Masculine gemstones

[gregchang35]

My current bracelet / bangle problem! Lolol.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Sounds like pink isn't considered a welcome color for men, here. I'm a bit surprised by that.

I am Costa Rican so I have a bit of a natural brown tint to my complexion and I think pink looks great on me. There are some colors that don't work well for me (like the soft brown tones, or the more brownish peach tones). I actually have quite a few pink pieces in my collection that I wear regularly and get compliments nearly every day. It's always fun explaining to people what my pink zircon earrings are and that no, they aren't cubic zirconia. Also fun to explain that tourmaline comes in more colors than just green and that my pink tourmaline pendant is also not cubic zirconia

glad you rocking the man bling

colour could just be a stupid cultural thing

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

My current bracelet / bangle problem! Lolol.

are those beads tiger eye ?
very nice

 

[gregchang35]

@Daisys and Diamonds yes they are.

 

[jordyonbass]

Pardon my bias here - but a chubby Oval or round Lightning Ridge Black Opal with bright blue-green colour would be my pick.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

@Daisys and Diamonds yes they are.

dont they make rather striking beads
so much beauty in tiger eye - it deserves much more love

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

No grey!!!!!

Big juicy cabs!!!!

 

[bling_dream19]

I think of Rhodolite Garnet as a good stone for men.

That is so funny bc my husband loves my garnet!

 

[Voodoo Child]

I rock my great-grandfather’s blue zircon pinky ring:
No one makes fun of me for it because they’re afraid of being pimp-slapped

 

[Lakefront]

I always think of someone’s cool grandpa when I see tablet cuts in opaque stones like blood stone, lapis, malachite or carnelian. Deep dark cabs too.

 

[Niel]

obviously someone should wear what they want but I think that’s advice to a question the OP didn’t ask.
masculinity implies that something is culturally associated with men. it is not a mandate saying men must dress masculine. If I, a woman, wear a ring that my culture (America ) typically regards as masculine, It is still masculine. A woman wearing it doesn’t make it automatically feminine. My point, which I hope is clear, is that if a man wants to wear jewelry culturally associated with women- I love it! But if someone is asking what is traditionally associated with masculinity. There is a answer to that question.
I am going to answer from a perspective of a female living in America. As a post above shows- this may not apply to other cultures.
Typically regarding the band or setting. Any metal is fine - but the thickness, stone setting, and designs typically direct a ring towards more feminine or masculine lines. Very geometric rings, with bold lines typically read masculine. If it’s got metalwork, again, that is typically a more geometric design. However, vintage dome/ rubbed (I’m sorry there’s a more distinct term for this that is culturally insensitive So trying to search it on Pinterest with the most accurate terminology doesn’t work anymore ) where it’s a domed band with a flush set diamond- that is also considered more traditionally masculine. Really key in either os going to be the width. Men’s bands are typically - at least at one point- as wide if not wider that the stone in the ring. Also, the stone is usually not set in prongs. Tension, half bezel, and bezel are typically found in rings advertised for men.
yes, grayscale colors is a pretty safe bet for any white metal ring. However if set in a yellow gold you could get away with many colors and it would still fall into the traditional masculine idea. Pastels, pinks and purples , however- would probably be more of an exception to this.
there are always outliers.

shape can also play a part - some might say a more angular cut would give masculine vibes- but more so it’s how the stone fits with the setting.
Minimalism is also a pretty common thread in what would be deemed “masculine” jewelry.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Fun question! I think pretty much any stone can work for men, tbh. It’s more about the application.

In India it’s really, really common for men who can afford it to wear decorative buttons on their outfits (though you can get them as fashion jewelry as well). These buttons are detachable so you basically have a few sets of jewelled buttons that you can put on your clothes. I really wish men in the west would start owning these styles, they would look insane on a suit as well. I attached some pics here of the styles.

