For a country like India, where fashion has always spoken in many languages and jewellery has never been shy about making a statement, men wearing it is hardly a new idea. Earrings, necklaces, rings, amulets and ornate pieces have long been part of how Indian men dressed, signalling status, masculinity, faith, wealth and identity. From royal courts to religious traditions, adornment was often loaded with meaning. What a man wore could tell you where he came from, what he believed in, what he had inherited and, sometimes, how much power he held.
Somewhere along the way, the modern man’s jewellery box became a bit of a one-watch show. Maybe a discreet chain if he was feeling adventurous, but that was usually where things stopped. Now, the rulebook is getting a rewrite. Pearls are popping up at shirt collars, chunky silver is making itself comfortable on fingers, pendants are peeking out from open shirts and signet rings are becoming everyday signatures. Men aren't discovering jewellery so much as rediscovering the fun of wearing it. And with that comes a looser, less prescriptive idea of what masculinity can look like.
If your jewellery drawer still begins and ends with a watch, here’s where to start.
The easiest way into jewellery is to find something that does not feel too far removed from what you already wear. For Mumbai-based model Kaustav Dey, that is a ring. “A simple ring. There’s something very natural and masculine about it – it doesn’t feel like you’ve suddenly decided to ‘wear jewellery’,” he says. “Start with silver, something with a little weight and character, and let it become an object you wear every day rather than an accessory you put on.”
Delhi-based art and fashion creator Prateek Chauhan also recommends rings. “I’d say start with one or two rings. I think rings are the easiest way for a man to get into jewellery because they add personality without changing the entire look.”
Noida-based fashion creator Khalid Walid prefers a bracelet. “I’d say a bracelet since it basically replaces or complements the watch on the same wrist, though I’d not suggest that, or the other wrist, or a basic ring band since it’s easy to wear and has a safety net of feeling like you haven’t overdone it. If I had to choose one, I’d say a bracelet.”
The common thread is simple: start with something that can become part of your wardrobe rather than something you have to consciously remember to accessorise with.
There are no hard rules about matching metals, and trying to coordinate every piece can sometimes make jewellery look overly styled rather than personal. Proportion, neckline and the overall mood of the clothes are more useful things to consider.
“I don’t really believe in too many strict rules when it comes to jewellery,” says Prateek. “For me, it’s about looking at the outfit as a whole and understanding what it needs.” He is also happy to mix metals. “Sometimes silver and gold together can make an outfit much more interesting.”
Kaustav takes a similar approach, putting proportion ahead of perfect coordination. “I think proportion matters far more than matching metals. A fine chain can disappear beautifully under a white shirt; a heavier piece needs enough simplicity around it to breathe.”
The neckline matters too. A fine chain under a closed crew neck will have a very different effect from a pendant sitting against an open shirt. The same applies to the clothes themselves. If your outfit is already doing plenty, jewellery can afford to be quieter.
Khalid tends to let the aesthetic of the outfit guide his choices. “A streetwear-heavy outfit might make me pull out my G-Shocks or my Casio F-91W with a Cuban chain. A military-inspired vintage outfit might get my field watches out, like my DWC Terra, which I’m obsessed with lately.”
His rings, however, remain constant. “They’re the most versatile pieces in my outfits. They need to be as I never change them.”
Layering is where things can quickly become complicated. Two chains can look effortless; five can make it seem like you are trying to prove a point.
Prateek’s solution is separation. “With chains, I prefer different lengths rather than everything sitting on top of each other – it keeps it intentional and effortless.” He applies the same thinking to rings, mixing shapes, metals and thicknesses without making every piece identical.
Khalid is willing to push it when the outfit calls for it. “If I’m having fun with colours, I’d sometimes have a neck statement of 2–3 chains, my usual rings, a watch and a bracelet, or else I honestly don’t overdo it in that sense.” His larger point is that jewellery should support the outfit rather than compete with it.
Kaustav puts the idea more poetically: “I like jewellery to look accumulated over a life – something inherited, something bought travelling, something given by someone loved.”
That may be the best approach to layering. Instead of buying a matching set and putting everything on at once, build a collection slowly. Let some pieces have a story, some be purely decorative, and others become everyday signatures.
The current enthusiasm for pearls, charms and chunky silver might look like a new development, but the history says otherwise.
“Men have become much less anxious about the boundaries of what constitutes masculinity, and clothes have become more expressive because of it,” says Kaustav. “Historically, men wore extraordinary jewellery – signet rings, pearls, gemstones, chains. So in some ways we’re simply returning to a broader idea of masculine adornment.”
For Khalid, the change is also about freedom of expression. “I think what has changed is over time society has been progressive in the grand scheme of things, and artists being expressive and influencers being influenced and then influencing the audience has trickled down.”
Prateek sees social media, music, designers and pop culture as part of the same shift. Men are exposed to a wider range of ways to dress than ever before, making experimentation feel less intimidating.
The result is a version of menswear where a pearl necklace does not necessarily have to signal rebellion, a chunky silver ring does not need a story about masculinity, and a charm can simply be something you liked enough to wear.
Starting from scratch does not mean buying everything at once. Khalid’s five would be a watch, a Cuban chain, two rings, a pendant and a bracelet. He sees each playing a different role: the watch for everyday versatility, the rings as dependable staples, the pendant for easy everyday wear, and the Cuban chain for casual, street, or especially experimental looks.
Kaustav would choose “a substantial silver ring, a fine gold chain, a signet ring, a simple cuff or kada, and one completely irrational piece – a pearl, a strange pendant, an antique charm, something with personality.”
Prateek takes a relaxed approach, suggesting a small collection of around five rings, mixing chunky and minimal styles and changing how they are worn from outfit to outfit.
And there is no rule saying you need to wear jewellery every day. “Don’t force yourself to wear anything if you don’t feel like it or just to be pretentious,” says Prateek. “Sometimes bare hands and a clean neck work best with certain outfits.”
That is perhaps the most useful rule of all. The point of jewellery is not to prove that you know how to accessorise. It is to find the pieces that feel like you.