High Class Bling: 21 Luxury Jewelry Brands All Stylish Men Should Know
Forget all thoughts of cheap, tacky bling. These are the high-end jewelry brands producing the most sophisticated bracelets, rings and necklaces for men.
While they are only a sliver of the overall market (estimated to be worth over $300 billion annually), men are increasingly turning to jewelry to embellish their looks and signify status. With more and more men-specific jewelry brands being launched, as well as women’s jewelers cottoning on to the opportunity, there has never been a better time to be in the market for some shiny wrist accouterments or finger furniture.
While there are plenty of good value options springing up, typically specializing in gold vermeil or silver options, the market for luxury men’s jewelry is decidedly more streamlined so we’ve curated the best of the best to cut through all the chaff.
These are not your Howard Ratner, tractor tire Cuban links, or diamond-encrusted grill types, but a much more refined crowd of designers that are evolving a modern and often minimalist approach to men’s jewelry.
What makes men’s jewelry luxury?
Spinelli Kilcollin
To answer that you need to ask the girls. The data shows that men’s jewelry is still predominantly bought by women for their partners, so it would seem the vast majority of guys are in the dark when it comes to jewelry knowledge. Given that most men’s experience of buying an engagement ring is one of abject fear, it’s clear that the space could do with some education.
What makes men’s jewelry luxury comes down to four things: metals, precious stones, design and branding or brand cachet. On the metal front, luxury jewelry is never plated. The gold is solid, from hardwearing 9k to softer, yellower 18k gold. Pure 24k gold is nice to look at and a great store of wealth, but forget about it for everyday jewelry – it’s just too soft for the rigors of everyday use. Other precious metals include rose gold (a blend of 24k gold, copper and silver), white gold (24k gold with palladium, silver, or nickel), platinum, silver and palladium.
Tiffany & Co.
Precious gemstones are the biggest driver of price. We would need a whole separate article to even dip a toe into that world but suffice to say that the four horsemen of precious gemstones are diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds. Luxury jewellery is not averse to using semi-precious gemstones but don’t be head-faked into paying a lot of money for a flash-sounding mineral.
Design is of course a key element and the very best jewellery makers will have forged a very definable signature to their collections. Take Stephen Webster, for example – the celebrated jeweler is renowned for his gothic-inspired rock ‘n’ roll pieces, or more recently the likes of Castro Smith who has garnered much acclaim for his delicately engraved signet rings.
Stand-out design makes the pieces recognizable, which in turn elevates the brand cachet. Throw in some celebrity endorsement and you’ve got a recipe for higher demand and accordingly higher prices. Most if not all luxury jewellers will also offer some kind of bespoke service, in which case the sky’s the limit.
The Luxury men’s jewelry brands you should know
Alice Made This
Alice Walsh, the visionary behind Alice Made This, spearheads a London-based design company specializing in men’s and women’s jewelry. What started in 2012 as a set of four cufflinks has evolved over the last decade to encompass the whole gamut of jewelry.
With a predominantly minimalist aesthetic, Alice Made This uses UK-based craftspeople to produce her collections. She is best known for her men’s bracelets and necklaces, which exude a raw charm.
While many of the pieces are at an accessible price point, Alice Made This does produce pure gold designs such as a minimalist cuff and a gold and diamond bracelet.
AS29
Founded by Ms Audrey Savransky, a fourth-generation diamantaire, there isn’t much, if anything, that AS29 doesn’t know about diamonds. The brand’s jewelry merges the opulence of diamonds and 18-carat gold with utilitarian-inspired designs, to create an edgy contemporary aesthetic that has quickly won over jewelry fans and fashion heads.
Primarily known for its women’s collections, the men’s line flies under the radar but has all the hallmarks of a classic. Think diamond huggie earcuffs, leather bracelets with 18kt gold elements and pave diamond double rings in black gold.
If Rick Owens did jewelry…
Bleue Burnham
Founded in 2018 by Bleue Wickham-Burnham, Bleue Burnham has quickly become a star on the men’s jewelry scene thanks to his bold designs that seek to blend a love of nature with modern opulence.
His oversized gem-studded rings and bold pendant necklaces have a raw contemporary style that he has made his own. Since launching, he has already struck collaborations with Gucci Vault and Palm Angels.
Bleue’s MO is very much driven by sustainability, too, so you can be certain of the provenance of his materials.
Cartier
The illustrious French luxury brand founded in 1847 holds an esteemed position in the world of haute joaillerie (French for ‘eye wateringly expensive one-of-a-kind pieces’). While historically recognized for its iconic women’s collections like the Panthère and Love, as well as its fine watches, Cartier has made significant headway in the men’s jewelry sector.
