Men’s chains have always been popular from the disco era of the seventies to the hip hop era of big dookie gold chains. Classic links like mens curb link chains, mens 14k rope chains, men’s Gucci chains and mens figaro chains to name a few. Mens gold chains in these basic links have always been worn by themselves or with pendants or dog tags attached. Mens chain links are now more popular in white gold than in yellow and there has been some movement away from these basic gold chains for men to more streamlined links like the modified box links that David Yurman uses. These type of links are more cylindrical and move about the neck more freely rather than sitting flat like a figaro does.

Other popular chains for men include bizantine. This has always been a masculine chain. It’s square profile and limited flexibility has made it a great men chain to wear by itself. It’s a little stiff but has great body and lays in a nice loop without flopping all over the place like regular chain links do. It’s also great for pendants though the pendant should be an attention grabber because the business of the bizantine’s link structure can take away from the impact of dog tag or pendant that is small and has muted styling.

Rope and the more popular diamond cut rope chain is a classic in all guages. It is masculine yet subtle enough for charms and dog tags that are not very loud. Simple dog tags look great on rope chain. The big dookie hollow rope chains are out and have been out for a long time. They do look rather stupid. Silver chains for men are now the big thing because the price of gold is so high. Diamond cut rope chains that are rhodiumed look a lot like white gold till you actually hold them in your hand and then the weight gives it away.

Mens silver chain like the solid rolo is a great all purpose mens necklace. It is flexible and doesn’t catch on chest hair like the bizantine and rope can. It also cannot be broken by bending because it is a link chain. It is more masculine in the larger gauges and simple in style so it doesn’t overwhelm the charm or dog tag that is being showcased. other mens silver chains like the round wheat and the cable are great looking chains for hanging any pendant. The styles are both understated yet they can be worn by themselves and still look good. The great thing about sterling silver mens chains is that you will never have to resort to a hollow version of your favourite link because the solid gold necklaces are too pricey. Sterling Silver is inexpensive enough that large gauge wheat, rope and rolo style mens necklaces can still be bought at reasonable prices in the $200 to $400 range.

Titanium mens chains and stainless steel mens chains necklaces and even bracelets have become popular alternatives to white gold necklaces for men. Sometimes the bright, off white  look of silver doesn’t seem masculine enough and so many men end up purchasing the stainless steel chains not because they are cheaper but because the grayer metal tones seem more masculine and attractive.

A man wedding ring can be a simple precious metal band in white gold or yellow gold. More often nowadays alternative metals seems to be all the rage in the men wedding ring styles of today. Titanium and palladium man wedding rings are some viable alternatives that men are leaning towards because of the diversity of finishes and metal colors available. Men often don’t want to worry about their white gold wedding band needing another plating of rhodium down the road and so palladium has become a viable alternative to white gold.

This metal runs half the price of gold yet it belongs to the platinum group of noble metals. It is a naturally pure white metal that does not need to be plated like white gold does. it also does not develop that gray patina that platinum does over a few years that makes platinum look dull and in need of a polish.

Palladium, unlike titanium and steel is a precious metal and has the same specific gravity as gold so it feels just like white gold but without the rhodiuming issues. It is also a more workable metal for a jeweler unlike titanium which is so hard many jeweler don’t want to work on it.

Steel is not as hard as titanium but is has its own setting challenges. Palladium on the other hand, though not as malleable as white gold is still accepted by jewelers as a workable metal for stone setting. It is a good alternative to white gold for fashioning a man diamond wedding ring. Unlike the gold man wedding ring, palladium wedding rings cannot be cast with diamonds in place. This  is a good thing because sometimes diamonds get damaged from this method of setting and it is always preferable to work the finished metal and set the stones in the final product.

Palladium is 95% pure and is hypoallergenic unlike some gold alloys in 14k and even 18k that can react with the skin and produce an allergic reaction in some people. Palladium does not tarnish like silver does and so is good for intricate designs where some areas may be hard to reach in order to clean. palladium has a  nice white color that also enhances the look of diamonds in a man’s wedding ring.

