Buying Jewelry For A Man

Sterling Silver
and 14k Yellow Gold
Cufflinks,
$75.

There's nothing more elegant than the sight of a man in a beautifully tailored suit, displaying just the right length of snowy white cuffs, accented with the perfect pair of cufflinks. Think of all the times he has picked out jewelry for you - surely it's time to find just the right pieces of jewelry for him. And, if he thinks that a 'real man' would never wear an attractive ring set with a gemstone, maybe he's been seeing too many movies about wise guys. Jewelry for men has come a long way from the days of massive gold pendants worn with open neck shirts unbuttoned down to there.

If your image of a man wearing jewelry is a watch on a chain being pulled out of your grandfather's watch pocket, have we got news for you! Today's man is far more likely to be wearing a sports watch that evokes Paul Newman in "Winning" or any one of the young turks now setting the Internet and financial worlds ablaze. And don't discount that pocket watch - they're making a quiet comeback for the young man who appreciates the gracious old gesture of checking the time. What a lovely contrast that is to a life lived in nanoseconds.

Sterling Silver Cufflinks
In Chess Board Design,
$90.

Before we get to watches, let's take a look at cufflinks, the item that comes closest to a pair of earrings. No, we're not suggesting that you try to clip them onto his lobes, but for men, collecting cufflinks is akin to women amassing earrings. There is always another pair you can't resist, another pair to fill out your collection. You only have one pair of ears but that doesn't stop you from buying a new design - why should he be any different?

One of the most delightful things about buying cufflinks is that you never have to worry about size - one size really does fit all. The choice is truly endless, limited only to those designs that will tickle his fancy. First, let's analyze this man of yours. Forget about his height and hair color (if he has any) or even the color of his eyes. Let's concentrate on the really important things: his interests, his hobbies, his obsessions, his toys.

Does he play golf, collect classic cars, play the stock market, enjoy a little bubbly now and then? There is a pair of cufflinks for each and every one of these interests - in fact, there's more than one. You'll find the classic "bull and bear" set, the bottle of champagne, the tiny golf clubs, the gold balls and the tees; you'll discover dice and playing cards. Then let's think about dogs and cats, painted on enamel, and sailor's knots for your yachtsman. Cufflinks in the shape of artfully tied knots can occupy a full shelf in his jewelry box.

If he doesn't want to wear his heart - or his hobby - on his sleeves, choose from beautiful classic designs that frame a slice of rich blue lapis lazuli or gleaming black onyx. For a dinner party, how about a pair of Tahitian black pearl cufflinks, gleaming against a snowy white French cuff.

Sterling Silver with 14K Yellow
Gold X-Cross Design Money
Clip Rhodium Plated,
$120.

There's nothing more elegant than the sight of a man in a beautifully tailored suit, displaying just the right length of snowy white cuffs, accented with the perfect pair of cufflinks. Think of all the times he has picked out jewelry for you - surely it's time to find just the right pieces of jewelry for him. And, if he thinks that a 'real man' would never wear an attractive ring set with a gemstone, maybe he's been seeing too many movies about wise guys. Jewelry for men has come a long way from the days of massive gold pendants worn with open neck shirts unbuttoned down to there.

Tie clips and tie tacs follow much the same path as cufflinks - just as men collect ties that reflect their interests and hobbies, and have a wardrobe of ties for various occasions, there's a world of tie clips available.

Whatever the width of this year's ties, tie clips are always appropriate. A tie clip is more than a decorative item needed to batten down the flapping ends of a tie although that is a very practical function. It's the perfect opportunity to express one's interests, and add a bit of sparkle to a man's wardrobe.

Is he a cigar smoker? Think about a beautiful gold cigar cutter, a neat little item that slips into his pocket. It's part of the connoisseurship of smoking a really fine cigar.

Now we come to that question of a ring. Whether or not he wears a wedding ring, even if he wants to keep wearing that college ring, there's still a tempting variety of styles to consider. Estate jewelry offers a selection of rings that suit the modern man who appreciates good wine, fine paintings, and excellent craftsmanship. It may be diamond set or made entirely of gold, but either way, rings offer another opportunity to express a man's personality. Is he bold and outgoing? Choose a ring to match. Is he elegant and sophisticated? You'll find a design with quiet, refined lines to echo his style. If he works with his hands - look for a ring that is smooth all around, and doesn't rise too high off the hand. If it's a ring he's going to wear after hours, a bit of flash is in order, perfect to spark a quietly refined dark suit or a tuxedo.

For formal wear, an elegant man wears his own stud set, even if his tuxedo is rented for the occasion. Taking the place of buttons, studs offer men one of the rare chances to wear jewelry on a formal shirt. A stud set may be black onyx or another gemstone, set in gold or platinum. Many stud sets have matching cufflinks but you may also look for a set to complement his best cufflinks.

And finally, of course, we come to men's watches. There's no doubt that your man already owns a watch - perhaps even two. They take care of the need to know what time it is. But a wardrobe of watches would delight any man and here the sky is the limit. He doesn't have to be a rocket scientist to enjoy a watch full of complications - that's the watch word for all those dials that tell more than just the time. Even if he never times so much as a three-minute egg, there's very few men who don't like to see all those little dials on the watch face. Moon phasewatches offer wonderful design opportunities as do watches that have stopwatch functions. The choice of numerals - Arabic or Roman - gives a watch face character as does the shape of the watch case itself. Round is certainly the basic shape, but it's just the beginning. Rectangular or "tank" shape watches are elegant while tonneau shapes that evoke a cask of wine definitely have a masculine look, and offer a nice alternative to the classic round watch.

Stainless steel watches are the basic black of the watch world. These rugged styles are attractive and easy to wear. A wardrobe of men's watches would include both a steel bracelet watch as well as a fine gold watch on a leather band and perhaps a platinum watch set with diamonds. No one waits for his retirement to acquire a beautiful gold watch - what was that all about anyway? Just when it didn't matter what time it was, the man about to enjoy his leisure was given a gold watch. Today, the man enjoys his gold watch while he's on the job. How practical, and how beautiful.

Now, both of you can have a wish list of jewelry items you'd like to be given for our birthday, your anniversary, the next business deal, or just to say those wonderful words, "I love you."

View our elegant "Gifts For Him"