How To Master The Perfect ‘Ringscape’

While the neck, ears and wrists make perfect podiums for our jewelry to shine from, it is our hands that let our precious treasures truly interact with the world. Highly expressive, we use our hands to touch, hold and communicate with those we love – and they are almost always on show. Perhaps more than ever before, ours is the era of the left-hand-ring post, the mirror selfie and the perfect ‘holding a cocktail in the infinity pool’ pose; so it should come as no surprise that our hands are now a social-media-centric canvas, ripe for curating – just like the neckmess and ear stack, which became almost an art form in recent Zoom-dominated years.

“The perfect ringscape has an ‘almost-by accident’ feel,” says Emily Johnston, fine-jewelry buyer at NET-A-PORTER. “A stylish edit will feel harmonious without feeling trite – it’s about finding a blend of pieces that sit well together without feeling too matchy-matchy, and they must convey your personality, too,” she explains. From different widths, textures, setting styles and stones, there are myriad ways to let your ringscape reflect your sense of style.

Unsure where to start? Here’s how to curate a ringscape that will catch the eye every time.

Most people instinctively know if they’re an understated, tends-to-err-towards-minimalism magpie, or an out-and-out color fiend; but if you’re unsure whether to include bold hues in your ringscape, experiment with different gemstones to see which suit your skin tone best. To allow one special piece to stand out, such as Fabergé’s ‘Colours Of Love’ emerald ring, try keeping the rest of your ringscape subtle with mixed-metal tones à la Spinelli Kilcollin. Make sure you choose your dominant hand for the hero piece so that it catches the light as much as possible – your index finger is the most prominent position for a daring design.

The best ringscapes are those that feel a little unexpected – and playing with size and scale can be an effortless way to make your edit feel ultra-fresh. Jennifer Fisher’s clever ‘Knot’ stack contains three rings that can be worn separately or together, allowing you to dial up the drama depending on the rest of the pieces you want to wear that day, while Dinosaur Designs’ curvaceous gold and resin ring sits loud and proud from the finger. Alternate these sculptural styles with delicate, slender bands on neighboring fingers; and don’t forget the power of negative space – leaving some fingers bare will give each ring its moment to shine.

Punchy but powerful, in 2025, no ringscape is complete without a modern take on the pinky ring. What used to be a strictly heritage piece, passed down through the generations – often with a wax seal aesthetic – pinky rings have become a covetable piece worn by many stylish tastemakers and industry insiders. Whether you pick a meaningful piece, such as Foundrae’s ‘Internal Compass’ ring, which serves as a powerful reminder to follow your own path, or Anita Ko’s ‘Zodiac’ ring, to reflect your star sign, an unusual pinky ring is an elegant way to inject some personality into your ringscape.

If curating doesn’t come naturally to you, or you’re pressed for time, a ready-made stack can help serve as a keystone, providing the metal tones and precious materials to riff on with individual rings on your remaining fingers. This is where texture can really come to the fore – By Pariah’s 14-karat gold, agate and diamond ring stack provides an eclectic mix of smooth and sparkling stones, while David Yurman’s ‘Stax’ ring references its signature cable and chain motifs across three scintillating strands. A mix of smooth, high-gloss and ultra-matte finishes will elevate any ringscape, but you can also get creative with your manicure to add extra contrast – experiment with sheer neutrals, rich burgundy tones or a sleek chrome finish.