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Jewelry: Not Just For Women

By Jason Tye

The first thing that comes to mind when the word jewelry is mentioned is women. Jewelry, for the longest time, has always been associated with women. However, history disproves this since the fascination for jewelry was also shared by men in the early times. Ancient kings and male members of the nobility were fond of jewelry since such valuable pieces were a symbol of wealth, power, and influence. They wore extravagant earrings, necklaces, bracelets, anklets, and crowns. They donned clothes lavished with gemstones. Even their weapons were embellished with precious metals. But for some time, the attitude towards jewelry-wearing changed. Society expected men to have nothing of that fancy stuff. However, the men of today are slowly gaining back the confidence in wearing jewelry that they once had.

Nowadays, there is virtually no end to the kinds and designs of jewelry available to men. Men are now more at ease with wearing jewelry. In fact, most are not content with the usual watch anymore. They are now more comfortable with complementing their outfits with matching jewelry. Common items that men are given or even shop for themselves include watches, bracelets, earrings, chains, rings, cufflinks, and money clips. The trend is increasingly becoming so popular that the men’s jewelry industry experienced a growth of 20 percent in the past few years. As such, established brands of jewelry, such as Bulgari and Cartier, have released more items for the male category. In addition, newer brands are being introduced to the market to cater to the increased demand for men’s jewelry.

Jewelry experts say that a fusion between old and new styles is emerging. New materials, designs, and types of jewelry have become more socially acceptable for men. The jewelry industry has indeed taken advantage of the growing awareness of gender equality. Materials, such as pearls, that once were only used in making women’s jewelry are now being utilized in men’s accessories, but paired with more “manly” materials like leather. Classic pieces, such as cufflinks, were once made only in gold, silver, and platinum. But now, other colorful stones such as rubies, garnets, and diamonds adore the once plain cufflink as a testament to elegant, contemporary masculinity. Even stainless steel, which was only seen in watches before, is increasingly being incorporated into fine men’s jewelry because of its platinum-like shine, durability, and affordability.

But these pieces of men’s jewelry are not just limited for celebrities and athletes. Since jewelry is now the “in” thing, more and more men are inclined to wear the fancy stuff. The jewelry that is created nowadays caters to different market segments. There are those appropriate for a specific occupation. Jewelry for businessmen is different from that which is for rock stars. There are also those that are appropriate for a certain age group.

So don’t be shocked if one day, every man you meet is wearing some form of accessory. Jewelry-wearing is a trend that is becoming more and more accepted and popular. It is actually not surprising, since jewelry carries with it the message that the wearer is rich, confident, influential, and handsome.

About the Author: © 2008 Jason Tye. Jason Tye is the webmaster and owner of the mens jewelry emporium - homme rock, specializing in quality, designer jewelry and rings, for men.

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=223592&ca=Arts+and+Crafts

Men’s Jewelry Breaks the Rules

Copyright © 2008 Jodi Goldberg

Anodized titanium. Stainless steel mesh. Rivets. Carbon fiber. Steel cable. Sound like shop class? These are the tough, nontraditional materials that are breaking all the rules and giving men’s jewelry a whole new attitude.

Not so long ago, gold, platinum, and silver were the only metals used for fine jewelry, Now, jewelry designers are mixing “precious” and “nonprecious” materials with complete abandon. Diamonds get a more rugged, industrial feel by setting them in steel or titanium. Surprising accents of leather, cable, wood, and even rubber give a sleek, sexy edge that appeals to men’s growing sense of adventure and daring when it comes to wearing fine jewelry.

Edward Mirell, a sophisticated, fashion-forward jewelry line, offers artistic designs featuring enticing accents of diamonds, colored gemstones, steel cable, and weathered leather. The line primarily features titanium, a lightweight, durable, scratch-resistant alternative to gold and silver. A patented anodizing technique creates a rich array of accent colors and a pure black titanium that’s completely unique to the collection.

For a walk on the wild side, designer Catherine Zaydeh offers the Fiero collection, which features bold animal-inspired designs in sterling silver and yellow gold with alligator skin bands. Her Buffalo Horn collection showcases jewelry adorned with jet-black strands of hand-carved water buffalo horn combined with white, yellow, or rose gold.

Italian design firm FIBO Steel offers sleek stainless-steel pieces with a hip, urban attitude. Steel offers a look similar to platinum, but it has better resistance to scratches and stands up to aggressive wear. Leather, gold, rubber, and carbon fiber accent edgy razor blade motifs and pieces inspired by computer circuit boards.

Porsche Design’s pure, clean-lined pieces appeal to the discerning man who loves the perfect combination of engineering and technology. The “Grooves” collection features rings that are ergonomically designed for ultimate comfort, a bracelet that boasts a magnetic steel catch, and a water-tight stainless steel pendant that screws open for storing personal documents.

Frederick Goldman Inc., offers a collection of men’s jewelry inspired by design motifs used in NASCAR (the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing). The pieces are inspired by materials taken straight from the races–stainless steel with black finishes, 14k gold accents, and the driver’s racing numbers. Featured drivers include Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne, JJ Yeley, and Denny Hamlin. The collection includes bracelets, rings, dog-tag pendants, key chains, and money clips.

Aviation aficionados will gravitate toward the Fly Naked with Reichen collection, which features titanium jewelry made from the same materials used to build airplanes. Each of the sleek black or gray titanium pieces is offered in a propeller motif or the provocative “Fly Naked” graphics. The line is inspired by Reichen Lehmkuhl, best-known as a million-dollar winner of CBS’s /The Amazing Race./

For motorcycle enthusiasts, Von Dutch Watches presents a line of triple-chrome stainless-steel timepieces with a highly polished finish that painstakingly mimics the chrome piping on classic Von Dutch motorcycles. Bold enamel flames, gothic numbers, diamond detailing, and gas tank motifs complete the edgy yet sophisticated look.

Today’s jewelry for men offers endless opportunities to showcase personal style and stand out from the pack. You can bet your grandpa’s pocket watch on that.

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