EmRata and Hailey Bieber Are Bringing Back This Italian Grandpa–Coded Jewelry Trend

In a surprising twist of sartorial fate, the pinky ring—the kind you’d expect to spot on a silver-haired nonno holding court at a café in Palermo—is suddenly the chicest jewelry flex of the season. Once reserved for old-school gentlemen with espresso-stained fingers and a penchant for pinstripe suits, this “Italian grandpa-coded” accessory has been reclaimed by the fashion elite, and yes, it looks impossibly cool.

Leading the charge? None other than Emily Ratajkowski, who famously repurposed her split engagement ring into two sleek diamond bands—one of which now lives on her pinky, post-divorce, in 2024. It's not just a statement of reinvention, but a signal that the pinky ring has officially moved from mob movie trope to modern must-have. Hailey Bieber and influencer Nara Smith are in on it too, bringing a soft-glam, Gen Z twist to the old-school style.

"Now more than ever we are seeing women investing in jewelry for themselves—a bold pinky ring epitomizes that," Gabby Mossighi, founder and designer behind the self-titled jewelry brand, Mossighi, explains. "Traditionally, solitaire rings can be associated with engagement and commitment jewelry, which can make them tricky to be worn purely for fashion. The pinky ring, however, deviates just enough allowing for wearability without compromising on style and design."

The resurgence began quietly earlier this spring but has gone full tilt this summer. With Euro summer style dominating Instagram—linen co-ords, barely-there sandals, and a spritz in hand—the pinky ring fits right in. It adds a whisper of opulence without trying too hard, evoking visions of 1960s Italian cinema, silk shirts unbuttoned just so, and seaside dinners along the Amalfi coast. It’s vintage masculinity, repurposed with a wink.

There's a few trending styles you can spot on Instagram on the pinkies of fashion's elite— Megan Kothari's Aaryah BB Thelma Ring is a fan-favorite for its tilted, pear-shaped stone and satin-finished band. If you want something a bit more timeless, Mossighi has you covered: the brand's Floater Ring and the Friendship Stacker rings are all of our editors' objects of affection at the moment. "Apart from our customer's influence, I'm also greatly inspired to create pieces that I would personally wear. I like to say the we curate and create based on things that I wish to have in my own jewelry box but don't exist (just yet!)," Mossighi explains. "I find that this approach creates a really strong sense of community and cohesion across the band... organic, wavy bands with perched settings are definitely having a moment right now."

In New York, the ring is styled with lived-in denim and crisp button-downs, often layered with vintage heirlooms. Paris leans into its laissez-faire cool, pairing pinky rings with tailored blazers and artfully tousled hair. Meanwhile in Los Angeles, it’s part of the polished-yet-barely-styled aesthetic—glazed skin, oversized shirting, and a single gold ring that says, “I have taste, and I don’t need to explain it.”

Whether worn solo or stacked, dainty or chunky, engraved or diamond-studded, the pinky ring is the summer's most unexpected power move. It’s equal parts nostalgia and nonchalance—a tiny piece with a lot of attitude. Grandpa would be proud.

Below, shop the best pinky rings to buy this season, no matter your price-point.

Shop Diamond Pinkie Rings

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