Boucheron, Cartier and Bulgari: the most exquisite high jewellery rings this season

Claire Choisne, creative director of Boucheron, suggests we pay close attention to the rings in her 2026 Carte Blanche high jewellery collection. Indeed, each of the five rings reveals much about the feats of technical innovation possible for the French maison, the first to set up shop in Paris’ venerated Place Vendôme.

This includes the micro-painting used on the Flower set, where rose quartz is hand-painted to create the floral motif, and the 3,750 hours of work required for the Tattoo set, which features engraved smoky quartz. Another, named Rain, in crystal and diamonds, appears as if soft water droplets are caressing the skin.

“Each ring expresses the same universal vision: all the same, [yet] all one of a kind,” Choisne explains. “Just like the collection, the pieces may appear similar at first glance, but each reveals its own identity through a unique artistic language and exceptional craftsmanship.”

Take Cartier, which not only released its favoured big cats into the wild, but expressed its very Cartier approach to colour combinations with the new high jewellery collection Le Chœur des Pierres. This includes a slew of incredible cocktail rings that are perhaps a nod also to the maison’s legendary long-time creative director Jeanne Toussaint, known for wearing glittering knuckle-duster rings on her pinky fingers. Bold and vibrant, each is set with a vivid gemstone – among them, Mozambique ruby – and rare coloured diamonds, including an 11.6-carat grey stone.

Rings this season also allowed the jewellery houses to deepen connections to their most treasured motifs. This was certainly true of Tiffany & Co.’s Bird on a Rock motif, reimagined in many ways since Jean Schlumberger’s original in 1965, including this season in pieces such as the Bird on a Rock aquamarine and chrysoprase ring. Here, the funny little bird nestles atop a 9.62-carat aquamarine as part of a collection that explores the delights of a secret garden.