Unlike titanium and steel, Palladium weeding rings can be carved with intricate designs using a regular jewelers graver if a man wants something that is a one of a kind or custom piece. Hand carving steel or titanium is so difficult and hard on a jeweler’s hands and tools that a jeweler will not even attempt such a feat.

Men of today are more open to fashion forward styling than ever before. Today’s man is more confident and expressive in his choice of jewelry and younger men are particularly going for edgier looks in mens silver rings. Some of the trend in mens silver jewelry include blackened silver, unusual stones from included quartzes and black diamonds to fossils. Some of the designers that come to mind are David Yurman and John Hardy. They both have mens silver rings that show a radical departure in styling from the cheaper run of the mill silver rings. They also use stones like black diamonds and black sapphires along with unusual textures and finishes on the silver. The use of blackened silver and animal skin textures like crocodile and rhinoceros to form part of the design redefines the typical mens silver ring. It introduces edgy styling with unusual elements that appeal strongly to men who are looking for something different.

Men’s silver rings are all about texture, theme and elements. Exotic stones like tiger iron and pietersite makes an earthy statement that is subdued yet natural and not too shiny. Similarly mens silver earrings that are not hoops show similar aspirations with the use of black diamonds for an elegant but definitely male look that is edgy yet subdued because the diamonds are black. Mens silver diamond rings are quite popular because of the price point and because sterling silver is more easily styled with organic designs that suit black pave diamond settings.

Mens sterling silver rings designers are also big into rock and roll styling. Designers like Stephen Webster likes to wrap his themes around mens silver onyx rings with his “Rock Star” ring in sterling silver and black onyx. He is one of the pioneers in this type of jewelry design. His other mens sterling silver ring designs include his signature silver thorn rotating band and thorn sterling silver ring reasonably priced in the $250 range. Mens silver wedding rings are also his specialty with his rayskin band with black sapphires and his square heartbreaker thorn band. His themes are a bit more bare edged than more conservative designers like John Hardy,

Mens silver signet rings are more about the texture on the shoulders of the ring. Signet rings can be plain or with a stone on top. the plain rings may have a design on top like some mens silver Celtic rings have the classic Celtic knot motif or the claddagh motif. Because mens signet rings are square and typically wide, all that shoulder real estate is put to good use by sporting some interesting textures like stingray skin textures or a simple engraving. What makes the textures work is the blackened silver or the use of black antiquing to to add relief to the textured  silver surface.Men of today are more open to fashion forward styling than ever before. Today’s man is more confident and expressive in his choice of jewelry and younger men are particularly going for edgier looks in mens silver rings. Some of the trend in mens silver jewelry include blackened silver, unusual stones from included quartzes and black diamonds to fossils. Some of the designers that come to mind are David Yurman and John Hardy. They both have mens silver rings that show a radical departure in styling from the cheaper run of the mill silver rings. They also use stones like black diamonds and black sapphires along with unusual textures and finishes on the silver. The use of blackened silver and animal skin textures like crocodile and rhinoceros to form part of the design redefines the typical mens silver ring. It introduces edgy styling with unusual elements that appeal strongly to men who are looking for something different.

Men’s silver rings are all about texture, theme and elements. Exotic stones like tiger iron and pietersite makes an earthy statement that is subdued yet natural and not too shiny. Similarly mens silver earrings that are not hoops show similar aspirations with the use of black diamonds for an elegant but definitely male look that is edgy yet subdued because the diamonds are black. Mens silver diamond rings are quite popular because of the price point and because sterling silver is more easily styled with organic designs that suit black pave diamond settings.

