Every ring makes a statement, but a statement ring is not just any old ring. Just like statement necklaces or statement earrings, statement rings are unique, attention-grabbing pieces that boldly express the owner’s personality. What sets rings apart from other statement jewelry is that they are often already sending an important message out to the rest of the world to begin with.

Unless you count crowns — and, let’s be honest, crowns are rarely worn out and about — rings are a special category of declarative jewelry. So we thought we’d put together a short statement ring guide, just to keep wires from getting crossed.

Is a Statement Ring a Recent Trend?

No. As long as humans have been bending things into circles, they’ve been wearing dramatic rings as fashion statements and status symbols. In the case of an ancient amethyst number Israeli archaeologists excavated from a Byzantine winery, they might have also been hoping to strut their way out of a hangover.

Can a Statement Ring Be an Engagement Ring?

Yep. It’s called a statement engagement ring, to differentiate it from a statement fashion ring, which can also be called a cocktail ring. An engagement ring already signals a change in status. A statement engagement ring is the kind of eye-catching nugget that you can still pick out of a photo even if the newly affianced gal isn’t holding up her hand and pointing to her hand in the classic “Of course I said yes!” pose.

Does a Statement Ring Have to Be Expensive?

In earlier eras, statement rings were all about flaunting wealth. If that is the message you want to deliver, there are still plenty of rings that will get the notion across. But today’s statement rings (and engagement rings, for that matter) are more often about personalized expression. This means, just as there are plenty of affordable engagement rings, there are plenty of options for statement rings as well.