Men’s Jewelry Holiday Gift Guide

Buying jewelry for a man is mostly a question of nerve. Plenty of men would wear more of it than they currently own, and almost none of them will go and buy it for themselves, which is what makes it such a good gift and such an uneasy one to choose. The mistake is not buying something too bold. It is buying something that has nothing to do with what he already puts on.

So we have grouped these by the kind of thing they are: sterling silver with some weight to it, gold chains, and rings in metals that are not gold at all. If you want the wider styling picture first, our guide to men’s jewelry trends runs through chains and how they are worn, bracelets and layering, pendants with stone inlays, and rings beyond the wedding band.

Bold Sterling Silver

Silver suits someone who wants presence without the warmth of gold, and it carries a darkened, worked finish in a way gold does not. These run from a heavy oxidized necklace to a fine woven chain, with a bracelet in between.

Sterling Silver 24 Inch Boat Link Necklace Oxidized Finish

• Elongated boat links in sterling silver, darkened with an oxidized finish
• 24 inches, so it sits low on the chest rather than at the collar
• Fastens with a hook rather than a spring ring

King Baby Studio Sterling Silver 8.75 Inch Infinity Link Bracelet

• Rounded infinity links from King Baby Studio, heavy in the hand
• A toggle bar and ring closure rather than a spring clasp
• 8.75 inches of oxidized sterling silver

Sterling Silver 22 Inch 4.1mm Byzantine Chain Necklace

• Byzantine links woven into a dense square rope, 4.1 mm across
• Polished and rhodium plated, so it holds its shine
• 22 inches, finished with a lobster claw

Gold Chains

A gold chain is the piece most men are quietly hoping for and least likely to buy. The decision is not really the link pattern, it is the gauge: the same style at 5 mm and at 9 mm are two different gifts. Our full range of men’s chains has more of both.

14k Yellow Gold 22″ Miami Cuban Necklace

• Miami Cuban links at 5 mm, finer than the name suggests
• A 22 inch necklace, polished throughout
• The quietest of these to wear

14k Yellow Gold 9.3mm Curb Chain Bracelet

• Curb links at 9.3 mm, the boldest gauge here
• An 8 inch bracelet, solid and high polished
• Fastens with a lobster claw

14k Yellow Gold 8.25″ Box Like Chain Bracelet

• Rounded box links, squared in profile rather than flat
• 8.25 inches in polished 14k yellow gold
• The most textured of the three to look at

Alternative Metal Rings

Not every man wants a gold ring, and the alternative metals have stopped being the budget option and become the interesting one. Cobalt, zirconium and Damascus steel take finishes and inlays that gold cannot, which is why these look nothing like each other.

Lashbrook Cobalt 8 mm Wedding Band

• A pine treeline laser carved around the band and filled with black Cerakote
• A whiskey barrel wood sleeve inside, so the grain sits against the finger
• 8 mm of satin-finished cobalt

Lashbrook Zirconium 8 mm Wedding Band with 4 mm Tan Dinosaur Bone

• A 4 mm band of tan dinosaur bone inlaid into black zirconium
• Satin finished, 8 mm wide and 2.3 mm thick
• The inlay is a natural material, so its markings vary piece to piece

Lashbrook Damascus and 14k White Gold 8 mm Wedding Band

• Damascus steel, acid finished to bring out its layered grain
• Two lines of 14k white gold inlaid around it
• 8 mm wide, and the slimmest of these at 2.2 mm

The Robbins Brothers Difference

We have been fitting and selling fine jewelry since 1921, and men’s pieces are a growing part of what leaves our showrooms. Our master jeweler works in house, which counts for more here than people expect: a chain can be shortened, a clasp swapped, or an engraving added without the piece ever leaving the building.

Every piece carries our best-in-class lifetime warranty, with complimentary cleaning and inspection at any of our showrooms. Men’s jewelry tends to get worn hard, which is rather the point of it, so that inspection earns its keep in a way it does not on something kept for occasions. And our jewelry consultants will help you choose without turning it into a larger purchase than you came in for.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best jewelry gift for a man?

Start from how he already dresses rather than from what is popular. A gold chain suits someone who likes a visible piece, oxidized sterling silver fits a darker and more worked look, and a ring in cobalt, zirconium or Damascus steel works for the man who wants something modern and hard-wearing. If he owns no jewelry at all, a bracelet is the least demanding place to start, because he can wear it without anyone commenting on it.

How do I choose a chain length and width for a men’s necklace?

Length sets where it sits and width sets how much it is noticed. A 20 to 22 inch necklace sits at the base of the neck or just below it, and 24 inches falls onto the chest and reads more deliberately. Men’s bracelets mostly run 8 to 8.75 inches. On width, anything around 4 to 5 mm is easy to wear daily and 9 mm and up is a statement. If he already owns one chain, measure that rather than guess.

What metals and materials are best for men’s jewelry?

It depends on what his hands and days are like. 14k gold is the traditional choice and takes wear well. Sterling silver is the natural home for oxidized and worked finishes. Cobalt, zirconium, tantalum and Damascus steel are harder than gold, hold a satin finish, and carry inlays like wood or dinosaur bone that gold cannot. Our jewelry consultants can put several in front of him so he can feel the weight difference, which is the part that decides it.

How do I find the right ring size for a men’s alternative metal ring?

Get him measured if you possibly can, because this is the one place these metals are less forgiving than gold. They are hard enough that they do not resize the way a gold band does, so the size you choose is essentially the size you keep. Come into any of our showrooms and we will size him properly, or talk you through the options if the gift is meant to be a surprise.

Do you offer both lab-grown and natural diamonds in men’s jewelry?

Yes. We carry both across our men’s rings and pendants, and we will not steer you toward either one. Our jewelry consultants will explain how they differ in origin and in what you can expect for a given size, and leave the choice to you. None of the pieces in this particular guide is set with diamonds, so if that is what you are after, ask us and we will show you the ones that are.

Can I design a custom men’s piece?

Yes. Our in-house design studio and master jeweler build custom work, and men’s pieces are some of the most satisfying to make because the brief is usually specific: a particular inlay, an initial inside a band, a chain at a weight the catalog does not carry. Custom work needs lead time, so start the conversation early if it has to be ready for a date.

What warranty comes with men’s jewelry?

The same best-in-class lifetime warranty that covers everything we sell, including cleaning, inspection and repairs. The detail worth knowing on a gift is that the cover belongs to the piece rather than to whoever paid for it, so once it is his he can bring it into any of our showrooms himself.

Do I need an appointment to shop for men’s jewelry?

Walk-ins are always welcome, though December is our busiest stretch and a booked consultation means dedicated time with one of our experts. It is also the easiest way to compare chain gauges side by side, which is genuinely hard to judge from a screen. You can reserve a time on our appointment page.

Or find a Robbins Brothers near you to see these pieces in person. You can also browse our Pinterest board for inspiration.