The post-holiday season can be tough for some, a big comedown after a month or more of constant on-the-go noise. In normal times (maybe even now), our social calendars would have been full and to-do lists miles long. It’s a joyous time but one that can add a ton of expectation and stress too.
So when December shut the door, I was glad for the quiet. With nothing to do and nowhere to be, I could, in theory, relax (though with two small children, the idea is laughable). But others might find they rather enjoyed the speed of the holidays and the eerie silence of a January night brings about those winter blues. To that I can also relate.
So in the new year, no matter how you feel about 2021 being behind us, anything that brings a smile is wholeheartedly welcome.
And how can one not smile at this sight? From Japanese brand Komi, this ring looks positively ecstatic to see you. It’s beyond the traditional crowd-pleasing smiley face jewelry, which serves its own brand of happy. This piece is like when a baby smiles at you: mouth open wide, eyes bright, like you’re the best thing they’ve seen all day. It’s a pure, innocent, genuine expression.
This ring is seasonally perfect too—its wide-open mouth is made using garnet, the birthstone of January. Those explosive cheeks, set against sparkling star motifs, are in orange sapphire, and the eyes, glossy black diamonds.
The ring’s silhouette is in high demand, playing on the signet style with more fun than anything else I’ve seen.
Komi offers a number of other smiling face rings—one even has a little diamond beauty mark!—to suit numerous styles (they have cats too). One could fill their hand with a quintet of smiles and find it impossible not to grin right back.
Introduced in 2014 by Tokyo-based designers Hwayoung Koizumi and Atsushi Koizumi, Komi specializes in whimsical jewelry like this, though its pieces are sleek and modern, ensuring longevity.
Top: Smile signet ring in 18k yellow gold with garnet, orange sapphires, and black diamonds, $2,575; Komi
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