So you’re interested in buying jewelry for the man in your life. Well, let me offer you some advice on tackling this task. It’s important to buy the right thing because what you buy will be a reflection of him to the outside world which in turn will be a reflection of you because you bought it for him. So here are some general guidelines to stick to when buying man jewelry. 

 

TO START

Jewelry is an accessory. They are meant to accent a person’s clothes and/or style. So use them as such. But remember they are not necessary. At the end of the day, a man doesn’t have to wear the jewelry. 

Know his style. If he’s bohemian chic, buy him jewelry that’s bohemian chic. It’s easier picking out jewelry when you know his style. Knowing his style will also narrow where to look or what brands makes that style of jewelry. If you’re trying to change/improve his style or this is your first time buying him jewelry then it’s another story. Keep reading if you’re trying to do the later. 

Know the purpose. Sometimes it helps to know if you’re trying to buy jewelry for a specific purpose. Just because your man is sporty doesn’t mean give him a sport style watch to wear with his business suit. Instead, try to find something that’s sporty yet refine.

STYLE TIPS

Keep it conservative. This does not meaning boring. It means stay away from jewelry that’s overly flashy, gaudy, quirky, or juvenile (unless you know that’s his style). This type of jewelry doesn’t always paint a strong, sophisticated look. 

Think simple yet elegant. Simplicity is never a bad thing. Yes, it can be boring. However, you can always dress it up. Plus, it will never go out of style. To avoid getting jewelry that’s boring, find jewelry that’s traditional in appearance yet has that one thing that makes it different. Unfortunately, you can not dress down over the top jewelry (unless you take it off). 

Match metals. Always try to match the metal of jewelry with one another. Silver with silver, gold with gold. Belt buckles are the best thing to match with jewelry because it gives him a consistency in his look. Plus, a man always wears a belt (or at least he should). 

Look for quality. Quality usually corresponds to the craftsmanship of the jewelry and the quality of materials used to make it. And don’t be afraid to pay for it. You can tell when jewelry doesn’t quite shine the way it should, seems unfinished with rugged finishes or edges, or just thrown together (you can see dry glue oozing out the side). Don’t buy that one.

Ask another man. Still in doubt, ask another man’s opinions. Whether it’s your father, brother, or the gentlemen walking pass, it gives you a gauge to see if it’s good taste versus bad.

 

TYPES OF JEWELRY

 

 

Watchesxefxbcx8cThe watch is as the icon piece of jewelry for men. Majority of men wear them, and most men feel more than comfortable complimenting another man’s watch. More than likely, you’ll buy a man a watch. 

With watches, there’s the face, the face shape/size, the band, and the metal color that make the design elements. Along with these design elements, there’s traditional and contemporary style. 

Traditional style includes a round face, analog (non digital), leather band, and gold plating. Contemporary style includes a rectangle face, larger face, digital, rubber or metal band, and silver plating. Of course, there are some that takes the traditional and make the contemporary such as a leather band that’s extra wide or distressed leather. 

Try finding a watch that mixes a traditional watch with one contemporary element or vice versa. For instance, I have a contemporary watch that combined an analog face yet it displayed the hands of the clock digitally. It made a bold statement and that’s what you want from a watch.

 

 

Necklacesxefxbcx8cWith necklaces, go with a simple chain usually a precious metal. The length should reach around the collar bone. He should be able to tuck it under his shirt easily. So that means no super long chains and don’t add a cross, emblem, or charm at the end. However, necklaces with a different texture are nice. Stay away from chokers or ones with a lot of beading or made of twill material. Those are overly trendy and meant for young men. And stick with wearing only one necklace at a time.

The same goes for bracelets as necklaces. It should be loose around the wrist, but can be tucked under his sleeve. Preferably thin and not too thick. No charms. You don’t want a man walking around with his bracelets clanging. And that means only one bracelet too.

Ringsxefxbcx8cOnly one ring. Hopefully that’s his wedding band. Most men don’t wear rings. So I would stay away from buying him one. If he wants to wear another ring, then let it be one per hand, and he needs to wear it on the middle or ring finger. Try to have the ring with a simple design or wider band to give it style.

Other jewelry such as cuff links or tie pins/clips. It’s more important that this piece of jewelry matches with other jewelry especially the metals. Also, it’s never a bad idea to have these pieces with monograms.

All in all, it’s best to go with your instincts while using this as a guide. Ask the salesman which jewelry are the most popular styles. And if all other fails and he doesn’t like it, just take it back and get him something else or take him with you to pick out something. You’ll rather have him pick out something that he wears than something that sits in his jewelry box and collects dust.