“The Gentleman. Style and Men’s Jewelry” by Mara Cappelletti: A Story of Masculine Elegance

Men’s Jewelry Is Not a Trend: It Has Always Been Power

There are books that tell a story, and there are books that restore dignity to a story too often forgotten. The Gentleman. Style and Men’s Jewelry by Mara Cappelletti undoubtedly belongs to the latter category. At a time when men’s jewelry is often perceived as a recent concession to contemporary trends, this volume reminds us of a simple yet surprising truth: men have always worn jewelry. Not out of superficial vanity, but to communicate power, belonging, memory, and identity.

The book’s strength lies precisely in its ability to guide readers through centuries of history without ever turning the narrative into a dry chronology. Instead, each era emerges as a refined theatrical performance in which jewelry becomes the silent protagonist of a broader social narrative.

The Gentleman Reveals the Hidden Power of Aristocratic Elegance

If contemporary menswear tends toward restraint, the eighteenth century celebrated magnificence. In European courts, particularly under French influence, the elegant man was a true visual spectacle. Diamond-studded buckles, carved snuffboxes, decorated walking sticks, cameo rings, and gold buttons formed an aesthetic vocabulary that today we would define as luxury lifestyle. The aristocrat did not simply wear clothing; he constructed a statement of status.

From jeweled pins securing precious lace jabots to pinky rings adorned with imposing mythological cameos or miniatures of a beloved lady, eighteenth-century jewelry was pure display—a visible manifestation of aristocratic power.

Within these pages echoes even the irony of Giuseppe Parini, who observed with amused detachment the daily rituals of the Giovin Signore (“Young Lord”). A satire that, read today, feels remarkably modern. After all, contemporary social media has become a kind of new court where image continues to exercise its power.

The History of Men’s Jewelry: From Ostentation to Discretion

The nineteenth century brought a paradigm shift. The rise of the bourgeoisie imposed a new aesthetic founded on sobriety and self-control. Etiquette manuals of the period—such as Cecil Hartley’s famous The Gentlemen’s Book of Etiquette (1860)—began to argue that gentlemen should wear jewelry solely for practical purposes and never merely for ornamentation.

Yet it would be naïve to assume that the desire to stand out disappeared. It simply became more refined. Thus emerged some of the accessories that still define masculine elegance today: cufflinks, tie pins, pocket watches, and decorative chains. Objects that appeared functional but became sophisticated tools of social communication.

Masterpieces of miniature goldsmithing were born:

Vest Chains and Pendants: In a century when punctuality and urban order became increasingly important, carrying a pocket watch displayed on a chain—whether gold, silver, or a less precious metal—signaled a modern relationship with time. The chain became a “small daily stage” upon which a man expressed both taste and personal identity.

Tie Pins (or Stickpins): Originally designed to keep the large, elaborate ties of the nineteenth century neatly in place, they quickly evolved into distinctive style elements—a point of light and a declaration of social standing.

Cufflinks: They evolved from simple practical tools into tangible expressions of the century’s cultural nostalgia, balancing bourgeois discretion with the desire for self-expression.

Particularly fascinating is the reflection on the signet ring, a symbol of family belonging and generational continuity. This detail transcends fashion and enters the most intimate sphere of personal identity.

Men’s jewelry rediscovered an intimate dimension: that of a vehicle for memory and affection. Far from being merely a luxury item, the ring became a token used to strengthen relationships, esteem, and brotherly friendship. A perfect example is found in an 1854 letter from the Pre-Raphaelite painter John Everett Millais to his friend and colleague William Holman Hunt, who was preparing to depart for the Holy Land:

“…I should like to have something to remind me of you, and I wish you would go to Hunt and Roskell and have a signet ring made which you must always wear… get a good one and have your initials engraved on it.”

Through the ideas of Franco Fornari, the signet ring emerges as far more than a simple ornament. It is a testament to continuity, a symbolic signature, an inheritance that travels through time. In a world dominated by speed and ephemerality, the signet ring retains extraordinary narrative power. It tells not only who we are, but also where we come from.

Perhaps it is precisely this profound dimension that explains the renewed interest this accessory is experiencing among a new generation of elegant men.

