The Hermès Ring I Somehow Ended Up Wearing Almost Every Day

 

Bought years ago, back when it was in the ₩500,000 range.

With jewelry, being pretty matters. But what matters most is how often you actually reach for it.

Some rings you buy because they're beautiful, wear a few times, and then keep in a box. Others you end up wearing again and again, even on completely ordinary days.

For me, the Hermès Chaîne d'Ancre ring is the second kind.

From around ₩500,000 to ₩1.4 million

I bought mine quite a while ago. If I remember right, it was in the ₩500,000 range in Korea back then.

Recently I checked the price again and was genuinely shocked. It's now around ₩1.4 million. I half wish I'd bought a few more back then. 😂

Thinking about one? As Korean shoppers like to joke, "Today is probably the cheapest it's going to be." Of course, nobody knows what prices will do next. But remembering what I paid, today's price might look different a few years from now too.

Silver over gold, for me

When I first looked into the Chaîne d'Ancre, I went back and forth between gold and silver. Gold is lovely, of course, but for this particular ring, I found silver prettier.

The anchor-chain motif just seems to come alive in silver. Its cool, clean feel suits the design perfectly, and I especially love it in summer. Gold feels warm and rich, while silver looks a little fresher.

That doesn't mean it fades into the background. The design is so distinctive that even one ring keeps your hand from looking bare.

I wear it almost daily, with very little tarnish

One reason I love this ring is how often I wear it. It's not a special-occasion piece. I just reach for it naturally.

I wear it almost every day, and I've never had it professionally cleaned. Even so, I've barely noticed any tarnishing.

Since it's silver, results will vary depending on how and where you wear it and how you care for it. This is simply my own experience.

I also love how it feels. It's a bold design, but on the finger it's smoother and more comfortable than you'd expect. It actually won me over more once I started wearing it than when I first saw it.

Stacked with my Clash de Cartier. I prefer this mix to the same ring in two colors.

Even better stacked with the Clash de Cartier

I also own the Clash de Cartier ring. It has plenty of presence on its own, but I often wear it together with my Chaîne d'Ancre, both on my index finger. They look surprisingly good together.

I once saw a friend wearing the Clash in both yellow gold and white gold, and it looked gorgeous. But buying the same ring twice in two colors? That's a lot.

So I pair it with my silver Chaîne d'Ancre instead. I actually prefer the mixed-metal look. It feels more natural to me than wearing the same ring in two different colors.

Easy with everything, any season

Silver looks fresh in summer with a white T-shirt or a light shirt. And it works in winter too: add one silver ring to a knit or cashmere sweater, and the whole look feels cleaner.

It also goes with almost any outfit, from jeans and a sweater to a jacket on a dressier day. Silver doesn't fight with colors either.

I don't usually pile on jewelry, so I love that this one ring has enough presence on its own. I personally prefer pieces like this: not jewelry that needs a specific outfit, but jewelry I naturally reach for again today.

My Chaîne d'Ancre ring size

Some of you might be curious about sizing. My usual index-finger size is around US 5 / Korean 9–10, while this ring is Hermès size 49.

It fits my index finger well and is comfortable to wear. For reference, Hermès 49 is roughly a Korean size 9.

That said, the same size can feel different depending on a ring's design and width, so trying it on in person is always the most accurate way to choose.

The ring I keep reaching for

When I first bought it, I had no idea I'd wear it this much. I bought it simply because it was pretty, and now it's the ring my hand goes to without thinking.

It looks fresh in summer, works with casual outfits, and doesn't feel out of place when I dress up. Stacked with the Clash, it takes on a whole new feel.

And knowing I paid around ₩500,000 for it, I can't help thinking I made a really good buy. Not because of the price, but because years later, I'm still wearing it almost every day.

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Do you have a piece of jewelry you wear more than you ever expected? Tell me in the comments! 💬