Diamonds are priceless, but are they also genderless? If you view recent trends on the mark, which have shown that men’s gold, silver, and diamond jewelry is becoming part of mainstream fashion, then it would seem that all signs point to yes.As such, more and more jewelry boutiques and shops are adding a section just for men. Although not as big, these sections include the same items that women can purchase, including watches, rings, necklaces, and more.
If you open any magazine, you can find a picture of at least one guy wearing a piece of diamond jewelry. More importantly, these men are your average males, not just models. This jewelry is far from feminine with thick lines, diverse materials, and masculine designs.
In fact, style plays a large part in diamond jewelry designs for men. From country to Celtic, urban to professional, men can now find diamond accessories for everything from your suit to your sweats.
This has not always been the trend, though. In the past, very few men wore jewelry, and those who did were stereotyped to a line of jewelry that included pinky rings, gold chains, or other similar types of jewelry. Moreover, judgments were made that determined everything about them, including their personalities, by the type of jewelry that they chose to wear.
However, this quickly changed as more celebrities stepped out in high-quality, diamond jewelry lines. Some of the more popular celebrities to sport diamond jewelry include David Beckham, Justin Timberlake, and Brad Pitt. Countless hip hop artists and rappers like Jay-Z, Wyclef Jean, Kayne West, and 50 Cent.
There are several different types of mainstream diamond jewelry that men can wear. One of the more common types is one or more diamond earrings. Large diamond studs are a popular accessory for men and are worn with gold or silver posts.
Rappers and other entertainers have long held a love of diamond jewelry. More recently dubbed “bling,” in this circle, diamond jewelry can include accessories like chains with large diamond pendants, crosses, or letters. Bling is best known for its ostentatious appearance and is found paired with every type of outfit.
Bling can also include diamond encrusted rings, which can be shaped to look like a specific item or can be kept in a traditional setting. Many times, the number of diamonds a man wears, and the way in which they wear it, is a status symbol in the entertainment world.
Typically, there are two types of diamond jewelry: flashy and subtle. Most flashy jewelry falls under the bling category and has multiple, small diamonds adorning the item. Other, subtle jewelry, limits the number of diamonds per piece to accent the watch or necklace, rather than define it.
Subtle jewelry often includes a simple cross necklace or a tasteful set of diamond cuff links. It can also include a watch. While most men find the time on their cell phones or PDAs, they find themselves still wearing a watch as a way to accessorize their outfit.
A watch is another popular type of diamond jewelry for men. Much like any type of jewelry, a watch can have subtle diamonds or a full-on diamond look. Most men’s watches will have one to four diamonds in the face to dictate the quarter-part of time. Others will have diamonds surrounding the dial of the face or along the band line.
In addition to diamond jewelry, other materials, like titanium, stainless steel, leather, and even tungsten, are becoming popular with men. These materials are used to make men’s rings, wristbands, and neck chains. Men’s jewelry is often made in darker colors, which appear to be more masculine, especially in regard to watches or rings.
With trends turning to men becoming customers for themselves and not just their significant others, more and more designers are creating diamond jewelry lines specifically with an appeal to men. Ranging in prices, men can purchase jewelry from Foxy Original, Harry Winston, Cartier, and more.
While men’s diamond jewelry only makes up a small part of the diamond market, it has received a surge in the past few years that has allowed it to become its own distinct market. Currently, there are a number of different designers and jewelry lines available that make men’s and women’s jewelry distinguishable.
With gold prices on the rise, it is more than likely that gold and diamond jewelry will also find prices going up to compensate. However, loose diamonds are going to become more and more affordable until the market makes its next turn.
Although each man has to come to terms with his own ability to wear diamond jewelry, it looks as if the trends are pointing to a day where diamonds are not just for rappers or women, but for everyone that has an interest in looking attractive.
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