From elegant cufflinks and bold rings to striking necklaces and bracelets, the men’s collection offers up several classic designs, including the now-iconic Love Bracelet, created in New York in 1969, which comprises two rigid arcs fixed together using a specific screwdriver.
Most of Cartier’s pieces are available in a variety of gold options. Its Love ring variations are also extremely sought-after and come in an array of finishes, with or without diamonds.
Castro Smith
Castro Smith is a British hand engraver and jeweler known for his ring designs inspired by history, mythology and biology. While he was originally aiming for a career in computer game design, Smith shifted paths after discovering an apprenticeship in engraving in Hatton Garden, London’s jewelry district, which harnessed his passion for illustration.
Undergoing a traditional apprenticeship with the Goldsmiths’ Company and RH Wilkins, he learned the intricate craft from the ground up, making his own tools due to the industry’s scarcity. Awarded the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust scholarship, he went on to hone his skills in Japan, learning Japanese metalworking, engraving and patination.
Smith is now based in East London, where he sells his creations through his online shop, as well as taking on bespoke commissions.
David Yurman
David Yurman is the OG of men’s jewelry, establishing the brand in 1980 with his wife Sybil, both of whom had led previous lives in the art world. Their immersion in New York and California’s underground art scenes during the 1960s shaped their unique aesthetic.
Yurman’s men’s collection is, without doubt, the most extensive on the market, with a vast array of luxury bracelets, rings, necklaces and everything else in between. There’s a huge variety of chains alone, ranging from entry-level styles to punchy five-figure diamond designs.
Hatton Labs
A London-based contemporary jewelry brand, Hatton Labs hasn’t been around for long but has quickly made an impression on the fashion scene thanks to its punchy fine designs.
The aesthetic is a combination of classic embellishment with a vibrant urban edge, which incorporates a vast array of colorful gemstones. It’s probably best known for its eclectic selection of chains, from traditional Cuban links to unisex daisy pearl designs.
Healers
Parisian label Healers started life with the spontaneous crafting of a single pendant necklace while experimenting with stones. Founders Anais and Thibaud create beautiful raw pieces of jewelry from recycled gold.
Each precious stone is thoughtfully chosen, ethically sourced from Zimbabwe and extracted by local miners who prioritize landscape preservation through mindful excavation practices. Anais employs a wax technique to shape the 18ct gold, infusing symbols like the wind or the sun into each creation, almost like a personal talisman.
Furthermore, each stone professes to have unique healing properties, ensuring not only visual appeal but also a sense of well-being, too.
Hoorsenbuhs
In just over a decade, Hoorsenbuhs has emerged as a prominent player in the men’s jewelry sector, quickly making a name off the back of its meticulously crafted rings, cuffs and open-link chains.
Founder and Creative Chief Robert Keith, a former photographer, introduced Hoorsenbuhs in 2005 with a singular creation: a gold tri-link ring – a symbol of strength, quality and enduring luxury, evident across the range from rose gold cuffs to 18K gold engagement rings, platinum pavé chains and sterling silver padlocks.
The brand name? Well, that comes from a 16th-century Dutch merchant ship that Keith’s ancestors once commanded.
Le Gramme
Le Gramme’s co-founder and creative director Erwan Le Louër launched this consummate jewellery label in 2013, making an immediate impression on the market with his precise minimalist aesthetic. He has pedigree too – before Le Gramme, Le Louër managed Maison Margiela’s jewelry line while also establishing his brand, JEM.
Le Gramme’s aesthetic reflects Le Louër’s creative vision: emphasizing elementary forms, noble materials, distinct imprints and finishes. The pieces have a strong architectural element to them and are perfect for those who like a pared-back, understated look that screams quality.
Luis Morais
Established officially in 2002, Luis Morais traces its origins back to a DIY project that the founder did in 1998 when he couldn’t get hold of a bracelet he saw in a magazine and so tried to make his own. Since then Morais has gone on to build a coveted unisex jewelry brand, with a charming aesthetic that blends modern bohemianism with a few rough edges.
The designs draw on different cultures for their inspiration, which makes for an eclectic collection of designs. Morais’ vast array of bracelets offers a great entry point to the brand, but take a look at the handwoven gold Maille bracelets, as well as the lapis bead necklaces, if you want to bring a real sense of luxury to your daily looks.
Marco dal Maso
Based in the heart of Italy’s jewelry-making city of Vicenza, Marco dal Maso founded his eponymous label after traveling the world and finding inspiring keepsakes from the many different cultures he encountered.
Handmade with precision by skilled Italian artisans, dal Maso uses the finest conflict-free materials to create his contemporary gold, silver and leather bracelets, as well as an eclectic selection of masculine rings that make for stunning wedding band alternatives (we especially love the Manawa ring with champagne diamond pave).