You have “kurta” buttons which are these smaller buttons connected by a gold/gold plated chain, that is worn on a kurta (a long tunic). These buttons can be diamond, gemstone, polki, enamel etc. Pearls are also very popular. I put a pic of a kurta, and then some examples of buttons.







The other kind of buttons are “sherwani” or “bandhgala” buttons, which are meant to be worn with a sherwani (a long, fitted jacket-tunic) or a bandhgala (the Indian equivalent of a suit jacket). Those are bigger, more decorative, and again consist of all colours under the sun - including pink! Those colours are achieved with gemstones and enamel. Posted a pic of sherwani first, then bandhgala, then button examples.




Other forms of men’s jewelry that is most common is cufflinks and rings. If it comes to solitaires, I think square/rectangular cuts are the most masculine, in any colour tbh (though some men avoid pink). Not too much pave etc on a ring. Clean silhouettes look the most masculine. Also thick bands, flush set rings, bezel settings or tension settings look great on men.

 

[Neptune]

I think cornflower blue sapphire works well on everyone. I don't know if you've seen Vlad Yavorskyy's rings, OP, but I'll try to find a photo. He always wears these three beautiful rings: blue sapphire, red spinel, and tsavorite. The rings are, unsurprisingly, gorgeous: very simple bezels with amazing stones.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Fun question! I think pretty much any stone can work for men, tbh. It’s more about the application.

In India it’s really, really common for men who can afford it to wear decorative buttons on their outfits (though you can get them as fashion jewelry as well). These buttons are detachable so you basically have a few sets of jewelled buttons that you can put on your clothes. I really wish men in the west would start owning these styles, they would look insane on a suit as well. I attached some pics here of the styles.

You have “kurta” buttons which are these smaller buttons connected by a gold/gold plated chain, that is worn on a kurta (a long tunic). These buttons can be diamond, gemstone, polki, enamel etc. Pearls are also very popular. I put a pic of a kurta, and then some examples of buttons.







The other kind of buttons are “sherwani” or “bandhgala” buttons, which are meant to be worn with a sherwani (a long, fitted jacket-tunic) or a bandhgala (the Indian equivalent of a suit jacket). Those are bigger, more decorative, and again consist of all colours under the sun - including pink! Those colours are achieved with gemstones and enamel. Posted a pic of sherwani first, then bandhgala, then button examples.




Other forms of men’s jewelry that is most common is cufflinks and rings. If it comes to solitaires, I think square/rectangular cuts are the most masculine, in any colour tbh (though some men avoid pink). Not too much pave etc on a ring. Clean silhouettes look the most masculine. Also thick bands, flush set rings, bezel settings or tension settings look great on men.

oh those are gorgouse
these need to become a thing in the West right now !
they would look awsome on a suit
i could honestly see someome like Prince Charles rocking this kind of thing

 

[LilAlex]

I think any color. Someone on here had a lovely and very feminine ring with a pink stone (? sapphire). I could not pull that off -- but I have had pink dress shirts in my rotation for much of my public-facing career.

Durability is probably more important than color -- I would only go diamond, corundum, chrysoberyl, or maybe topaz. Emerald is too brittle and included.

I see a lot of men with rings in my part of the country and with the older demographic I encounter at work -- lots of turquoise, carnelian (I am guessing), and not-very-fine jadeite. All inexpensive and cabbed in "Gypsy" style mountings.

I am biased. My latest attempt is a gray sapphire that I am hoping to set in a plain, matte-finish platinum band for a monochrome look. (My new worry is that it will look like a wannabe bling-y diamond so I hope it is gray enough.)

I have said this before to no great concurrence, but I am not a fan of self-consciously masculine jewelry. "Yeah, it's like jewelry but for a MAN!" Like something left over at the end of an IKEA assembly project. I guess I don't like anything like that: camo around town; pickup with a six-foot-tall grill; tuned exhaust; etc.

None of the classic or historical jewelry for men looked like that -- it looked pretty refined and attractive. It seems like only in the last few decades is there so much pressure for jewelry to look hyper-masculine.

