The Modern Renaissance of Men's Jewelry
“There is no better way to express yourself and your style than jewelry; humans have done it for tens of thousands of years. There is something primal about it.”
George Root, Founder & Creative Director of Milamore
Grant Mobley, Jewelry & Watch Editor of Only Natural Diamonds & the Natural Diamond Council
Sameer Lilani, Managing Director at Amrapali London
Thomas Montier Leboucher, Co-Founder & CEO of Viltier
Jewelry was historically gender neutral, with both men and women adorning themselves with jewelry for healing and protection, personal expression and to communicate wealth and power. It was only in the mid-18th century that Western men renounced the opulence in jewels and clothing that had defined the fashion in the past era and instead embraced a pared-down aesthetic. This historical phenomenon was named “The Great Masculine Renunciation” by psychologist John Carl Flügel and remained a constant pattern until recent years when men began to once again embrace jewelry without a gender construct. It’s important to note there are of course exceptions such as the hip-hop subculture, where jewelry has played a continuous role since its inception in the 1970s.
As men wearing jewelry is once again becoming more mainstream and as we kick off Fashion Month, I spoke with four jewelry industry experts, with varying roles and nationalities to share their relationship with jewelry and their thoughts on current jewelry trends.
George Root, New York: Root was born in the Philippines, grew up in Japan and is now based in New York where he is the founder and creative director of Milamore.
Grant Mobley, New York: Mobley was born and raised in the suburbs of Atlanta. After leaving Atlanta and living overseas, Mobley moved to New York where he is now based and is the Jewelry and Watch Editor of Only Natural Diamonds and the Natural Diamond Council.
Sameer Lilani, London: Lilani was born and raised in London but his family, from both his parents’ sides, is from Bombay, India. Lilani is based in London and is the Managing Director at Amrapali London.
Thomas Montier Leboucher, Paris: Montier Leboucher was born and raised in Paris, where he currently lives and is the Co-Founder and CEO of Viltier.
WHEN DID YOU START WEARING JEWELRY AND DO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE ANY EVERYDAY PIECES?
ROOT: I’ve been wearing jewelry since I was a kid! Today, my Duo Chains are my go-to everyday jewelry. I designed them to be versatile and to complement any outfit. If I want to go for a casual street-style look, I like to stack about five chains together but when I want to go for a more formal vibe, I wear it as a pocket watch chain, just like the gentlemen in the 40s.
MOBLEY: I was lucky enough to grow up in the retail side of the jewelry industry in my family’s business. I remember being 13 or 14 and getting a small white gold band with a few natural diamonds after begging for something for ages. I still have that ring. My current everyday pieces are my wedding band (a white gold, channel set diamond eternity band) stacked with a 24-karat gold handmade band my father made and I never take off. I also have a pink gold pavé diamond signet style pinky ring and a yellow gold paper clip bracelet with a single, diamond-covered link that never leaves me.
LILANI: My first memory of wearing jewelry was perhaps when I was five or six years old - I wore a silver chain and had an allergic reaction (probably to the alloys used with the silver) but to answer your question fully, I first started wearing jewelry when I was perhaps nine years old - I started wearing dog tags which had been engraved and I was so proud of them. Today, most of my personal jewelry is worn every day. I believe in wearing and enjoying, not sitting in the safe. Around my neck, I always wear a cartouche that my father wore for about 30 years before he passed away and I always wear two emeralds: one carved into a leaf motif and the other is a beautiful cabochon. On my wrists, I swap and change a bit more, but my antique Makara bangle is ever-present.
MONTIER LEBOUCHER: I started to wear jewelry when we created Viltier three years ago. I was a bit shy at first because I was not used to it but the more I wear it, the more I want to add on! In fact, I now have everyday jewelry that I wear including the first necklace we (Viltier) ever made. My grandmother had left me an emerald so we decided to make it into a casual pendant so I could wear it every day next to our signature Magnetic pendant in lapis and diamond. I recently added an oval-cut diamond to my stack with a shorter chain that I love! I also wear my edge bangle in rose gold.
“When I wear jewelry, I want to feel like myself - I instantly know if what I wear is right for me.”
THOMAS MONTIER LEBOUCHER, CO-FOUNDER & CEO OF VILTIER
WHY DO YOU WEAR JEWELRY AND HOW DO YOU WANT TO FEEL WHEN YOU WEAR IT?
ROOT: I don’t feel dressed without jewelry and when I wear it, I want to feel elegant but edgy.
MOBLEY: I don’t feel complete without it. It would be like leaving the house naked. There is no better way to express yourself and your style than jewelry; humans have done it for tens of thousands of years. There is something primal about it. Not to mention the compliments. When I wear jewelry, I want to feel put together. It’s like when you wear a new outfit for the first time and feel so confident, or you just had a great haircut or lost a few pounds and woke up feeling great. It’s like that, but every day. Not a day goes by when I’m in public that I’m not complimented on my jewelry.
LILANI: I wear jewelry to adorn myself with meaning and significance; emeralds have a huge importance in alchemy, an area I am fascinated by and spend a lot of time contemplating. When I wear jewelry, I want to feel spiritual and special.
MONTIER LEBOUCHER: I wear jewelry because each piece has different meanings for me and each piece is like my talisman or lucky charm. It also represents all the work we’ve put into our creations, so I am proud to show them to the world. When I wear jewelry, I want to feel like myself - I instantly know if what I wear is right for me.
