In Western culture men often wear little to no jewelry, often opting to only wear a wedding ring and/ or a watch. What meaning can be discerned from the jewelry that Western men do wear and why don’t they wear more? On this week’s episode of Silent Generation the boys begin by discussing the form and function of the types of jewelry men most commonly wear: rings, cufflinks, tie pins, watches, necklaces, and belt buckles. Amongst other things they discuss the popularity of pearl jewelry amongst male queerbaiters, when men’s jewelry becomes a red flag, why wearable tech lost its potential to be considered jewelry, Nathan’s time working in the jewelry industry, and how millennial pink was a stepping stone into alternative fashion for preppy people in the late 2010s. 

Links: 

Rings & Their Meaning by Gentleman’s Gazette

Fran Lebowitz wearing Calder cufflinks in Scorsese’s “Pretend It’s a City”

how’d you know im uncut meme

“I got court” starterpack meme

Artwork: 

Screenshot from The Talented Mr. Ripley

Recorded on 5/5/2024