If a man wears it, it's men's jewelry.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

oh those are gorgouse
these need to become a thing in the West right now !
they would look awsome on a suit
i could honestly see someome like Prince Charles rocking this kind of thing

I really wish they were a thing in the west! I was just thinking that kurta buttons would work on a shirt and sherwani/bandhgala buttons would work on a suit jacket. And how good they would look, especially the latter!

To clarify, these are things people usually wear on “occasions”, not everyday, because people usually wear western wear on an everyday basis. Kurta buttons are not as in fashion now, they were much more of a thing in the older generations (just an observation). None of my friends - or my SO - have kurta buttons. But the older generation you still see people wear them - usually an inexpensive set for regular use and a more decorative set for special occasions.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I really wish they were a thing in the west! I was just thinking that kurta buttons would work on a shirt and sherwani/bandhgala buttons would work on a suit jacket. And how good they would look, especially the latter!

To clarify, these are things people usually wear on “occasions”, not everyday, because people usually wear western wear on an everyday basis. Kurta buttons are not as in fashion now, they were much more of a thing in the older generations (just an observation). None of my friends - or my SO - have kurta buttons. But the older generation you still see people wear them - usually an inexpensive set for regular use and a more decorative set for special occasions.

i think gentlemen used to wear brooches and more decorative adornments like diamond epeletes and buttons, there are certainly examples in the collections of European royal families

Prince Charles often has a watch chain visible on his suit and it looks so smart
i really wish sherwani/bandhgala buttons would catch on - now i know they are a thing

more importantly how can we get your hubbie to wear some ?

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

i think gentlemen used to wear brooches and more decorative adornments like diamond epeletes and buttons, there are certainly examples in the collections of European royal families

Prince Charles often has a watch chain visible on his suit and it looks so smart
i really wish sherwani/bandhgala buttons would catch on - now i know they are a thing

more importantly how can we get your hubbie to wear some ?

Oh he wears bandhgala buttons when he wears a bandhgala! I love them, because the outfit is usually a dark solid colour, and then the buttons are little a beautiful pop of bling. He isn’t really a ring kinda guy but he said he’ll do a band once we get engaged

 

[Double E]

This.
But I’d wear it too

Brown can really be a choice! but for that price tag, um...I think I'd rather spend more time looking for stones with similar hue but brighter, and hopefully cheaper for some other gem species~

 

[Double E]

Thanx @chrono for the tag.


For me, it is about what i connect with that piece.

Can't agree more!

I like strong geometric lines/ shapes- so it is no surprise that most of my gem stones are step cuts: cut corner square emerald/ Asscher cuts- being my favourite. I also like older cut diamonds/stones- cos they have broader flashes than that of modern cuts- fast and splintery flashes.

Clean lines for both design and the stone's cut is such a perfect match~ But flowy designs with geometric stones also offer a stunning contrast. I know there's an artist (should be from Holland) doing that sort of rings! BTW, old cut rocks~

The setting metals that I have for my pieces:
Sterling silver with my onyx pieces- giving that aged/ rustic look.
18k WG. Platinum.
9k YG, 18kYG 22kYG.

I am recently looking into examples of green gold pieces. Rings with the surface blacken sounds great for men. But I am still looking into in what ways they are finished like that~

 

[Double E]

Cat's eyes (and star stones) work best when lit and viewed close to straight on. This happens rarely for pendants, often for rings. At least it does in Queensland, Australia, where the sun is usually high. It may be different in higher latitudes.

Orange is great! I love spessartites.

Thanks! My idea may not be practical then! Do the most glowy spess come from Tanzania? There seems no orange colours of other gem species are comparable to them!

 

[Double E]

first off any colour or gemstone his heart and eyes desire ...and including pink because back in history pink was a boys colour being the junior version of red

Seriously ?? I though agree agree oink look good on tanned skin tone~

 

[Double E]

As a man, I'll say ANYTHING!

