Icons and Classics: Jewellery Pieces Every Man Should Own
Some pieces aren’t just accessories — they’re artefacts, transferred from one era to another, some even handed down through generations. Something built into particular styles endures, not because of forecastable trends or seasonal drops, but because they’ve battled their way into the canon of what it means to wear something that matters.
Here’s the lowdown on the timeless jewellery pieces every man needs in his arsenal — no frills, no filler, just icons and classics.
The Square Signet Ring
Geometry meets legacy. There are dozens of signet designs. Round, oval, bevelled, brushed. But the square-faced signet ring is the one that fads and fashion cycles never weather. It’s brash but not flashy. Box-like but understated. If it’s stamped in gold, it’s got presence. In brushed silver, it’s raw grit.
The Box Chain Bracelet
Discard the rope. Discard the beads. The box chain bracelet is where function becomes form. Built by a scaffolding of exacting links, this bracelet has an architectural presence. There’s purity to it. Clinical. Assertive.
The St. Christopher Pendant
A pendant needn’t sparkle. But it will need to tell a tale. The St. Christopher pendant has crossed decades, from bikers, soldiers, travellers, and men who live with an eye on the road and an eye toward what’s next.
It’s half symbol, half heirloom. Doesn’t matter whether you believe in saints — the fact that it will continue is testament enough.
The Torque Cuff
The torque cuff is ancient. Celts fought with them. Pharaohs were interred with them. It’s a fragment of history twisted into shape and slid over the wrist.
Typically made in brushed metal — think oxidised silver or blackened steel — the torque cuff is open-ended, fixed, and doesn’t give a hoot what’s in your wardrobe. It’s as much a weapon as it is jewellery.
The Cuban Chain
The Cuban link chain is the godfather of men’s jewellery. Thick, close-woven links that lie flat against the skin, with weight but no bulk. Born in street culture, adopted by icons, now a mainstay in every serious collection. If you own only one chain in your life, make it a 5mm Miami Cuban Chain.
The Hinged Huggie
It’s not 2002. No need for studs, no hoops, or hanging charms. If you do wear an earring, wear a hinged huggie. Snapped tightly against the lobe, no swing, no wobble — just a clamped tight hoop that locks.
The Figaro Chain
There is something about a Figaro chain that announces you know your way around a genuine piece of jewellery. From its Italian roots, now global, its distinctive short-short-short-long links create a particular rhythm.
It’s lighter than a Cuban and requires less maintenance than a rope chain.
The Franco Chain Bracelet
The Franco chain isn’t loose, messy, or sprawling. It’s the engineer’s bracelet. Built from four-way interlocking links, it’s the cleanest weave — tight but never stiff.
The Dog Tag
Forget the Army stereotypes — dog tags have come a long way. Nowadays, it’s all about durability. Especially if it’s water-resistant — made from marine-strength stainless steel or titanium and tough enough to survive a licking. It doesn’t tarnish, doesn’t get green, and doesn’t care that you just swam or ran a mile.
The Automatic Watch
Not really considered jewellery, but worth the honourable mention.
No batteries. No bother. Just gears, springs, and silence. The automatic watch is more than a watch — it’s machinery on your wrist. A mechanism that continues to move with you, powered by your movements, never requesting a charge or software updates.
While field watches are built for ruggedness, and steel divers are built to go deep, the automatic defies the norm. Chronographs. Subdials. Skeleton faces. Doesn’t matter. What matters is the movement.
Finding Your Next Iconic Piece
The designs mentioned didn’t become icons overnight. The Cuban chain, its thick, imposing links. The square signet is angular and grounded in tradition. The St. Christopher pendant is a symbol worn through wars, road trips, and generations. Each design has earned its place, not only in the history of men’s jewellery, but in the wearer’s life.
Owning them isn’t about following fashion — it’s about recognising forms that have stood the test of time and outlived passing trends.