Miansai
In 2008, Michael Saiger founded Miansai with a vision to curate understated yet inspired men’s jewelry. What began as a solo endeavor has evolved over 15 years into a global lifestyle and fashion brand, boasting a team of over 30 skilled artisans.
Nestled in Miami with flagship stores in New York City and Los Angeles, Miansai uses only the finest materials, including French calf and Italian leathers, pure precious metals and custom-made US Military-grade ropes.
Miansai is best known for its rope bracelets with precious metal and gemstone detailing, but its other designs have become equally as covetable.
Rebus
Founded upon the storied legacy of R.H. Wilkins, a revered hand-engraving company established 1971, Rebus is a signet ring specialist that embodies decades of ring-making mastery.
Wilkins was one of the finest hand engraving talents in the country, and under his tutelage was one Emmet Smith who, in 2005, established Rebus with a resolute vision: to honor the art of hand engraving through the creation of meaningful, bespoke signet rings.
There is no better place in London to have a signet ring made, whether using a family crest or commissioning something one-of-a-kind.
Shamballa Jewels
Conceived in 2005 by Messrs Mads and Mikkel Kornerup, Shamballa Jewels harmoniously blends ancient Eastern wisdom with the sleekness of Nordic aesthetics.
The brand’s genesis is rooted in the Kornerup brothers’ profound fascination with ancient Eastern philosophy, a pivotal influence that permeates every facet of their creations. Reflecting this ethos, the iconic logo graces each meticulously handcrafted bracelet, necklace or bangle originating from their Copenhagen workshop.
Engraved onto lustrous gold beads, the emblem pays homage to the Dorje, a sacred Buddhist artifact. According to legend, the Dorje embodies “the thunderstroke of lightning”, a symbol of enlightenment in its purest form. Pretty flashy, in other words.
Shaun Leane
Shaun Leane is a British jewelry design luminary who learned his craft from the renowned jeweler Anthony Denney. Leane launched his eponymous brand in 1999, characterized by a unique blend of elegance and rebelliousness.
Collaborations with Alexander McQueen, notably the unconventional ‘Coiled Corset’, became iconic in McQueen’s ‘Savage Beauty’ collection. Leane’s jewelry effortlessly balances sophistication and boldness, showcasing craftsmanship that appeals to those seeking distinctive pieces.
SHAY
The brainchild of Ladan and Tanaz Shayan, SHAY has been based in Los Angeles since it was founded in 2013. This mother-and-daughter duo mostly handcrafts women’s pieces using luxurious 18-karat gold, diamonds and precious gemstones, but its well-curated men’s collection should be on your radar if you like bold gold pieces and chunky urban bling.
There are of course delicate pieces, such as their diamond hexagon tennis necklace, but the standout designs are the ID link rings and bracelets, all available in a few different precious metal iterations.
Spinelli Kilcollin
Spinelli Kilcollin jewelry is meticulously handcrafted in Downtown Los Angeles by a small team of local artisans using recycled metals. Foremost among its designs are the now-iconic stacked linked rings, which come in a huge variety of styles, incorporating different metals and gemstones.
For sleek necklace lovers, the brand’s Serpens silver hand-rolled link chain is an undeniably timeless piece, too.
Stephen Webster
The renowned British jeweler Stephen Webster has long been celebrated for his bold, edgy and inventive designs with a decidedly rock ‘n’ roll aesthetic. He founded his eponymous brand in 1989 and has since earned global recognition for his innovative collections that blend traditional craftsmanship with a grungy and gothic edge.
There’s an Old World romance about his pieces, which often feature intricate details, vibrant gemstones and unconventional materials. His Sex & Drugs & Rock ‘n’ Roll rings are a testament to his rebelliousness, while pieces such as his Stag Beetle bracelets underline the creative mastery Webster possesses.
Tiffany & Co.
Since its inception in 1837 by Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young in the heart of New York City, Tiffany & Co. has been an enduring icon of American luxury jewelry. The brand soared to eminence thanks to its groundbreaking Tiffany Setting for engagement rings in 1886, revolutionizing diamond ring designs. Its iconic blue packaging has also set it apart from its peers.
While undoubtedly thought of as a women’s jeweler, Tiffany’s does boast a pretty exceptional men’s collection, featuring a stunning array of sophisticated modern designs crafted in stunning yellow gold, rose gold and white gold.
Tom Wood
Founded by Mona Jensen in 2013, Tom Wood started as a small jewelry line reimagining classic signet rings. With Mona’s husband, Morten Isachsen, joining later, the company has now grown to include 35 full-time employees across Oslo and Paris.
Inspired by Scandinavian simplicity, innovation and practicality, Tom Wood designs draw inspiration from nature, sculpture, architecture and history to produce a clean and minimalist collection of earrings, bracelets, chains and pendants.
The brand uses an array of precious materials, from sterling silver and solid gold to gemstones like black and white diamonds.
