Adventures in Men’s Jewelry

Men’s jewelry has begun to move beyond the expected and more towards the unique, the classic, tough, and the stylish. Jewelry sales for men have increased over the past few years, and there is no sign it will slow. In the past, there wasn’t much focus on men as customers in jewelry, but now, entire lines of products are being designed in their honor.
It used to be that cuff links, tie clasps and watches were all that was available. Lo and behold, now there are also earrings, rings, bracelets, necklaces, and pendants to choose from. Men now make purchases for themselves instead of family or significant others making the selections for them. This implies a more educated modern day man when it comes to fashion. Bracelets have become almost as common as watches. Not only because more designs are available, but because the designs currently on the shelves are being sold out. With increased sales come increased interest in the market segment and you have more designs with more and more variety available. This, in turn, increases sales as the new styles catch the eye, friends are wearing them and the trend feeds upon itself.
It’s an important point to note that men are attracted to strong and masculine styles. Especially when it comes to jewelry. No man wants to have his virility questioned by a mis-selection of accessories. Men’s stainless steel jewelry remains popular, even with the rise of the alternative metals because it provides a look of strength. From cuff links to dog tags, stainless steel is often used in combination with other masculine materials. Leather is often a choice. Black onyx, tiger’s eye and turquoise are common selections as well. Precious stones? Not as much. This also helps to keep the prices reasonable.
A strong influence on males can be what the sports stars are doing. Like tattoos, earrings and other jewelry worn by famous and bold players with big personalities only intensifies the trend. Another sign is men buying themselves bracelets, rings and pendant necklaces with increasing frequency, and wearing their bling with a confidence. Insiders estimate the industry has seen a 20 percent growth in men’s jewelry in the past few years.
So, thanks to David Beckham, more and more men are looking to accessorize their look. Alternative white metals such as tungsten carbide, titanium, and stainless steel are being mixed with rubber, diamonds, cable, silver and gold accents to create a different but very sophisticated, fashion forward look for men.
A major trend in jewelry for men this year is ID bracelets. The ID bracelet has been a fashion fixture since the 60’s, but now it is gaining momentum as a staple of men’s fashion jewelry.
Some men are also wearing pearls and diamond on their ears. The simple ear studs of the 80’s have graduated to bolder designs that include stones and gems previously only worn by women. Trendy fads do come and go, but the interest in men’s jewelry is here to stay. So, men are becoming equals on the jewelry scene as well. With facial cleansers and food choices, and now fashion jewelry, men are coming into their own, and adding a level of sophistication to their lives. Watch out, ladies. Soon, your man just may be giving you fashion advice.