Mens sterling silver rings designers are also big into rock and roll styling. Designers like Stephen Webster likes to wrap his themes around mens silver onyx rings with his “Rock Star” ring in sterling silver and black onyx. He is one of the pioneers in this type of jewelry design. His other mens sterling silver ring designs include his signature silver thorn rotating band and thorn sterling silver ring reasonably priced in the $250 range. Mens silver wedding rings are also his specialty with his rayskin band with black sapphires and his square heartbreaker thorn band. His themes are a bit more bare edged than more conservative designers like John Hardy,

Mens silver signet rings are more about the texture on the shoulders of the ring. Signet rings can be plain or with a stone on top. the plain rings may have a design on top like some mens silver Celtic rings have the classic Celtic knot motif or the claddagh motif. Because mens signet rings are square and typically wide, all that shoulder real estate is put to good use by sporting some interesting textures like stingray skin textures or a simple engraving. What makes the textures work is the blackened silver or the use of black antiquing to to add relief to the textured  silver surface.

Mens gold rings used to be popular in yellow gold with basic stones such as onyx. Nowadays mens white gold rings are more trendy because the white look is considered edgier and racier and diamonds also tend to show up better on white gold. Hip hop jewelry has played a big part the rise of the mens gold ring. The hip hop or iced out look started from rap artists who wanted to express their triumph over the hard lives that they were born into and would sport 18k all the way to 9ct gold mens rings covered with white, black, blue and yellow diamonds. Jacob the jeweler was one of the pioneers in creating this type of look for hip hop artists and white gold or platinum was the best metal to show up the beauty of colored diamonds because it could be made to look mirror bright with some rhodium plating.

Other gold rings for men that are quite popular are mens gold coin rings. The preferred coins to be used are American Eagles, Canadian Maple Leaf or American Indian Head coins. They are at the same time masculine, have intrinsic value and tell a story. Men who are passionate about ancient coins will sport Greek and Roman silver drachmas in gold mountings. Designer men gold rings include some of the Alaskan heritage styles such as real gold nuggets embedded in 14k or 18k gold rings that are symbolic of the Alaskan gold rush.

Mens gold wedding rings is the other big category that frequently needs the bride to be’s approval. Men usually go for simple white or yellow gold bands that have “comfort fit”. The more elaborate men gold ring will have diamonds on the shoulders or top of the ring. Men’s gold rings sporting diamonds come in all styles from solitaire to invisible set diamonds. A mens gold diamond ring used to be a simple affair with either a single diamond mounted on top, or a row of diamonds across the center, usually 3 or 5 round diamonds set in a center channel. Nowadays these types of rings have big skull and bones motifs on top blanketed with pave diamonds in every color imaginable. Colored diamonds have changed the look entirely of mens white gold diamond rings. Treated diamonds now come in all colors, the most popular for men being black and blue.

Black and blue diamonds are quite a bit less costly compared to their white counterparts because they don’t have to be super clean. A one carat round white diamond of medium quality can easily run upwards of $4000. A blue diamond of good quality that has no spots under the table and is a pleasant shade of sea blue will run $1500- $1800. Yet it will have a nice big look and goes wonderfully with 14k or 18 white gold.

Mens gold ring styles continue to change and evolve over time moving away from the old yellow gold styles which are slowly being replaced with white gold and in sleeker, edgier designs. Mens white gold rings are still conservatively styled but its the new kinds of textures and finishes that make the difference. Mens gold wedding rings have traditionally been plain white gold bands with perhpas a comfort fit feature and rounded or convex shape.

Nowadays there are a whole host of metal combination available in this category where most of the metal will be a modern metal like tungsten or titanium with an inlay of yellow or white gold. there are also different finishes like satin, brushed, hammered and polished. Sometimes one metal is matte finished while the other beside it is bright polished giving a variety of textures and looks to the ring. Gold rings for are no longer the same old same old.

There are now a variety of different kind of stones that are inexpensive but good looking and masculine that can spruce up the look of a mens white gold ring. Some of the newer looks that come to mind are the rustic, earthy looks of designers like Todd Reed whose use of raw uncut diamonds is kind of a Renaissance of its own in terms of men gold rings. His signature look of hand forged and hand fabricated gold paired with raw diamond cubes of varying shades of gray, brown and olive for men is truly remarkable.

