Men's time to sparkle
Across the ages, men have worn jewelry as a symbol of wealth and authority. Now they are reclaiming their right to shine.
by Marine Ulrich & Hervé Borne For thousands of years, men adorned themselves with jewelry that signified power and wealth. Ancient Egyptian pharaohs took their precious stones with them to the grave. European kings wore gold crowns studded with gems. The maharajahs of India appeared resplendent in rings, earrings and aigrettes. Such was their passion, in the late nineteenth century, many commissioned the foremost Parisian jewelers for sumptuous, gem-drenched pieces. Today, the same houses adorn the modern male whose masculinity isn’t tied to gender labels. /public-objects/e4378df6-b1a9-4259-bfa9-0772e5eed0a7-ac0d284f-e394-4937-a02f-ff843554b708-Sans%20titre-1.webp Image sélectionnée Lines are blurred. A necklace, ring or bracelet is for whoever makes it shine: something celebrities are illustrating on the red carpet. Think Pierre Niney and Colman Domingo in Boucheron, Timothée Chalamet and Jacob Elordi in Cartier, or Lucas Bravo and Connor Storrie in Chopard. Tahar Rahim and Jeremy Allen White step out in Louis Vuitton high jewelry while singer Damiano David rocks head-to-toe tattoos at the same time as a Bulgari Serpenti diamond necklace, paired with rings, bracelets and earrings to match. No more his and hers Men don’t expect to be served jewelry designed specifically for them. Instead, they feel confident accessorizing with whichever pieces from the grandes maisons’ collections catch their eye. Bracelets are stacked and layered: Fred’s Force 10, Van Cleef & Arpels’ iconic Alhambra, the Tiffany T by Tiffany & Co. or the Lance cable bracelet, the latest from Korloff. Creativity is welcome. Some play with fire and drape an ST Dupont lighter necklace around their neck. Others strike lucky with Pasquale Bruni’s match-inspired Accendimi collection. The more adventurous choose the milky luster of a Tasaki pearl to lift a plain sweater or somber suit. /public-objects/047e83e1-2b73-4e4a-bc40-dcbf5118ff3c-cef9a584-b454-47bf-adf7-5654050a5456-1.webp Image sélectionnée As gender boundaries dissolve, men aren’t shy about putting their love of jewelry on show. For some, it is a foundation for selfexpression. Jewelry no longer adheres to a schema of masculine or feminine. It is an exploration of style and personality, with something for all tastes.