Bling for the Boys

Men’s jewelry is a hot trend thanks to celebrities and social media, inspiring collections by the likes of David Yurman, Suzanne Kalan and Stephen Webster.

The evidence is all around — just look at the red carpet, hip-hop stars, sports players and the fashion catwalk. Men are wearing jewelry, and lots of it — and the jewelry world is waking up to this largely untapped opportunity.
Rappers are some of the jewelry industry’s biggest clients. Draped in gold chains, diamond-encrusted watches, knuckledusters, pendants, and even pearl necklaces, they use these symbols of success to express themselves. Not surprisingly, their style is filtering into the market via social media and energizing it.

Not just for stars
In 2018, the men’s jewelry market was worth $5.8 billion, up 23% from 2013, according to market research firm Euromonitor International. It is expected to rise to $6.6 billion by 2023. Unofficial indicators suggest it may go higher than that. “Once the code of rock and sports stars, jewelry has been through a democratization, allowing everyone access,” remarks Stephen Webster, who has designed men’s jewelry with a distinctive rock-star panache for 20 years. His hero piece this season is not a ring, he reveals, but a dangly, unisex single earring from his New Cross collection. “People tend to look for something a little bit out of the ordinary and that extra bit special.”

David Yurman entered the men’s jewelry market informally in the mid 1990s, interpreting iconic women’s silhouettes in masculine ways. When Evan Yurman took the helm at his father’s brand in 2006, he developed the offering even further. Today, men’s collections drive a quarter of the company’s mainline jewelry sales and have been one of its fastest-growing categories for several years, says Lee Tucker, David Yurman’s head of merchandising, marketing, and creative operations. “Men have evolved to be much more interested in design and style and have developed a deep appreciation for quality craftsmanship,” he comments. They are “as savvy and discerning as the modern female consumer.”

Statement pieces
Of course, men wearing jewelry is not new; it dates back to ancient times, and the kinds of gem-set jewels we’d recognize today have adorned men since at least the Renaissance. While fashions since the Victorian era have generally seen men eschew jewelry, the trend bloomed again in the 1960s and ’70s — as the recent Bonhams auction of singer Sammy Davis Jr.’s jewelry in Los Angeles testifies. It fell out of favor in the 1980s as fashion adopted a more conservative style, but today, trendsetters, celebrities and social media are renewing interest. “Men want ways to express themselves, and aside from luxury Swiss timepieces, watches have largely shifted to smart watches, so men are looking to other statement pieces,” says Ann Grimmett, vice president of merchandising at retail jeweler Jared.

Designer Jacquie Aiche launched her first men’s collection in 2019. “We had so many men asking for pieces, I just knew it was time to spread the love,” she enthuses. “Demand for our men’s jewelry has grown consistently.” She recently expanded the line with new hardstone editions of her totemic Thunderbird pendants, ranging from lapis lazuli and hematite to onyx and labradorite. French jeweler Messika’s Move collection of black titanium or cord bracelets with diamonds have been a huge hit with men. The collection is aimed “at both men who are discreetly taking the plunge into diamond jewelry, as well as men who already have a strong appetite for diamonds and are asserting this territory of expression,” says founder and designer Valerie Messika. David Yurman is also seeing a sales uptick for creations with dramatic diamond pavé and handmade 18-karat gold chains.

Getting comfortable
Male clients are demonstrating a confidence and ease when it comes to accessorizing. “Men nowadays are much more comfortable wearing and styling their jewelry,” says independent designer Graziela Kaufman, who debuted her first men’s collection in May at the urging of her husband and four sons. “They layer, stack and create their look. They aren’t afraid to wear color and to show their personality through what they are wearing. The demand is huge. I wouldn’t want to miss being a part of it.”

Other men’s jewelry debutantes this year include French brand Fred, with its Force 10 Winch collection in titanium and steel, and Suzanne Kalan, who has taken her signature baguette-cut gemstones and set them in irregular compositions on rings, bracelets and pendants. Some gemstones are surprisingly colorful for this market, suggesting there is more gender fluidity in the pieces men are choosing. This trend is just further evidence of social stereotypes breaking down. As Aiche says, “Just like women, men have a craving to create their own style, and I believe jewelry is an incredible source of personal expression.”

Main image: David Yurman men’s wedding bands and rings. Photo: David Yurman.