Philip Crangi, the jewelry designer behind Giles & Brother,
crafts tough cuffs that can obviously take a beating.
The
Rules of
Man Jewelry
The word jewelry tends to conjure up images of posers, hippies or dandies decked out in extremes—but jewelry, especially on men, doesn't work in extremes. When subtle and personal, the pieces add intrigue and texture to your look. But how does one do it properly? Is there such a thing as too many bracelets? Are necklaces in? (Yes. And yes.) With more options than ever when it comes to wearing man jewelry, we figured we'd sort through it and pick out a few solid choices to wear right now. These here have everything you'd want out of a piece of men's jewelry. They're not too flashy or too feminine. Crafted from a range of materials—from brass and oxidized silver to horsehair and bridle leather—they're understated, while projecting a laid-back slightly old school vibe.
When in doubt, start with a watch.
If you're new to wearing jewelry, don't go overboard. Start with a simple piece that also tells time. There are plenty of handsome options that don't cost much money. You can always add to that over time.
Look for leaner bracelets to layer with a watch.
Complement the style of your watch with a contrasting bracelet. A stainless steel diver watch looks great next to a few colorful bands. Dressy or more rugged timepieces can be made more casual with some softer braided styles. But don't wear more than three pieces on one wrist.
Want a single wrist piece? Sport a cuff.
These substantial metal pieces can stand alone and speak for themselves. They punch up the style of your day-to-day T-shirt and jeans and can easily take the starch out of a more serious suit
and tie.
Mind the materials when layering jewelry.
Wearing multiple pieces can be cool, but be mindful that metal meeting metal tends to make noise. And all that clanging kicks the cool factor down a couple notches.
When it comes to necklaces, the simpler the better.
Anything too short looks at best, outdated and at worse, a dog collar. Sporting a big, chunky necklace can look a bit costume-y. And wearing too many necklaces just looks hungry for attention. Go with one that's long and thin enough to be subtle. Whether you choose one with a pendant or not is up to you.
