A neophyte would believe that itis contemporary men who wear jewelry freely, regardless of what people will say, are trendsetters at the forefront of fashion. However, history is full of prestigious or high characters who have worn jewelry without the slightest complex. Today, we offer you a little journey through time, from the India of the Maharajas to Las Vegas via the English pop scene.
Le Maharaja of Indore
In the India of the maharajas, the massive jewels adorned with the most beautiful precious stones were not intended for women, but for men. Symbols of power and wealth, jewelry always accompanied the maharajas, whether for a ceremonial ceremony or an ordinary day. The Maharaja of Indore was famous internationally because of his jewelry for men.
He had his necklaces, bracelets and rings designed by the greatest fine jewelry houses in Europe. These men's jewels are now collector's or museum pieces that are snapped up at exorbitant prices.
The Dancing Marquis (Henry Paget)
Henry Paget, 5th Marquess of Anglesey, was a British nobleman who rose to fame for his taste for luxury and the extravagant, especially jewellery. A highly controversial character, the dancing marquis, as he was nicknamed, did not only have friends. The Complete Peerage, the comprehensive guide to the British aristocracy, described it in these unkind terms:
“He seems to have lived only for the purpose of providing a melancholy and useless illustration of the truth that a man who has everything to succeed can, because of the purest and most extravagance, squandering the benefits provided by providence, living an unworthy life that was ultimately useless. »
He spent his fortune as well as accumulatedé debts to finance his tastes for jewellery, for the organization of parties extravagant and flamboyant shows. When he went bankrupt after mortgaging the family estate, all of his jewelry was sold. Their value was 80.£000, equivalent to 4 million today.
Liberace
Wladziu Valentino Liberace, by his full name, was an American pianist, actor and singer of Italian-Polish origin. His career spanned 4 decades, but he was at the height of his fame between the 50s and 70s. At the time, he was the highest paid public entertainer on the planet. His home was Las Vegas, but he gave concerts all over the world. This child prodigy was also famous for his excesses, whether on stage or in his private life.
He used to show up on stage in extravagant costumes. It looks like jewelry from head to toe. And while his fellow pianists ended their performance with a bow, Liberace invited his audience onto the stage so they could touch his piano, kiss his jewelry, etc. He was sort of the first to really put his life on display, to show off his success and his wealth.
Men's jewelry was one of her indulgences. In 1963, after accidentally inhaling too many fumes released by his suits returning from dry cleaning, he fell victim to a crisis of kidney failure that came close to killing him. These doctors having told him that he had only a short time left to live, he began to spend all his fortune to make gifts in the form of jewelry, furs… He even offered a house to a friend. A month later, he was fully recovered.
Mr T.
Laurence Tureaud, that probably means nothing to you. If you are at least in your 30s, you know Mr T., the world famous actor for having played Barracuda in the A-Team series, as well as Clubber Lang in the movie Rocky III. But in addition to these cult roles, Mr T. was most famous for his mover look with his crest and numerous gold chains.
At the time, he wore daily for around 300.$000 worth of chains, men's bracelets and gold rings. It took him about an hour to put it all on. And, in the evening, he spent even more time maintaining them with an ultrasonic cleaner. He even stated that he sometimes slept with his jewels on, "in memory of his slave ancestors", to better understand what it felt like to sleep in chains.
How did her passion for jewelry start? You'll never guess! Before making a career in show business, Mr T. was a bouncer. He started wearing the jewelry that customers forgot or gave up after fighting.
Elton John
Although Elton John's career began in the 1960s, he remains a world-renowned contemporary artist. He made a name for himself in the star system thanks to his talent as a musician and singer, but also thanks to his extravagant look. Whether in life or on stage, he is regularly seen wearing a lot of jewelry, not necessarily for men, by the way.
Elton John's passion for jewelry is reflected in his film biography Rocketman. For the filming of the film, the Chopard house provided the production with millions of dollars worth of jewelry. In the film, there is a scene in which the character of Elton John admits to being addicted to shopping, in particular to buying jewelry.