Who's who: Men's jewellery

William Cheshire

Age 40
Training William Cheshire has had no formal training and instead began working with a jeweller in Islington who had a small collection and a shop on Upper Street. There he was taught how to finish the work to a high standard and how to carve waxes and work with silver.

Design style Previous collections have been understated in style and wearable. Refinement and elegance have been important features.

Star piece for men It changes all the time, so Cheshire keeps items in his back catalogue available. The Casino ring is something of a classic and has been made in 18ct white gold as wedding rings for men.

Ideal male customer Cheshire’s ideal buyer tends to express a real attention to detail, while also having an appreciation of style and tradition.

Male jewellery trend prediction Cheshire envisages pieces becoming more elaborate but remaining comfortable and wearable, and combinations of materials featuring more. Cheshire says he is getting good feedback on his wax cotton bracelets with silver endings, and is working on a new men’s collection for the new year.

Andrew Bunney

Age 34
Training Andrew Bunney has a background in fashion design and worked as a designer, creative director and consultant across clothing and footwear prior to his career in jewellery.

Design style Exploration into how something can be worn in different ways and by many kinds of people. He balances the familiar with the special.

Star piece for men The Love Lock, a handmade sterling silver padlock, fully working with a key. It was inspired by seeing padlocks affixed to bridges in Paris and Florence with messages of devotion engraved or written with marker pen. Like all of his work, the piece can be worn however the wearer chooses and can be given as a gift with an engraved message.

Ideal male customer Bunney wants to make products that are as open as possible in terms of who they are worn by and how. His customers will have a love for jewellery that has enduring appeal.

Male jewellery trend prediction Bunney would like to see the boundaries being pushed a little more in terms of the items that people make and buy. As a customer, he says he wants to find something special and beautiful, and something that captures the imagination.

David Webdale

Age 29
Training London Guildhall University then Kent Institute of Art and Design under the same tutor as Stephen Webster.

Design style Exotic but stylish and a little bit dangerous. According to Webdale, it “scares some people but others really like it”.

Star piece for men Aside from a man’s handbag, for which Webdale made the solid silver buckles, the Crown ring (below), which is “quite full on”.

Ideal male customer Someone who knows themselves and who is confident. They should have balls when it comes to fashion.

Male jewellery trend prediction Webdale thinks men are going to start being bolder when it comes to gemstones. Reds are very popular at the moment and, because men tend to be more scared of yellow metal because it feels more like jewellery, white metals and stainless steel are proving popular, with the latter being particular good for cufflinks. Lapel pins could also be big news next year.

Jeremy Hoye

Age Disinclined to reveal.
Training Jeremy Hoye started with an apprenticeship at E W Adams in Tooting London, where he learnt the basics. Design and other skills are self taught.

Design style Hoye has several styles. With the Jeremy Hoye line the style is quite free form and distinctive. With the Hoyedivision label it is more about classic pieces reinvented.

Star piece for men The Jeremy Hoye Trinity ring collection, either in silver or 18ct gold with black diamonds. For Hoyedivision it is the new Shield signet ring.

Ideal male customer Men who are looking for something unique with style longevity. Men who understand the concept and have their own style.

Male jewellery trend prediction Hoye doesn’t think there will be any specific trends in men’s jewellery because most men tend to go for what they like and what they find comfortable to wear.

Matt Foster

Age 27
Training Matt Foster started his BA in Jewellery and Silversmithing at Middlesex and completed it at Sir John Cass in London, while training in fine jewellery at a studio in Hatton Garden.

Design style Bold and chunky with strong lines and hard edges.

Star piece for men The Voyage bangle (right) from the Lost Treasure collection. Made from solid silver, this chunky bangle is in many ways a modern twist on a gent’s torque bangle.

Ideal male customer Someone who is confident enough in themselves to wear jewellery that will draw attention to them and create a talking point. Someone who is proud to stand out.

Male jewellery trend prediction According to Foster, if industry figures are to be believed then bracelets and necklaces are the two fastest growing markets in men’s jewellery, and he has been working on those recently. He also thinks there will be a move away from cheap, mass-produced jewellery to better designed, quality work that will benefit individual designer-makers who can produce something that bit more special and personalised. Men’s fashion in 2012 is going to be of a more relaxed nature too, which will allow for better accessorising.

Maria Lau

Age 32
Training Maria Lau’s background is in textiles - she got a first in Textiles Crafts at the University of Huddersfield and then did an MA in Mixed Media Textiles at The Royal College of Art. Jewellery was something she self-taught and later combined with her love of textiles.

Design style Eclectic and experimental, with materials and mood leading the way. Balance is key, so expect combinations of different elements and minimalism versus maximalism. Lau is drawn to man-made materials such as hosiery and shock-cord elastic. It’s all about juxtapositions.

Star piece for men The Collision necklace from the autumn 11 Two Planets collection. It’s perfect for the man who likes to dress in black and monotones, appreciates texture and wants to add something exciting to his look.

Ideal male customer Someone who has a good sense of style, who likes to have a bit of fun with his look, and who’s not afraid to try different accessories. Johnny Depp would be an ideal customer with his eclectic style, as would Mark Ronson for his quirky yet smart minimalist style.

Male jewellery trend prediction Lau thinks a splash of colour and texture will be big, so there is more expression of personality.

She is also seeing more men layering delicate jewellery, so wouldn’t be surprised if a small trend for charms emerges. Wrist cuffs will always be popular, especially if they have
some sort of function attached, she adds.

Tomasz Donocik

Age 29
Training Tomasz Donocik earned a BA in Jewellery Design at Central Saint Martins and a MA in Goldsmithing, Silversmithing, Metalwork and Jewellery Design at The Royal College of Art.

Design style Bold, playful and romantic.

Star piece for men It has to be the wrap-around leather bracelets (below) in all forms. They are cool and masculine without being clichéd.

Ideal male customer Someone who is mesmerising and aloof, if they still exist. A romantic, but not in the gothic sense of the word. Someone who is refined and likes a good cufflink or ring.

Male jewellery trend prediction According to Donocik, there has been a big trend towards “beach jewellery”, something that is not as polished as in previous seasons. He also says in fine jewellery there is a divide between men wanting something flamboyant and those wanting something conservative.

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