THE JOURNAL
Sure, diamonds are a girl’s best friend. But it turns out that men are pretty well acquainted with them, too. The long relationship between men and gemstones dates back to around 1600 BC when the Greeks began using emeralds, rubies and sapphires imported via the Silk Road in jewellery. While they’ve since dotted crowns and ceremonial garb, it’s with the recent rise of streetwear that sensational jewels and watches have fully infiltrated the men’s style scene, says Mr Maxim De Turckheim, Head Jewellery Buyer at MR PORTER. “Celebrities such as Pharrell [Williams] and Tyler, the Creator have been at the forefront of this trend, wearing custom-made necklaces with huge rocks (more than 100 carats) as well as bracelets and rings full of big, coloured stones. Now even the most classically dressed man is starting to think about whether he can rock a gemstone – and he can certainly start small with a single stone pendant.”
From architectural ear pieces to soft, organic forms, blackened diamonds or technicoloured rainbow gradients, there’s a gem for everyone. Here are five different ways to wear one of the world’s most beloved stones.
01.
Coloured stones
The modern way to look at precious stones is through a kaleidoscope. Forget flawlessness – playful irreverence is the updated approach and with the rainbow of technicoloured diamonds and gemstones available, designers are really maxing out the spectrum for full fun factor. Take the Equinox ring from MAOR by LA designer Mr Maor Cohen, which combines glossy green with blue, yellow and pink sapphires and red rubies, for instance. In a slim-fit yellow gold band it’s discreetly daring. Worn solo it’s the perfect way to dip a toe into the trend, but it’s also a striking addition to a mix-and-match stack.
02.
Tennis bracelets
The tennis bracelet – a narrow strip of pavé diamonds worn around the wrist – has undergone a rebrand of late. Its moniker has very little to do with the sport itself but hails from an infamous moment during the 1987 US Open, when champion Ms Christine Marie Evert lost just such a piece while competing and stopped play to find it – the name stuck and the item became synonymous with women of the American social elite. Today designers like Mr Magnus Thorud the Norwegian founder of fine jewellery brand KOLOURS JEWELRY, are switching up the bracelet’s prissier past: pairing minimalist cast-gold (including unorthodox yellow gold) settings with daring coloured diamonds (think yellow, dazzling green or even fiery orange as with the brand’s Spectra range). The result is a delicate but unexpected twist on the Upper East Side classic.
03.
Go big or go home
Not everyone will want their diamonds to be discreet, of course – many prefer their precious stones to catch the eye and hold its gaze. In such cases, the setting is significant. Unlike in traditional fine jewellery design, where the surrounding metal casing is designed to reveal as much of the sides of the diamond as possible – thus letting maximum light through the stone – contemporary designers are veering towards weightier metal settings for a chunkier feel. Take this thick white gold, diamond-inlaid chain bracelet by mother-daughter design-duo SHAY – its whopping 18.20 carats of diamonds and sleek but hefty link design make this piece a showstopper of the highest order.
04.
One big gem
Since taking over Repossi, the legendary Turin jewellery house founded by her great-grandfather in 1920, artistic and creative director Ms Gaia Repossi has become renowned for an elegant, architectural approach to design that errs ever so slightly on the side of punk. Her Serti Sur Vide Ear Cuff in blackened gold is an exquisite example: it spotlights a large pear-cut diamond, which is suspended as if floating above a slim pavé band – at once opulent and restrained. The contrast between the blackened gold and the sparkling clear diamonds makes for a graphic effect, bringing edge and unpredictability to a look with minimal effort.
05.
Black diamonds
Blackened diamonds are an increasingly popular approach to gemstones in the men’s fine jewellery category – but that needn’t come with sharp edges or a prototypically macho approach. Copenhagen-based designer Ms Orit Elhanati sets her brilliant-cut stones within soft, hand-finished 18-karat gold pieces – as with her Tokyo Ring – using traditional hammering techniques that yield an organic feel. While the diamonds get this compelling hue from an artificial treatment process, the piece feels time-worn, almost ancient. And though the ring’s large platform setting makes a bold sovereign-like statement, upon closer inspection its softened edges offer further intrigue.