanks to vibrant scales and bizarre patterns. But that’s not the only reason why we love them so much. Symbolically, Koi Carps represent family ties, partnership, bond, romantic feelings, and fidelity. They can become a gorgeous symbol of your love.
Biker Gothic Rings
Although the biker style itself is known for its statement features, it is well compatible with other styles focusing on boldness, originality, as well as outrageous symbolism. This makes biker fashion and Gothic a match made in heaven.
Gothic, just like biker style, adores skulls and skeletons. The former, however, places an emphasis on refinement, intricacy, and embellishment. That’s why Gothic skulls tend to be more artistic and sophisticated. Along with this, Gothic brings a sparkling element to the biker fashion. Instead of colorful gems, however, men on motorcycles prefer something dialed-down (such as clear or black stones). Besides, Gothic influence can be seen in the artistic confection of black and white elements. The ability to be both white (polished) and black (blackening and oxidizing techniques) makes sterling silver (much-loved by both styles) a number one choice for rings. Shiny raised design elements combined with dark recessed ones allow creating the most intricate and eye-catching forms and silhouettes.
Memento Mori Gothic Rings
Originally created as a reminder of the transience and frailty of life, they were supposed to nudge a person onto the path of righteousness. Nothing makes one appreciate life more than the inevitability of death, therefore death symbols were pervasive throughout memento mori rings.
Modern takes on the memento mori aesthetics don’t have to be as gloomy as the original style. However, since these are thought-inducing rings, they ought to have elements forcing you to bend your mind to something. For instance, this can be carved wording or an image that has a personal significance.
It’s up to you whether to wear your memento mori ring every day. But if it makes you be a better version of yourself or it gives you the motivation to do the right things, it makes sense to incorporate memento mori jewelry into your everyday look.