I have a gooorgeous hearts and arrows cut pink tourmaline in a pendant.
I have green chrome tourmaline and brown diamonds in a ring (I designed).
I have brown zircon and Mali garnet in a ring (my profile pic, I designed).
I have a brown tourmaline and blue zircon 2 stone ring (I designed).
I have a pair of pink zircon stud earrings.
I have a pair of purplish pink zircon stud earrings.
I have an old european cut blue zircon pendant.
I have a hearts and arrows cut orange zircon pendant.
I have an aascher cut emerald and round diamond pendant.
I have an emerald cut purple spinel ring.
I have two diamond solitaire rings (I designed one).
I have a square cut emerald band.
I have a white zircon and purple spinel pendant.
I have a pair of amethyst stud earrings.
I have a pair of peridot stud earrings.
I have a blue and white sapphire ring (I designed).

I also have about 25 loose gems of varying colors and species, and I'm probably missing a few pieces of jewelry

My wife will kill me if I were you!

 

[MrsBlue]

Fun question! I think pretty much any stone can work for men, tbh. It’s more about the application.

In India it’s really, really common for men who can afford it to wear decorative buttons on their outfits (though you can get them as fashion jewelry as well). These buttons are detachable so you basically have a few sets of jewelled buttons that you can put on your clothes. I really wish men in the west would start owning these styles, they would look insane on a suit as well. I attached some pics here of the styles.

You have “kurta” buttons which are these smaller buttons connected by a gold/gold plated chain, that is worn on a kurta (a long tunic). These buttons can be diamond, gemstone, polki, enamel etc. Pearls are also very popular. I put a pic of a kurta, and then some examples of buttons.







The other kind of buttons are “sherwani” or “bandhgala” buttons, which are meant to be worn with a sherwani (a long, fitted jacket-tunic) or a bandhgala (the Indian equivalent of a suit jacket). Those are bigger, more decorative, and again consist of all colours under the sun - including pink! Those colours are achieved with gemstones and enamel. Posted a pic of sherwani first, then bandhgala, then button examples.




Other forms of men’s jewelry that is most common is cufflinks and rings. If it comes to solitaires, I think square/rectangular cuts are the most masculine, in any colour tbh (though some men avoid pink). Not too much pave etc on a ring. Clean silhouettes look the most masculine. Also thick bands, rings, bezel settings or tension settings look great on men.

I love these!! We should absolutely bring back awesome lapel pins, tie pins, and shirt studs to western fashion.

 

[maru8888777]

I mean, look at those colors! I'd wear that in a second!

 

[maru8888777]

Thanks! My idea may not be practical then! Do the most glowy spess come from Tanzania? There seems no orange colours of other gem species are comparable to them!

Tanzania or Namibia! Spess is such a great stone.

 

[shelovesinclusions]

I love these!! We should absolutely bring back awesome lapel pins, tie pins, and shirt studs to western fashion.

Oooh yes! And cufflinks. My grandpa had a collection of blingy cufflinks from before plastic wrist buttons were the norm.

 

[shelovesinclusions]

Pardon my bias here - but a chubby Oval or round Lightning Ridge Black Opal with bright blue-green colour would be my pick.

I've got to say, I've seen men bowled over by black opals in ways I've never seen any woman friends react to any gemstones.

 

[Starstruck8]

Thanks! My idea may not be practical then! Do the most glowy spess come from Tanzania? There seems no orange colours of other gem species are comparable to them!

It is said that the glowiest spessartites are 'sleepy' stones from Namibia. (I don't own one of these). I'd buy the colour you like, regardless of origin.

The other good orange stone is orange sapphire. These are harder than spessartite (this may not matter for a pendant), but also harder to come by. Beware of beryllium enhancement.

 

[musicloveranthony]

I have an orange Tanzanian zircon that is extremely bright and lively. It is a more brittle stone, though. Based on my experiences with zircon in a ring, I probably wouldn't do it again - but love zircon in pendants and earrings.