In today’s socially conscious world, however, there are problems associated with these more traditional icons of wealth. For example, men wearing thick gold bracelets and heavy gem-studded rings do so at the risk of coming across as slightly boorish and pretentious at best, or as a caricature of themselves at worst.
Instead, jewellery today is called upon to add a sense of taste and sophistication to a person’s appearance, rather than the simple embellishment of less civilized times. Jewellery can be an extremely effective way to creatively adjust the way you present yourself to suit the tone of any crowd or occasion. This is not a new concept; it essentially describes how the Egyptians and the Romans used jewellery, to communicate messages.
For an example of this, simply observe the habits of the well-dressed male – particularly, his watch collection. Most gentlemen (what remaining few there are in today’s society) do not wear jewellery for the sake of adornment. They prefer functional jewellery, such as cufflinks, watches and tie-bars. A man’s watch collection generally offers him the widest range of choice in how he presents himself. A man will generally have one or two “beaters” that he wears daily, and will only break out his “dressier” watches for more high-class affairs. This behaviour provides us an excellent guide by which to conduct ourselves in our choice of silver jewellery.
Interestingly, the most of-overlooked choices can sometimes be the most unique as well. Observe, for example, the plain steel bracelet, or the silver ring. The 925 sterling silver ring is a particularly good example because it infuses jewellery with a sort of barren indestructibility, perfectly appealing to the masculine characteristics in all of us. They are also an example of an article of jewellery that is frequently derided as being too “common”, and yet is actually rarely seen. Sterling silver rings are very rare indeed – because everybody thinks everybody else has them, and so nobody wears them. This allows the savvy person the opportunity to pick up a quite classy (and certainly classic) accessory and become known for it.
Men’s sterling silver rings are, of course, the most popular kind, but there are several options for women as well. Women deserve a little more aesthetically pleasing jewellery than men – generally, a sparkling gemstone and some intricate silverwork can’t go wrong.
Indeed, there are a wide range of gems that look fantastic when turned into sterling silver gemstone rings, because the colour of sterling silver is less abrasive than, say, yellow gold, meaning it suits gems better. Lighter coloured semi-precious stones like sapphires work extremely well with sterling silver, although darker gems like emeralds, rubies and amethysts create quite a stunning contrast as well. Garnets are another popular choice.
If gemstones are out of the question, there is another option – silverwork. Silver is a very good material to craft with, and allows for the creation of some fantastic designs and filigree to add some texture to the ring. A sterling silver heart ring could be a good choice for women.
For men, of course, there is always the allure of the plain ring. The slightly scratched, slightly beaten up ring that retains its shape, but still somehow appears a rugged and tough, like the exterior of the man who wears such a thing. There is a simple beauty in these things that is quite difficult to identify, but very easy to see.