There are countless men who regularly wear bracelets, necklaces or rings. While the phenomenon has undoubtedly gained traction in recent years, it remains a relatively small market. In this article, we invite you to see what is currently happening in the world of jewelry for men, which is certainly still limited, but very dynamic.
The preconceptions of "men's jewelry" remain
The reason why men don't buy more jewelry is simple: he doesn't value it as much as women. The jewel represents values to which men do not traditionally respond. They want a product that is functional, efficient, problem solving, something jewelry cannot provide. They are also considered a feminine accessory, although this is changing for many men.
The market for men's jewelry may still be small and may never be able to compete with that of women's jewelry, but it should not be ignored, according to David Patterson, director of a company specializing in rings and cufflinks.
" This is very clearly a trend in the jewelry industry, " he said. "For some men, jewelry is a very important fashion accessory, a means of expression, " adds Phil Edwards, director of a jewelry retailer in Australia.
For more conservative men, buying fashion jewelry is usually out of the question. These mental barriers can nevertheless be removed by creating shops specializing in men's jewelry, or specific spaces, by adapting sales techniques to this particular public as well as by developing lines of bracelets and necklaces which take up timeless elements and the trend of the moment.
Different audiences for men's jewelry
For men's jewelry more than for any other product, you have to be able to deliver the right message to convince them. There are 3 main categories of males in the men's jewelry market:
- Those who are open to buying jewelry on their terms
- Those who are open to jewelry when it comes to something sentimental
- Those who don't want it at all
“It really depends on the man, ” says Darren Roberts, Principal of Cudworth. “Men's bracelets can play an important role in accessorizing a man. Cufflinks allow you to impose your presence, especially when they are branded. In general, men are open to the idea of wearing jewelry as long as they remain masculine.»
For the first group, it is very important to create a boundary between men's jewelry and women's jewelry. It is therefore necessary to insist on the masculine character of these bracelets, necklaces, etc. Often those men who wear jewelry see it as an accessory to a particular outfit, it's not something they wear every day.
Leather and silver, very masculine materials
This is why leather and silver are widely used materials in men's jewellery: being very masculine, they attract people who want to wear jewellery, but who want to show off their manliness at the same time. Symbols like the anchor, rock 'n' roll or anarchist motifs are also popular under this logic.
There are also different habits among the generations. Gen Xers are more sensitive to gender separation than millennials. This is valid for jewellery, but also perfumes, clothes, shoes, etc. Among the youngest, the jewel is considered a fashion accessory, while among the oldest it is a sentimental piece.
Men's or unisex jewelry?
While the distinction is made to reassure certain customers, in fact men's jewelery can be worn by everyone. Some jewelers have found that jewelry that is part of a "men's" collection can be popular with women as well. Which makes Edward say that "all men's jewelry can be considered unisex, and that's becoming more and more true." » The more time goes by, the more we will tend towards unisex jewellery and the more this market will grow.