SAMEER LILANI, MANAGING DIRECTOR AT AMRAPALI LONDON
“Today, most of my personal jewelry is worn every day. I believe in wearing and enjoying, not sitting in the safe. Around my neck, I always wear a cartouche that my father wore for about 30 years before he passed away and I always wear two emeralds: one carved into a leaf motif and the other is a beautiful cabochon. On my wrists, I swap and change a bit more, but my antique Makara bangle is ever-present.”
HAVE YOU NOTICED AN INCREASE IN MEN WEARING JEWELRY? IF SO, WHEN DID YOU FIRST NOTICE IT?
ROOT: I feel like men have always been wearing jewelry. Some of them wear chains but tuck them under their shirts. I've seen many of them wear heirloom signet rings but recently, I've noticed that men have become more experimental with their styling choices. I see men confidently wearing drop earrings and other jewelry pieces that were traditionally considered "feminine" a decade ago.
MOBLEY: There is no doubt. When I’m watching a red carpet, if a man doesn’t have jewelry, it just looks plain, as if something is missing. It seemed to really start snowballing five or so years ago, starting with celebrities and now with everyone. This is not a new phenomenon though. Fine jewelry was historically much more popular with men than with women. That switch only happened last century.
LILANI: Yes, absolutely. I think the first increase I noticed was perhaps 15 years ago, at a time when men were adorning themselves with ‘bling’ and flashy objects. Since then, the movement has grown and changed a lot.
MONTIER LEBOUCHER: Definitely! It’s been two years since I really noticed it, from my surroundings to the overall pop culture.
“I don’t feel dressed without jewelry and when I wear it, I want to feel elegant but edgy.”
George Root, Founder & Creative Director of Milamore
IN YOUR OPINION, WHO IN POP CULTURE IS PAVING THE WAY?
ROOT: As much as I love Harry Styles and Timothée Chalamet, I would say Japanese male pop stars from the 90s and early 2000s. They had longer black silky hair, smooth faces and minimal yet androgynous style.
MOBLEY: Luckily, many men in pop culture these days are, including Timothée Chalamet, Pharell, Harry Styles, Drake and MGK. The list is getting longer and longer as more and more celebrities realize that accessorizing with fine jewelry is the best way to elevate their look and set them apart.
LILANI: I feel Harry Styles is really breaking boundaries in a very stylish way.
MONTIER LEBOUCHER: I think that the recent wave of actors wearing beautiful jewelry pieces on the red carpet, like Timothée Chalamet, is really influencing how men wear jewelry today.
WHAT ARE SOME TRENDS YOU ARE SEEING IN MEN WEARING JEWELRY?
ROOT: Drop earrings.
MOBLEY: Diamond tennis necklaces have become a must-have. I am also seeing diamond tennis bracelets worn on the wrist with a watch. The classics like that are certainly trending as more and more men find their way into fine jewelry for the first time. Those also seem to be a gateway to more experimentation in fine jewelry. Diamond earrings and ear cuffs have also been popping up more and more as men realize there are so many more ways to wear earrings than a traditional piercing on the lobe. In fact, many cuffs and other earrings don't even require piercings, so it makes it much easier to experiment.
LILANI: Understated, carved stones, pieces with personal significance and meaning. Men are also embracing color.
MONTIER LEBOUCHER: The use of stones. Men's jewelry was always about the metal and now we are not afraid to wear actual stones such as sapphires, emeralds, diamonds, etc.
IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT PIECES OF JEWELRY ARE MOST POPULAR AMONG MEN?
ROOT: Signet rings, chains and bead bracelets.
MOBLEY: I wouldn’t say there is one thing that is most popular because that’s the beauty of jewelry. You are never going to look like anyone else because of the endless ways it can be mixed and matched to suit you. It is nice to see so many brooches these days though. I rarely go out without one.
LILANI: More and more bracelets - I think this trend of stacking bracelets is the way people are wearing fine jewelry more and more.
MONTIER LEBOUCHER: Bracelets and necklaces.
Grant Mobley, Jewelry & Watch Editor of Only Natural Diamonds & the Natural Diamond Council
“I wouldn’t say there is one thing that is most popular because that’s the beauty of jewelry. You are never going to look like anyone else because of the endless ways it can be mixed and matched to suit you. ”
WITH FASHION MONTH KICKING OFF THIS WEEK WITH NYFW, WHAT JEWELRY TRENDS DO YOU THINK WE CAN EXPECT ON THE STREET AND/OR THE RUNWAY?
ROOT: I definitely see more people feeling comfortable with layering lots of necklaces, both men and women. On the runway, I believe bold statement fashion jewelry will become a trend, including big earrings and cuffs. I have a feeling the 80s will make a big comeback again.
MOBLEY: We will definitely see a lot of diamond tennis necklaces and tennis bracelets. These pieces are a must-have and can act like a base in which to layer more unique pieces. I am also expecting to see men in bolder diamond necklaces and rings that were once considered to be more feminine as men realize how good those pieces look on them and frankly how ridiculous the notion is that a piece of jewelry would have a gender.
LILANI: I think in this day and age, there is a huge cross-pollination between runway and street. If we look at Pharrell’s first show for Louis Vuitton, the boundaries were blurred. I think stacking, wearability and creativity are the trends we will see. I think we are going through a period of where big luxury maisons have been dominating and I feel we are coming out of that or perhaps the consumer groups are splintering and some people are more interested in craftsmanship and individuality. For specific stones, I think vibrant colors mixed with pearls is the trend….
MONTIER LEBOUCHER: Bolder colors and use of stones.