How to Wear Men's Jewellery___SEVEN50

Apart from wedding rings and watches, what jewellery can a man wear without looking like a mobster?

When it comes to the art of adorning and bejewelling oneself, the sexes are most definitely not equal. For women, buying a new necklace or ring or bangle is usually quite fun. For men, it is a potential minefield. Sure, dog tags are acceptable if you are currently back from Iraq on leave; cuff links and tiepins are de rigueur for formal business attire. But what if you wanted to wear a necklace, or a bracelet, or even an earring for everyday purposes? How does a man pull off jewellery so that he looks like David Beckham rather than 50 Cent?

THE RULES

Rule number 1: Discretion is key.

First things first: some ground rules: discretion is generally preferred over bling. A true gentleman knows that if his date has gone to the trouble to accessorise with a stunning diamond necklace, he does not outshine her with blinding stones of his own.

Rule number 2: Be comfortable.

To get a better idea of what's hot in men's jewellery, we've asked several stylish men about town. "You should always wear what you feel comfortable in. If you think something looks strange on you, most likely others will think the same."

Rule number 3: Start small and no bling.

For the absolute beginner, Jeffrey Loloi suggests that a small masculine brooch pinned onto a jacket to start: "He might feel more at ease that it is pinned onto the jacket rather than on him." In terms of absolute no-go zones, Loloi is adamant: "Bling is really passé; and men do not look good with pierced ear(s). Even if a guy had an internally flawless diamond in a large carat, I think it's a waste and looks stupid as an earring. Earrings are strictly reserved for women in my eyes."

THE ESSENTIALS

CUFFS

In many ways, cuffs are the easiest type of jewellery for a man to pull off. They are not usually too frilly and in many cases, helps draw attention to the forearm, which even on the most unfit man looks relatively lean and toned.

NECKLACES

Necklaces for men can be trickier: you want something to brighten up that t-shirt neckline, but can't get that image of a thick gold chain nestled in abundant chest hair out of your head. Loloi notes, a high/low mix such as a design in precious stones matched with a string or leather necklace is very much on-trend for men at the moment.

RINGS

Not easy as there are so many types to avoid: class, signet and mood rings are a no-no, especially if these are wider than half a centimetre.