Why do men wear jewelry? To be more attractive? Or to create a noticeable appearance? Both answers are correct to some extent, but jewelry’s mission goes far beyond the look. 

Strength and Power in the Primeval World

People have been using ornaments since ancient times, perhaps even before we started wearing clothes. According to archaeological findings, cavemen created pendants from seashells, animal teeth, and bones as well as polished stones. In those distant times, jewelry began to determine the status of a person in a primitive society. Brave hunters wore necklaces made of teeth and bones of animals they killed. The more magnificent and massive these items were, the stronger and more skilful a hunter was believed to be. On top of that, claws and fangs served as a totem, a sign of a lineage, an indicator of a warrior’s courage or a desire to receive the strength of a killed beast or enemy. Tribe leaders and shamans showed off plentiful ornaments while the ordinary tribesmen wore the most primitive trinkets.

Social Status and Sacred Meaning

The role of jewelry as a status identifier preserved with the development of civilizations. Excavations in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Rome show that the ruling elite of society (leaders and priests) utilized jewels as a symbol of the monarch’s power and wealth. For priests, shamans, and ministers, neck, hands, and head accessories had a sacred meaning. The god’s servants believed that specific shapes, symbols, and materials facilitated communication with deities, gave strength, and helped preach a cult. As a result, the richest and most influential people possessed the most expensive jewelry.

Splendour and Functionality

Middle Ages reduced the importance of jewelry. Except nobles and rulers, asceticism was instilled in the unwashed masses. There were rules for wearing rings, bracelets, and other pieces of jewelry. However, the 18th century frees up people's imagination. Such a riot of luxury could make the ancient kings jealous. Gold, silver, platinum, all sorts of precious stones incorporated into necklaces, bracelets, rings, and buckles made men shine. Literally.

Besides purely decorative function, starting from the Middle Ages and later, jewelry had been acquiring a practical value. Signet rings became widespread among the nobility and prosperous men as a personal stamp to sign and sealed messages and documents. Also, many influential individuals had transformer rings featuring hollow chambers for storing poison or other substances.

While commoners did not really wear trinkets, they also contributed to the development of jewelry. For example, archers protected their fingers with a wide ring. Spiked bracelets served as an additional weapon in sword fights. Wide leather ‘bracelets’ covering half of the forearm safeguarded solders from cuts and injury.

Rebellion and Disobedience

Some rings and bracelets developed from the military duties of men, but many individuals used jewelry to show their involvement in the underworld. They did not want to serve or obey anyone, and as a symbol of disobedience, they wore an earring. The church was strongly opposed to piercing the ears because the human body is sacred and cannot be damaged. For bandits, crooks, and pirates, such prohibitions were like a red rag for a bull. They pierced their ears simply because society did not accept this form of self-expression.

Jewelry and Modern Men

As you can see, jewelry carried out many missions throughout history. What is its function now? Today's significance of men's jewelry is the melting pot of all the meanings that have existed before.

Expensive and sophisticated, predominantly designer and handmade, jewelry is like a magnet for wealthy individuals. Now it’s not customary to show off your status with larger than life and diamond-strewn jewelry. Rather, this function is transferred to discreet classic jewelry by elite brands. At the same time, many people, as soon as they earn decent money, try to put on as many diamonds and chains as possible in a rapper style. Well, wealth does not always come with exquisite taste.

Men still attempt to demonstrate their masculinity and virility by putting on massive jewelry. Look at the bikers; they are a storehouse of unique men's jewelry. Burly, solid, and featuring leftfield symbolism, their accessories convey a message of danger, freedom of spirit, thirst for adventure, fraternity, and rebellion.

Creative personalities are partial to audacious ornaments as well. Thus, they contrast themselves with blue-collar workers or office plankton who do not know creativity, fantasy, and culture. With their spectacular rings and bracelets, they determine their belonging to the artistic estate.

Speaking of belonging to something, rings and necklaces are perfectly suited for members of specific groups or classes. Members of closed communities wear rings, winners of sports events are awarded champion rings, believers wear crucifixes or other symbolic jewelry to denote their faith. Men still have plenty of reasons to wear jewelry in this day and age.