International Men’s Day-A man that can wear bling is a wonderful thing

Men’s day is a funny thing. As a child if you asked on Mother’s or Father’s day when it would be children’s day, I am sure you got the same answer I did. It’s everyday dummy! (maybe minus the dummy-I’m sure you have lovely parents).

Ok, so I’m not saying that its men’s day every day and this is meant to be celebratory of 50% (rough and ever changing percentage) of the population after all. But this is by no means an equal world and one of those inequalities in my eyes is that men often get totally jipped in terms great jewellery. Very few can pull it off (or want to).

Please take this one with an extra pinch of salt as there are great jewellers out there making very wearable and desirable pieces for men, something rugged or simple will do the trick and a well-made wedding band is a glorious thing. Personally I like ‘man jewellery’ that doesn’t look like it’s made for a bloke, keeping the fun, colourful, bold or delicate possibilities that are available for women’s adornment. Surely all things should be fair in a love affair with bling.

No?! Well, when I make jewellery for a buddy, of either sex, I like to think about what they are into. This shell neckpiece by David Bielander featured in an exhibition at Gallery SO earlier this year appeals to me in that way:

Men like football, right?!

Johnny Depp often wears his jewellery like a human Buckaroo, wearing whatever he wants and a tonne of it and Yacine Challal, founder of Jewellery multi-brand Carre Y, is another dude who is wearing it all and having a ball.

Is he/are you into fishing? Well Miansai could get him/you hooked on jewellery too with this simple slightly abstracted cuffy bangle. Similarly lluukk have really nailed it with their mangles (man bangle) for DIY lovers.

And we can’t forget the true king of bling on this on this day, here with a lovely message about remembering to appreciate your mother, ahhhh.

So boys, if you are still not convinced that jewellery is for you (but why?!), maybe its time to make your mother something special on one of our courses.

Lil Adams is the London Jewellery School Sundays Studio Manager. Lil studied Fine Art in Leeds and lived in Melbourne before travelling about and settling in London. She now works at the British Architectural Library and enjoys making jewellery with found and natural objects and is shamelessly addicted to casting.