UK Edition
Jewellery for men: is it time to embrace the final frontier of men's style?
It’s a subject I’ve endeavoured to swerve entirely, but finally it's time to swallow my preconceptions and investigate a particular facet of men’s style I’ve hitherto avoided; men’s jewellery. It was with reticence, but in the interest of public duty (he says, nobly, like a war correspondent) I began investigations and I was quickly sidelined by the fact that a great deal of the contemporary offering for men is pretty great, and, crucially, tasteful.
That’s not a word that traditionally springs to mind when you think of jewellery on men; medallion men with disks nestled between low cut shirting and rotary club members with ceremonial trinketry on their fingers are more the standard visuals. One female friend recalls a date where everything was going swimmingly until she clocked a signet ring on her companion’s left hand; evidence of the public health warning that can come with men in jewellery.
But slowly the tide is turning; some of the most stylish men’s fashion editors I know adorn themselves, either overtly or discreetly, in jewellery. Respected retailers such as Matches Fashion and Mr Porter are doing a booming business in men’s jewellery and slowly but surely, the offering has become more refined, sleek and, importantly, masculine.
It makes sense that as men increasingly embrace fashion, they should seek out something more personal and precious. And men’s jewellery has a rich history among the well-heeled; noble families would seal their family crest in the form of a signet ring to pass down for generations. Perhaps one day you’ll present your first born with a jagged Hannah Martin ‘Spur’ ring.
What makes the new crop of jewellery offerings - such as London designer Martin’s cracked, sharp angled shapes - an enticing prospect is the considered design nous. Rings in inky black rhodium that look discreet and slightly mysterious, as well as pendants with a tiny, faceted nugget of 18-carat gold, balance the bling with minimalism.
“There’s been an increase in demand for men’s jewellery in recent reasons, and for spring we have seen an aggressive uplift in sales,” says Ben Carr, buyer at Matches Fashion, which stocks beaded bracelets from Luis Morais and sleek steel pieces from Swedish brand All Blues.
Of a similar aesthetic, new London-based men’s jewellery brand Alex Orso’s cuffs, rings and pendants marry a pared-back design with substantial weight to the pieces; nuts and bolts, rivets and solid howlite or ruthenium carved to resemble a shark’s tooth are anything but feminine and dainty.
Meanwhile, UK-based engraving specialist Castro Smith has turned the landscape of his north east homeland - ancient castles and industrial settings - into an intricate collection of modern day signet rings. The perfect illustration of jewellery that packs a punch instead of looking pretty as a petal.