Sterling silver has a rule behind it. Under the FTC Jewelry Guides, a product can be called sterling silver only if it is at least 925/1,000ths pure silver, which is 92.5%. I like that, because the words on the page mean something, and you can read them as a promise about the metal. Silver also looks sharper against a navy blazer or a gray knit than yellow gold does, so this group is where I go when my outfit is cool-toned.

The David Yurman pair is the easy place to begin. The Sterling Silver & 14K Yellow Gold Petite Cable Flex Ring mixes the two metals in one band, which makes it simple to wear with either of your other pieces, and the Crossover Two Row Ring in Sterling Silver, 7.4mm is the cleaner, wider crossing line. LAGOS also appears twice: the Signature Caviar Beaded Stacking Ring in sterling silver is the one to stack, and the 14K Yellow Gold & Sterling Silver Signature Caviar Diamond Pavé Station Ring, 0.07 tcw, adds a touch of gold and small stones.

For texture, I would look at the IPPOLITA Sterling Silver Classico Hammered Dome Ring, which has a soft, uneven surface that catches light, and the JOHN HARDY Sterling Silver Love Knot Woven Ring, which is woven rather than smooth. The Oradina Sterling Silver Lattice Ring is the open, graphic one. Pandora's Rose Bloom Ring in Sterling Silver is the sweetest of the group and the one I would give to a friend who likes small, pretty things.

Then the sparkle. The Suzy Levian New York Sterling Silver Cubic Zirconia Pave Center Stone Ring and the Bling Jewelry Modern Multi Stripe CZ Pave Full Finger Statement Ring .925 Sterling Silver are the louder ones, and the Arabella Sterling Silver Ring Set, Cubic Zirconia Bridal Ring and Band Set (8 ct. t.w.) comes as a pair. The Diamond Love Knot Ring in Sterling Silver (1/10 ct. t.w.), from the store's own label, is the quiet, knotted one with a diamond named in the title.

A signet is the oldest idea in this edit. The V&A says signets were pressed into hot wax to seal letters, and could be engraved with a coat of arms, crest, initial, merchant's mark or personal symbol. I like wearing one because it is a small statement about who you are, even if all it carries is a plain face. The Oradina Sterling Silver Guardian Signet Ring is the only true signet here, and it is the one I would wear on a pinky with a loose white shirt.

Stacking comes next. GIA describes stackable bands as pieces added to wedding and engagement bands to mark an anniversary or special occasion, and I think that idea works for any day. The Pandora Double Band 14K Gold-Plated Ring looks like two bands in one, which saves you the effort of stacking, and the Pandora Cubic Zirconia Band Ring and Rippled Wide Band Ring give you a sparkling one and a wavy one to mix. The Capucine De Wulf Berry Band Ring is the soft, rounded option, and the Ana Luisa Gold Statement Parker Ring is the plainest of the bold ones.

For more presence, the Ettika Cubic Zirconia & 18K Gold Plated Thick Band Ring is plated, as the name says, and thick enough to wear on its own. The Ettika Treasure Emerald Cut Cubic Zirconia Band Ring is the sparkling alternative. Two more come from the store's own label: the Cubic Zirconia 5 Row Bypass Ring in Silver Plate & 18k Gold Plate, which mixes two tones, and the Emerald Cut Cubic Zirconia Center Stone Oxidized Twist Rope Band Statement Ring, the darkest and most dramatic of all.

What I would skip: wearing every chunky piece on the same hand at once. Pick one bold ring, then keep the other fingers calm. I would also skip stacking a very thick band with several thin ones on the same finger if you type all day, since the edges can press against each other. And GIA notes that synthetic cubic zirconia may yellow over time, so a bright white stone is a reason to check it once in a while.

Sizing is where most of us go wrong. GIA says fingers shrink in the cold and swell in the heat, so a size measured in winter can differ from one measured in midsummer. Bowman Originals, a jeweler, advises measuring your finger at the end of the day, when it is at its largest, and not in extreme heat or cold. I do it twice, on two different days, and take the larger number.

Be careful with anything that has stones all the way around. GIA says eternity or anniversary styles, meaning diamonds around the entire band, can be very difficult to resize, so pick the size you are sure about. A plain band is more forgiving.

Then wear what you buy. Gold on the right hand, silver on the left, or the other way around, as long as you can stand to look at it. I would start with one band you will never take off, add a second when you feel like it, and leave a bare finger between the busy ones. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together enewton Bracelets and Gold vs Silver.

To go a step further on one style, I picked out the best signet rings in gold, enamel and diamond.