There may be few things that the British royal sisters-in-law have in common, but Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, both love a ring stack.
Catherine made headlines in September when she appeared at the Duchess of Kent’s funeral wearing a stack of five rings that included her 12-carat Garrard sapphire and diamond engagement ring, first worn by Diana, her mother-in-law and a predecessor as Princess of Wales.
And the duchess appeared in her Netflix show “With Love, Meghan” wearing a three-ring stack that included a pavé diamond eternity ring reportedly designed by Lorraine Schwartz as an anniversary gift from Prince Harry. (Much frenzied internet speculation arose when she wore the rings in different order during the second series.)
Stacking — either several bands on one finger or a number of rings on different fingers — has been continuing to trend this year, and not just among blue bloods. Some e-commerce companies such as Wolf and Badger and Net-a-Porter have searches specifically aimed at the trend. And luxury brands including Cartier, Tiffany & Company and Bulgari offer tips on how to curate a stack of rings for both men and women.
“Rings are the most personal form of jewelry,” Marion Fasel, a jewelry historian and the author of the 2024 book “The History of Diamond Engagement Rings: A True Romance,” wrote in an email. “People express their individuality with rings and convey all kinds of different things. Rings can be glamorous, bohemian, punk and many things in between.”
This trend of piling rings on fingers, of course, is not new. In ancient Egypt and Rome, both men and women often wore rings stacked on top of one another or on multiple fingers as symbols of power. The first century Roman poet Martial even made fun of the look, writing in Book 11 Epigram 59 that one man, Clearinus, “wears six rings on each of his fingers, and never takes them off; even at night, or when he bathes.”
Fast forward to Victorian times, when stacks of rings — often including engagement rings with gems like sapphires and rubies, a wedding band and a third thin ring acting as a guard — became a fashion trend. Queen Victoria was known to wear a ring stack that included her coiled serpent engagement ring.
“There are no strict rules to stacking; it’s about what feels instinctive and true to you,” Leila Kashanipour, a fashion consultant in London and former jewelry designer, wrote in an email. “Ring stacking creates a narrative, a visual diary of moments and meanings, and often becomes a point of conversation.”
A lot of the ring-stacking effect is about mixing and matching several rings to create a certain aesthetic, make a statement or have significance to the wearer. The high-low aspect also comes into play. “Taylor Swift does this all the time, she will wear a $50 ring with a ruby and gold ring that costs four figures,” said Ms. Fasel, who also writes about jewelry trends on the Substack newsletter The Adventurine. “It’s not being flashy in an ostentatious way as much as a form of expression.”
Monica Vinader, a Spanish designer now living and working in Britain, agreed, saying that mixing pieces across different price points was how people style jewelry now. Her namesake brand’s Heirloom Crossover Ring in 18-karat gold vermeil (110 pounds, or $160 in the United States) could be worn alongside a 14-karat gold and emerald Siren Bezel piece (£350, or $550 in the United States) or a more expensive diamond design from a high jewelry brand. “We don’t reserve fine jewelry for special occasions anymore,” Ms. Vinader wrote in an email. “To us it’s more than a trend; the idea of stacking aligns perfectly with our philosophy of empowering self-expression and building a collection that grows with you over time.”
The Hong Kong brand Luah, which uses 18-karat gold-plated stainless steel, is focused on durable rings that can be worn from the yoga mat to a cocktail party. One three-ring stack could include a gold eternity ring, a gold bead ring and a chunkier band. (£246). “In traditional Chinese wedding customs, the bride is often gifted stacks (on stacks) of intricate gold jewelry from loved ones. Different motifs, carvings and charms signify prosperity, longevity and wealth,” Kelly Rolim, the brand’s co-founder and jewelry designer, wrote in an email. “It’s this new and modernized context of the stacking that offers the perfect opportunity to combine pieces that hold deep personal meaning with your personal history and style.”
Rings, of course, aren’t limited to metals. The London-based Pinnole, for example, has a colorful collection of enamel and silver pieces, including the four-piece Soda Pop Ring Stack in yellow, orange, green and black-and-white stripes (£159, or $214 in the United States) and the five-piece Curious Ring Stack in multicolor combinations (£195, or $262 in the United States).
Sticking with the cheerful stacked ring theme, but at a higher price point, is Repossi, the fine jewelry brand in Paris that mixes lacquer — in colors such as turquoise and sage green — with diamonds and gold for its Berbere Chromatic ring. While the design looks as if there are two rings, the bands are connected with a thin gold strip (starting at 3,600 euros, or $3,900 in the United States).
Never ones to miss out on a trend, high-end luxury brands are also focusing on the stackable look.
Dior’s Code Ring is a three-piece set: two gold-finish metal rings with silvertone crystals and a wider ring in white lacquer (€490). Loewe’s stacked ring in a gold-finished sterling silver and enamel has a layered asymmetrical shape (€500, or $690 in the United States). And Hermès’s Etriviere double ring gives the impression that it is two rings, with one part resembling a belt buckle and the other a simple white gold and diamond band ($20,000 in the United States). The piece is an ultimate luxury play on jewelry stacking.
“It’s no longer about choosing between pieces — it’s about celebrating all of them together,” Ms. Rolim of Luah wrote. “This trend gives us permission to layer not just jewelry, but our memories and experiences as well.”
