Events & AwardsMay 27, 2026
5 Security Tips for Las Vegas Jewelry Market Week 2026This year, it’s what could happen outside of show hours that worries JSA Executive Vice President Scott Guginsky.
TrendsJan 03, 2019
2018’s Best Jewelry Read Was for the Boys
“Jewelry for Gentleman” celebrates the jewelry styles that have passed the test of time and shows how tastemakers are wearing them in the 21st century.
Thames & Hudson released “Jewelry for Gentleman” in September. It celebrates the jewelry styles that have stood the test of time and shows how tastemakers are wearing them in the 21st century. This image shows a 42-carat Gemfields sugarloaf cabochon emerald ring that opens to reveal frogs kissing on lily pads. (Image courtesy of Thames & Hudson)
London—In “Jewelry for Gentlemen,” released last September by Thames & Hudson, author James Sherwood writes, “a fourteenth-century BC solid-gold signet ring carved deeply with the hieroglyph of Tutankhamun could pass unnoticed in the jewelry section of Dover Street Market.”
It’s with this eye for timelessness that Sherwood delves into the world of men’s jewelry in the 21st century, examining the styles that have lasted the test of time to survive in an era when men are wearing jewelry far less than in preceding centuries.
It’s with this eye for timelessness that Sherwood delves into the world of men’s jewelry in the 21st century, examining the styles that have lasted the test of time to survive in an era when men are wearing jewelry far less than in preceding centuries.
A Victorian diamond 12-ray star brooch from Bentley & Skinner, centered on a 0.65-carat old brilliant-cut diamond, circa 1870, with tailoring by Henry Poole & Co. (Image courtesy of Thames & Hudson)Considering the dearth of men’s jewelry today, Sherwood highlights how some modern male tastemakers are successfully adding jewelry to their outfits, whether it be model Lucky Blue Smith, pictured at a Paris Fashion Week party in 2016 draped in artful layers of chains and bracelets, or actor Tom Hardy at a 2017 film premiere with a smart antique yellow gold, ruby and diamond tie slide adorning his Gucci outfit.
Sherwood contrasts these modern adaptations with their earlier era counterparts.
For example, on the subject of men’s ring placement, the author illustrates the Duke of Windsor’s preference for Cartier’s tri-color gold Trinity Ring, which he wore on his left pinky during his courtship with Wallis Simpson in the 1930s. The ring bore the inscription, “Darling Wallis.”
The style remains one of Cartier’s most popular styles for men today.
The tome also highlights a group of prominent designers shaping the landscape for men’s jewelry today: Ara Vartanian, Shaun Leane, Stephen Webster and Solange Azagury-Partridge, to name a few.
Divided into chapters dictated by jewelry categories, like rings; stick pins, studs and slides; and chains and pendants; “Jewelry for Gentleman” expertly weaves the old and the contemporary into a cohesive narrative that feels utterly relevant to today’s style and trends.
Sherwood explains in the book’s introduction, “Jewelry for Gentlemen celebrates times and tastes past that modern men have adapted and restyled for the twenty-first century. It also showcases pieces of jewelry that will be future heirlooms, as made by modern masters.”
Sherwood is a style journalist who currently contributes to the Financial Times and the International Herald Tribune. He’s written several books on men’s style, with a focus on tailoring and jewelry.
“Jewelry for Gentleman” is available through Thames & Hudson. The hardcover book’s 256 pages contain more than 400 illustrations, 300 of which are in color. It sells for $45.
(Image courtesy of Thames & Hudson)
More on Trends
The Latest
ColumnistsMay 27, 2026
What Jewelers Can Learn From Luxury Fashion’s Digital PlaybookHigh-end fashion houses know how to emotionally connect with customers online. Retail jewelers should take note, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
Events & AwardsMay 27, 2026
Couture’s ‘The Iridescence’ Will Showcase 7 Emerging Jewelry DesignersThe designers are the third cohort of mentees from the show’s Belonging @ Couture mentorship program.
Brought to you by
All Eyes on Gold Prices. Alternatives to Look For. And What to BEWARE of in VegasAs gold prices rise, today’s retailers are looking for alternatives at prices that will appeal to wider audiences.
ColumnistsMay 26, 2026
The Key Mindset for Better Trade Show BuyingBuying discipline at trade shows starts with clarity about your inventory levels, Smith writes.
Weekly QuizMay 21, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsMay 26, 2026
12 JCK Talks Sessions to Add to Your Las Vegas ScheduleThe trade show’s education series returns, with sessions on retail trends, AI, watches, marketing, corporate responsibility, and more.