This is the natural evolution of the old standby, the mens gold nugget ring from the 70s and 80s in yellow gold. Todd Reed’s collection is truly a new breed of mens gold diamond ring. His triple raw diamond eternity band made with sterling silver, 18k gold and raw diamond cubes strung on gold pins is a piece of work and has a manly look that harks back to the wild west. It looks like small rock cubes sandwiched between two rivets for a look that is rustic yet dignified and manly. Yup, these little beauties are what mens gold diamond rings are all about.

Gold craft west is one of those American jewelry companies that have been making their signature 14k yellow gold rings inlaid with 24k gold raw nuggets. These rings fit like a glove and are an inspiration of design. Some of these mens gold rings come as mountings with prongs to accommodate diamonds or any other gemstone that you may care to have. They also come with cool stones like gold in milk quartz and opal.

Mens gold bracelets are no longer the traditional byzantine, curb and figaro of old. Gold bracelets for men have acquired a harder, edgier look with mens white gold bracelets dominating the scene. Black leather and black rubber are often used with white gold and diamond to create a sleek modern look for young men that is both youthful, fresh and manly. Although men’s gold bracelets are no longer as popular as they once were they are just as luxurious. The current generation of mens jewelry has taken a leap forward in terms of design and although not made in gold the blackened steel and sterling silver Mr. Graham collection from Jewelry designer Sarah Graham epitomizes the edgy styling nowadays that is targeted to the style conscious man. The organic sculpted look is just north of edgy and will not appeal to all men.

On the more conservative side are designers like Marco Bicego. His mens solid gold bracelets are quite a design debut for a designer that solely focused on women’s jewelry. The “L’Uomo” collection is comprised of 55 styles with bracelets in 18k yellow, rose and white gold. Hand woven coils and hand etched satin finishes are elements in this architecturally inspired collection that looks to the metropolitan landscape and New York skyline for inspiration. This collection of men gold bracelets range from $2000 and up. The collection includes wide closed bangle bracelets as well as mens gold diamond bracelets on his signature ribbed wound wire flexible 18k yellow gold ring and bracelet material with channel set diamonds in the middle.

As far as 14k gold bracelets for budget conscious men goes, the gold jewelry manufacturer Leslie’s has put out a collection of silver and gold and has appropriately called it OroSilver. The mens gold link bracelets are 14k gold bonded to silver. You could call this gold filled although that may not be the appropriate terminology for the process. The styling is simple mens train track bracelet link styling with hints of cartier links and so on. Its derivative styling that looks decent enough but with great retail price points starting at $495 to $600.

This will make a great man’s gift because the gold is bonded to the silver so you can’t say that its vermeil because that would mean it was just gold plated to 5 microns. You see this process in John Hardy’s collection of hammered gold on silver where the surface is hammered gold but when you look underneath the piece the backing is silver. So although its difficult to tell how much gold there actually is, the idea is to give an impression that there is a gold plate there sitting on top of a silver backing but how much gold it is is any one’s guess. nevertheless, the manufacturer wants to make it clear that this collection of mens gold id bracelets and link bracelets have value and are a 14k gold and silver bracelet.

Diamond rings for men have been around since ancient times when maharajahs in India first discovered diamonds in the 9th century BC. India was the foremost producer of diamonds till the early 1700s. During this time the Indian Rajahs horded the best quality diamonds and traded the junky stuff. So its no surprise that men like diamonds especially in their rings.

The mens diamond ring has typically been conservatively styled till maybe ten or fifteen years ago when designers started to design creatively for men. Today there are many designers fashioning very interesting assortments of mens diamond wedding rings, mens diamond pinky rings and mens solitaire diamond rings.

Mens wedding rings usually constitute a band with or without diamonds. The styling is conservative for the most part with a single row of diamonds in the center in a channel or prong set. Five or seven diamonds that graduate downward in size from the larger center diamond is the usual format for these types of rings. More and more are wanting their bands in white gold because it is a more masculine color and diamonds show up better in white gold, especially if they are G color or better. Similar men’s diamond rings may have invisible princess diamonds in multiple rows going across the top of the ring. Diamonds are usually set in mens gold diamond rings although other metals are now becoming popular for setting diamonds in. David Yurman has a collection of mens silver diamond rings with the diamonds set in sterling silver.

