How Men Embraced Luxury Jewellery
JAKE MILLAR
17 OCT 2023
GQ Magazine
The ice age: How men embraced luxury jewellery, according to Tiffany’s chief gemologist
Blame a certain British popstar, but men’s jewellery is having a moment. The good news is there’s never been a better time to invest in a little bling. Or a lot of it, like these high-jewellery creations. Photography by Daphne Nguyen
Men’s jewellery is everywhere. This is probably not news to you if you have even a passing interest in fashion or know any young people at all. It’s not just on the runways, either; young guys are taking to earrings, rings, bracelets, necklaces and more with unprecedented abandon. Call it the Harry Styles effect (himself a long-time pearl enthusiast) or point to Gen-Z’s comfort with blurring the gender boundaries, but whatever it is, jewellery is having a moment.
Alongside Mr Styles, at least some of the credit can go to Vicky Reynolds, chief gemologist and vice president at Tiffany & Co., whose early appreciation for jewellery quickly transformed into a lifelong dedication to the craft.
“Jewellery is about what brings you joy, so you shouldn’t feel boxed in,” she said during a recent visit to Sydney. And she should know. Reynolds joined the landmark jeweller in 1987, rising through the ranks to be appointed chief gemologist three years ago; the first woman to hold the position in the brand’s storied history.
It has been a busy year for Tiffany. A few weeks before we met, it had unveiled its New York City flagship, a vast 10-storey gem of a building set on 57th Street and Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. The glistening boutique, humbly known as The Landmark, opened its doors after four years of renovations led by legendary architect Peter Marino, and celebrated with a galaxy of stars: everyone from Gal Gadot, Katy Perry and Anya-Taylor Joy to Michael B. Jordan, Pharrell, Aussies Jacob Elordi, Phoebe Tonkin, Felix Mallard, and more.
“It was spectacular. It was very humbling,” says Reynolds, still buzzing from the extravaganza. “My first seven years with the company were in that building so I had very high expectations because it was so sentimental to me. Peter Marino did an extraordinary job of keeping the things that were historical and unique. But it’s extraordinary and I really encourage everyone to come and visit. I could wax on for hours about it!”
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