Events & AwardsMay 26, 2026
CBG Brings Its Curated Designer Project to Las Vegas ShowThe Curated Designer Project has expanded to highlight eight independent jewelry designers during CBG’s Las Vegas show.
Brought to you by
How Modern Training Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage for Jewelry RetailersWith the trade and customer trust in mind, GIA® developed NextGem™ – on-demand training designed specifically for retail.
Events & AwardsMay 22, 2026
Instore Buys JA New York ShowThe deal closed this week, which means Instore will produce the JA NY show slated to take place this fall.
FinancialsMay 22, 2026
Richemont’s Jewelry Brands Lead the Charge in Q4The company’s jewelry sales were up in Q4 and the fiscal year, with Richemont raising prices in part because of the cost of gold.
CollectionsMay 22, 2026
Leigh Maxwell Celebrates 5 Years at Couture With ‘Bauble’ CollectionThe “Bauble” capsule collection of colorful one-of-a-kinds includes our Piece of the Week, the “Bauble” earrings, featuring rose zircon.
MajorsMay 22, 2026
Stuller’s New Packaging, Display Catalog Is Out The updated catalog has a newly dedicated section for gift wrapping.
PodcastsMay 21, 2026
Episode 5: Sotheby’s Frank Everett Puts the Auction Market in PerspectiveEverett covers colored stones’ surging popularity, the mellow return of the “Mellon Blue,” and his “The Devil Wears Prada” doppelgänger.
IndependentsMay 21, 2026
Springer’s Jewelers’ New Flagship Will Serve Next-Gen Luxury ShoppersFourth-generation CEO Lilly Mullen wants to emphasize experience, connection, and personalized service.
Events & AwardsMay 21, 2026
JA Announces Nina Pugliese Memorial ScholarshipThe new award, created in partnership with Henne Jewelers, honors the late designer’s legacy through supporting jewelry education.
SourcingMay 21, 2026
Botswana, Angola Join WFDBThe addition of the diamond-producing countries as nation affiliated members broadens the federation’s global representation, WFDB said.
CrimeMay 20, 2026
NYPD Warns of Jewelry Swap Scams Targeting SeniorsThe NYPD is warning elderly New Yorkers to keep their jewelry hidden when walking outside to avoid being a target.
IndependentsMay 20, 2026
Adornment & Theory’s New Store Feels Like Home Designer Viviana Langhoff has realized her dream of owning a space for her Chicago jewelry store that looks and feels like her brand.
Events & AwardsMay 20, 2026
Here Is Couture’s 2026 Education Lineup The sessions will run from Friday, May 29, to Sunday, May 31, with one being a live taping of an episode of Couture’s podcast.
Lab-GrownMay 20, 2026
Savannah Friedkin Jewelry Names New CEOFormer Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry executive Morgan P. Richardson is joining the lab-grown diamond jewelry brand.
WatchesMay 19, 2026
Here’s the AP x Swatch Pocket Watch That Caused PandemoniumThe $400 pocket watch is a blend of Audemars Piguet’s iconic eight-sided Royal Oak and Swatch’s unserious Pop watches from the ‘80s.
CollectionsMay 19, 2026
Chris Ploof’s New Collection Makes an Ancient Metal ModernWith gold prices on the rise, the “Modern Electrum” collection uses an alternative, non-tarnishing metal alloy composed of gold and silver.
IndependentsMay 19, 2026
Ellen and Michael Fruchtman Retire, Sell Marketing Agency Fruchtman Marketing has new owners, Erin Moyer-Carballea and Manuel Carballea, and will relocate to Miami.
ColumnistsMay 19, 2026
Peter Smith: The (Mostly) Immutable Sales TruthsIn a column for the 2026 State of the Majors issue, Smith lists 10 time-tested principles about sales that still ring true.
ColumnistsMay 18, 2026
Edahn Golan: What a K-Shaped Economy Means for Fine JewelryIn a column for the 2026 State of the Majors issue, Golan spells out how the growing economic divide in the U.S. is reshaping the market.
CollectionsMay 18, 2026
Foundrae’s New Collection Taps Into JoyThe “Limitless Expansion of Joy and Hope” collection evokes summer through colored gemstones and motifs of butterflies and florals.
CollectionsMay 18, 2026
Hancocks London Acquires Historic ‘Inchiquin’ EmeraldThe jewel, circa 1890, is from the late Victorian era and was owned by descendants of the last high king of Ireland.