Mens solitaire diamond rings have been quite popular, especially with large 2 carat and up center diamonds that are princess cut. This is a popular style for a mens diamond engagement ring because men see the princess diamond with its sharp corners and straight edges as more masculine looking. Mens white gold diamond rings are squared at the top because this shape suits a center princess cut diamond. Although not as brilliant as a round diamond, the princess cut diamond stands out because it has a different reflective pattern and has been perfected by several companies that are branding their own proprietary princess cut diamonds.

The mens diamond gold ring is now a featured product category for many designers that previously only used to design for women like Roberto Coin and David Yurman. The introduction of colored diamonds into this category shows in the many designs of mens black diamond and blue diamond rings available at online jewelry stores. Blue diamonds in particular have been very popular with men because it offers a fresh take on the diamond ring but injects a fashion and color component while still maintaining the cache of a diamond ring.

Black and white diamond in mens jewelry has added a spark of creativity to the standard look of a mens diamond ring that has prevailed over the last couple of decades. This interplay of black and white or dark and bright is a study in contrasts by designers that have introduced vintage inspired looks to mens diamond rings. Even rock and roll themes and new age spiritualism themes are showing up as themes in stunning examples of the mens white gold diamond ring where the juxtaposition of black and white results in some very creative masculine jewelry expressions.

The latest versions of black and white diamonds are anything but ordinary as designers like David Yurman and Stephen Webster produce the classic men diamond ring in dramatic, bold and and even irreverent styling. Their mens diamond ring designs also make use of blackened metals like blackened silver, antiqued silver, black titanium and black rhodium gold which further heighten the dramatic edge. You will find this kind of styling cropping up even in the classic mens diamond pinky ring and mens diamond wedding ring.

The mens black diamond ring is now a mens jewelry staple and can be found in many designer collections like David Yurman’s mens ring collections. Here he uses pave black diamonds set in sterling silver but by using blackened silver for the prongs that hold in the black diamonds he creates a dramatic sweep of perfectly cut black diamonds with no white metal interruptions that shimmer like black sequins on a moving fabric. Since black diamond do not absorb light, these small diamonds are cut with slightly bigger tables that reflect more light straight up instead of allowing light off to the side giving that shimmering effect.

The use of new metals like titanium and tungsten does not mean the standard mens gold diamond ring is going away. The mens titanium diamond ring or the mens tungsten diamond ring will have sleeker looks and will primarily appeal to younger men that want to look more hip and up to date in their style of dress. this younger, hipper male group will typically shy away from traditional mens diamond rings of past like the mens yellow diamond ring or mens two tone diamond ring.

The mens onyx diamond ring with a piece of onyx in the middle inlaid with a small diamond or row of diamonds is not something younger men would be interested in. They would more go for designs like Edward Mirell’s black titanium and diamond rings in an assortment of modern tension and channel settings  in various combinations of black titanium with gunmetal titanium and inlaid 14k yellow and white gold. The mens solitaire diamond ring that used to primarily be in yellow gold, white gold, and platinum is now also showing up in these newer metals with an emphasis on youthful, modern styling and interesting contrasts between diamonds and blackened metal.

Cufflinks for men have enjoyed a renewed creativity over the last 5 years from designers and jewelry manufacturers alike. Many of the mens cufflink creations are predominantly in newer metals like stainless steel, tungsten carbide and titanium. Companies like Fibo, Triton and Edward Mirell have ventured into the alternative metals while designer cufflinks for men from David Yurman and John Hardy stick to tried and true sterling silver introducing different textures like Yurman with his stippled silver that showcases a somewhat dimpled gunmetal finish to sterling silver. Mens silver cufflinks have thus taken center stage in both these designers’ while mens gold cuflinks have been on the back burner because of price.

