During the height of the Flower Power era, the mood ring was considered a fashion staple. No outfit was complete without the accessory that could apparently tell how a person was feeling based on the color of the crystal that was featured prominently in its center. But have you ever wondered about the history of this fascinating accessory, and how it worked, exactly? We’ll break it all down for you:
Mood Jewelry 101
Even if you’ve never worn mood jewelry before, you probably know how it works. The most popular piece of mood jewelry by far is the mood ring, which rose to popularity in the 1970s. They typically feature one large crystal that changes in color to supposedly reflect how the wearer was feeling: blue meant that you felt relaxed, calm, and happy; yellow signified that you were feeling excited or tense; violet meant that you were feeling sensual and romantic; black denoted feelings of depression or stress, and so on.
The invention of the mood ring is attributed to New Yorkers Maris Ambats and Joshua Reynolds. According to an article in the Chicago Tribune, Reynolds began studying biofeedback whilst working in the high-stress environment of Wall Street. It is said that the ring was created to help someone gauge their emotions and, armed with that information, work towards managing them in the immediate moment.
It works by making use of a temperature-sensitive liquid crystal that was then encased in quartz. The crystal reacts according to the skin temperature of the wearer, thus displaying the different colors.
From a purely scientific point of view, there was some truth to the idea that mood jewelry could reflect an individual’s emotional state. However, environmental factors such as the temperature of the air around the ring can also cause it to change color even when being worn, which lends some doubt as to its accuracy.
While now generally considered to be a novelty, mood rings and other types of mood jewelry were massively popular in the 1970s, with some pieces selling for hundreds of dollars at a time. When it first hit the shelves, 40 million rings were sold in just three months, totaling 20 million dollars in sales in just the first year. The fad lasted for two years, between 1975 and 1976, before experiencing a resurgence in the early 90s. As with all trends, mood rings and other types of mood jewelry are currently back in fashion, along with low-waist jeans, cargo pants, and other throwback staples.
Mood jewelry from Honeycat Jewelry
Honeycat Jewelry’s collection of Mood Rings are a fresh take on a nostalgic classic. Delicate and dainty with their modern and minimalist silhouettes, their mood rings are significantly elevated from the ones that you used to wear as a teen.
The Signet Mood Ring, available in yellow gold, rose gold, or silver, features a single circular mood crystal set signet-style for a flat profile that looks great when worn alone or when stacked with other rings from their extensive catalog. Looking for an even subtler alternative? Check out the Solar Mood Ring, which features a tiny color-changing crystal set on a smooth, thin band. Looking for a classic silhouette? Their Mini Mood Ring is just the right style.
