I wore a chic vibrator ring in public so I could experience pleasure…anywhere

This fall, a number of my friends were gifted engagement rings in celebration of lifelong love and commitment. As a super-single person, that was simply not in the cards for me, so I decided to buy myself a different kind of ring in celebration of self love. Or more accurately, solo lovin’. That’s right: While my pals were getting fitted for their wedding bands, I got a ring perfectly fit for public play: the Palma by Unbound, a ring that doubles as a vibrator.

Two inches long, a centimeter wide, and plated in gold, the Palma, which launched in 2019, looks like your average statement ring. But press the button on the underbelly of this functional jewelry item, and it transforms into a bullet vibrator. (And, don’t worry, you won’t turn it on by accident—promise).

While most bullet vibrators only offer one or maybe two intensity settings, the Palma caters to gals who like options, offering three speeds and two customizable vibration modes. Furthermore, “you can actually control the variation in vibration with your own hand movements,” says Polly Rodriguez, co-founder and CEO of Unbound. As you angle your hand up or down, the vibration intensity increases, she says.

Wearable vibrators in general are nothing new. For instance, there’s the We-Vibe Moxie, which is an in-underwear vibrator; the Satisfyer Endless Love and Lelo Tiani 3, which are designed to be worn during penetrative sex; and butt plugs, which can be worn anywhere, anytime. But a wearable vibrator that’s designed to be seen and admired, publicly, as jewelry? Well, that’s pretty damn innovative.

“Palma offers womxn to celebrate their sexuality on their own terms and to engage in an important dialogue.”— Polly Rodiguez, Unbound co-founder and CEO

“Unbound got so much user feedback that people find vibrators too large and/or intimidating to bring out during partnered sex,” Rodriguez says. The fact that you can naturally transition from wearing it as a ring, to using it as a vibrator in the bedroom (or any other room, really) can help people feel more comfortable using a sex toy with their partner(s), she says.

Plus, Palma also holds the power to kick-start conversations about personal pleasure: Let’s say you’re at a bar sipping a cocktail when your functional cocktail ring prompts a compliment. You can (if you want), use that as a moment to share that it’s a vibrator. “In a world where womxn’s bodies are scrutinized, weaponized, and legislated against, Palma offers womxn the opportunity to celebrate their sexuality on their own terms and to engage in an important dialogue,” says Rodriguez.

Here’s what happened when I tried my ring vibrator in the wild

The first time I wore and used the Palma was on a date. After we paid, I whispered, “I think you should know this ring doubles as a vibrator, and I’m going to wear it on our date tonight.” We snuck into a single-occupancy bathroom, and after washing the vibrator in the sink (it’s waterproof), I spun it around on my finger. I usually find the vibration quality of bullet vibrators to be either too intense and/or annoyingly buzzy (think: an old flip phone getting a stream of incoming texts), so, Palma’s steady, rumbling vibration pleasantly surprised me. After my date and I started kissing, I brought my hand between their legs, and you can probably guess how this story ends.

The day after our little sexcapade, I was packing for a trip to visit my family, and I decided to bring (er, wear) my Palma. And boy, am I glad I did. I have travel anxiety, so after my flight was delayed for the third time, my stress levels were sky-high. Knowing that research supports the idea that orgasms can squelch anxiety, I decided to slip into a bathroom stall and get myself off before taking off. After about, oh, maybe a minute? My stress levels were quite depleted.

The Palma may not be the sort of ring my relatives may have dreamed of seeing on my finger, but its date-night-making, stress-relieving pleasure power has earned it my personal lifelong love. And while the $128 price tag is notable, it’s surely less expensive than those other types of rings my friends are getting fit for. So, I might be single, but I’m very, very committed to my functional ring.

FYI: when I’m not in public, the Le Wand Point is my go-to vibrator. And these are the eight vibrators Amazon can’t stop buzzing about.