Some classic Victorian styling for men who like that sort of look is available in Konstantino’s line of Engraved sterling silver and 18k gold cufflinks for men. In men’s cufflinks he effectively uses silver and gold combinations with designs that have a vintage look but at the same time are very masculine and retro. Alex Sepkus offers some pure yellow gold designs that are both free flowing and ornate but quite expensive.

Mens cufflinks have a range of styling and materials that was not available just ten years ago. With the recent escalation in the price of gold, titanium and silver have become popular metals for many designers like David Yurman and Edward Mirell  and manufacturers like Colibri and Frederick Goodman. Mens diamond cufflinks have also been brought down to earthly prices by combining black diamonds with sterling silver as is evident in in Yurman’s sterling silver diamond cufflinks for men with pave black diamonds totalling almost 2 carats.

Mens designer cufflinks are one of the few mens jewelry products that cater to a wide variety of mens styling from vintage all the way through modern. Cufflinks are not overt pieces of jewelry like dog tags and rings. They remain hidden until the well dressed man takes his coat off and turns his arm a certain way thereby exposing his sense of style. Designers can therefore be more daring in design as is the case with Gurhan’s new men’s collection the Gurhan for Men Edge Collection which features Sterling silver cuff links with plain holes and some distinctive notched detail on the edges for a subdued but very contemporary look.

Cufflinks with out of the way themes by designer Robin Rotenier include animals, aviation, dogs, cars, military, political and others. His extensive collection makes available a huge variety of styles for men who are passionate about many different things including motorcycles, music, nature and sports. King baby studio is well knows for themes relating to the tatoo and rock and roll culture like skulls, crosses, crowns, Fleur de lis and x men cufflinks.

Men’s wedding bands can be compared somewhat to men’s suits. There are many elements for the male suit buyer to consider including details like a higher thread count or having a full canvas layer in between the lining and fabric, a certain amount of hand stitching and pant legs that are lined. However the most important factor is still a certain level of professional tailoring. Similarly men’s wedding bands go through the same sort of evaluation where the finish, durability, looks, fit and comfort of the rings are all areas that men consider before investing in a wedding band.

The men’s wedding band comes in all kinds of metals, finishes and fits. Generally couples shop together and approx two thirds of brides are involved in the selection and purchase of both her’s and his wedding bands. So women have quite a say in a man’s wedding band but men ultimately pick from a selection that their fiance has come up with or they do it on their own.  Some of the more traditional manufacturers like Artcarved are popular with the Ladies. Check out the ring to the left.  Its a typical two tone mens wedding ring that most women like.

Couples generally stay away from matching wedding bands and spend on average $2000 for both of their bands even though the bride’s band will cost around twice that of her fiance’s. Women’s wedding bands for the most part are purchased with diamonds while only 15% of grooms will get bands with diamonds although they do prefer rings with “comfort” fit. Presumably the groom would rather spend the extra part of the wedding band budget on getting her a diamond band while he does with only a few points of diamonds or does without the diamonds entirely.

This has made alternative metals very popular because men’s titanium wedding bands run a good deal less in price than something like Artcarved men’s wedding bands in gold or platinum. Some quite unique men’s wedding bands are available in alternative metals like titanium and tungsten

Men's tungsten and silver diamond band

with diamonds while still costing less than gold only bands. Check out the tungsten and silver ring with diamonds on the right. Most men will think this is a pretty cool looking ring.  Stainless steel has also been a good option as a cheap men’s wedding bands alternative. Styling and finish on stainless steel are generally of high quality although the material itself is inexpensive to manufacture and make into mens wedding bands.

Men’s stainless steel wedding bands from manufacturers in Germany like Stahl Design are highly regarded for their finish, durability and diamond setting. Steel is a difficult material for jewelers to work with and most jewelers do not usually take it upon themselves to set diamonds into materials like steel, titanium and tungsten. Some of the reasons include extreme hardness, high melting temperature and a low level of malleability and ductility for manipulation with a jewelers’ tools. Also, because of hardness they tend to wear out a jewelers’ tools fairly quickly.