GoodRings "The Olympic" ring: in review
Time to add some high-polish fun to your day
While we’re all about watches here at WWR, that’s not the only way for you to express some style and individuality in your look, when you’re looking at your watch as not just a tool, but also an accessory. One of the easiest ways to do that is with a ring, and today we’re going hands-on with the GoodRings “The Olympic” ring.
GoodRings “The Olympic”: what it is
Now, on one hand, this is pretty straightforward - it’s a ring. What it is, though, is something that’s coming out of a newer scene, at least to us. There are a number of newer, small ring makers out there. In a way, it feels like when independent watch brands took off on crowdfunding. For GoodRings, they started up in 2020, when the owner of GoodRings decided to make his own ring for his wedding.
Now, unlike watches, rings can’t really introduce new dial displays or complications. They’re a bit constrained to, well, a ring shape. So how do they differentiate? It’s all about the materials, and the aesthetics of the piece.
The GoodRings “The Olympic” starts off as a black ceramic band, which brings high polish and durability to the table. Smack in the center of the design is a piece of authentic whiskey barrel, which brings along a unique grain pattern, which also gives us variations in hue. Flanking either side of the whiskey barrel, you’ve got crushed turquoise. So, you’ve got a modern material (the ceramic), along with something from industrious use (the barrel), all merged together with a natural material (the turquoise). It all makes for a unique look, and a subtle way to give a nod to enjoy a glass of the “water of life” now and again.
Wearing the ring
That’s going to be a big thing with any ring you consider. If it’s chock full of sharp edges, or is simply too wide or thick, it’s going to make for an uncomfortable wear. No worries here - it’s just a hair over 8mm wide, and has a 2.2mm thick wall. The ceramic base of the ring is quite smooth, and there’s nothing here you’d call a very sharp edge. In other words, it’s perfectly comfortable.
The other part of wearing it is the aesthetic, of course. I was intrigued to see how the materials worked together out in the world, and I have to say, it's a solid combo. The black and brown hues mean the ring works with just about anything, and then you have that pop of color from the turquoise. In the right lighting, those blue stripes on the ring actually look like they’re glowing, while you’re out in full light, which is an interesting effect.
The other thing you might be concerned about is the ring picking up nicks and scratches, especially since the whole of the ring has a high gloss finish to it. I’ve been wearing the ring for the past few weeks, and I have not noticed any impacts or imperfections getting picked up by that outer finish. So, whatever they’ve sealed it up with, it’s doing it’s job.
Wrapping things up
The other surprise that came with the GoodRings “The Olympic” was that there was a second ring in the box. This one was a silicone ring (in the same size). Why might you want that? Well, simply put, if you’re going to be out being active (whether that’s exercise or just yard work), you could put the silicone ring on and not have the worry about a hard impact to a ceramic ring (which would run the risk of breaking it).
So, there’s a lot going on with the ring to begin with, and the inclusion of a backup ring, we like that inclusion. Oh, and if you don’t like this particular design, their catalog has a lot to look through, so you can probably find an option you’d prefer. If you’d like to get your own GoodRings “The Olympic”, it’s available now for $199, directly from shopgoodrings.com
Specifications
Material: Black Ceramic, Whiskey Barrel, Turquoise
Width: Men's Standard 8mm
Please note, real material is used so color may vary
100% Waterproof!