Men’s Fashion and Jewelry: When Luxury Becomes Culture

Among the book’s most evocative chapters is the one dedicated to the encounter between Gabriele d’Annunzio and Mario Buccellati. It reads almost like a novel. On one side stands the Poet, obsessed with beauty in all its forms. On the other, the goldsmith capable of transforming metal into poetry.

Their dialogue perhaps represents the highest moment in the culture of Italian men’s jewelry. D’Annunzio bestowed upon the jeweler grand and theatrical titles, often calling him “The Prince of Goldsmiths” or “Mastro Paragon Coppella.”

Every creation became a work of art, a small universe where technique, aesthetics, and imagination coexisted in perfect balance. Buccellati did not merely fulfill commissions; he understood the spirit of d’Annunzio, transforming every masculine creation into an artistic masterpiece.

From this collaboration emerged engraved cigarette cases, cufflinks, and small everyday objects intended for the poet himself or for the men within his circle—pieces capable of combining unparalleled technical virtuosity with profound poetic sensitivity. Reading these pages, one understands that true luxury is not measured by an object’s price, but by its ability to tell a story.

Postwar Years and the 1950s: The New Gentleman and “Made in Italy”

In the years following World War II, while Christian Dior imposed the New Look on women’s fashion, men’s wardrobes underwent a rigorous recodification. The 1950s were marked by a return to precise etiquette and strict rules governing what should be worn at different times of day and for different activities, from work to leisure.

It was within this climate of economic prosperity that “Made in Italy” was born. In 1951, Giovanni Battista Giorgini organized the first entirely Italian fashion show in Florence, presenting a style that was more casual and considerably more affordable than Parisian haute couture.

In 1952, the historic men’s magazine Arbiter, directed by Michelangelo Testa, launched the first Festival of Men’s Fashion in Sanremo. For nearly three decades, this event would serve as a crucial showcase for establishing Italian artisanal tailoring on the international stage.

The 1980s: The Power Suit and the Aesthetics of Success

The 1980s transformed men’s clothing into a faithful reflection of a decade dominated by financial ambition, corporate culture, and the myth of the yuppie. Men sought an image that was strong, aggressive, and instantly recognizable—one capable of communicating economic success and confidence.

The ultimate symbol of the era was the power suit: structured jackets with broad shoulders, sharp tailoring, high-waisted trousers, and fabrics of the highest quality.

Men’s jewelry reflected the same climate of visible opulence and heightened attention to design as an indicator of social status. Alternative and composite materials gained popularity alongside gold and platinum, while logos and highly visible branding became increasingly important.

Even diamonds lost their exclusively feminine or engagement-related associations thanks to historic advertising campaigns—such as those by the giant De Beers—specifically aimed at male consumers, signaling a profound cultural shift.

The Gentleman Explains Why Men’s Jewelry Has Returned to Center Stage

In recent years, men’s jewelry has returned to the forefront of international trends. Signet rings, minimalist necklaces, precious metal bracelets, and iconic watches populate runways and wardrobes alike. However, reducing this phenomenon to a mere fashion trend would be a mistake.

The contemporary success of men’s accessories stems from a deeper need: the desire to differentiate oneself in an increasingly uniform landscape. Today’s gentleman uses jewelry much as an eighteenth-century aristocrat used a diamond-encrusted buckle—not necessarily to display wealth, but to express individuality. With one crucial difference: modern elegance prefers suggestion over declaration.

Why Read The Gentleman

The Gentleman is not merely a book about jewelry. It is a journey through the history of masculine elegance, its codes, rituals, and transformations. Mara Cappelletti constructs a narrative that is cultured yet accessible, rigorous yet never academic, capable of captivating both fashion enthusiasts and readers interested in the history of dress and material culture. The feeling that remains after the final page is that of having understood something essential: men’s jewelry has never been a simple accessory.

Whether it is a finely crafted luxury watch, a contemporary signet ring that recalls a family heritage, or a vintage detail such as a tie pin, the modern man does not wear a mere ornament. He wears a narrative, an emotional code, and a statement of refined personality. Jewelry, today as in the past, remains the most intimate and powerful microcosm of signs through which a man can express his style. Jewelry is identity made visible.