Men’s jewellery at Westwood

Vivienne Westwood approached men’s jewellery as a language. For men, that language speaks of curiosity, dissent and a clear understanding that ornament can carry ideas as well as aesthetic value. The current collection continues that ethos with pieces designed to sit comfortably on a banker’s wrist, a poet’s lapel or a cyclist’s neck—each item ready to state its position without a single syllable.

Symbols with purpose

The familiar orb returns, neither shrunk nor exaggerated but re-examined. In polished pendants it appears disciplined, almost architectural. On signet rings it is pressed deep into metal, offering an echo of traditional seals while reminding the wearer that tradition is always open to revision. Alongside the orb, motifs such as compass points, safety pins and subtle studs channel earlier chapters of Westwood’s history: protest, navigation, making do with what is at hand. None of these icons is included for decoration alone; each one invites the wearer to decide how visible or private the reference should be.

How to wear

• Morning meetingPair a slim, high-polish signet ring with a dark wool suit. The restrained scale keeps the conversation about the ring’s message, not its size.
• Late-afternoon errandsFasten a lightly oxidised chain over a knitted polo and let the pendant rest just below the first button. The lived-in finish relaxes the garment without feeling careless.
• Evening gatheringLayer two bracelets of contrasting weights—one pearl, one box chain—alongside a watch. Allow the difference in rhythm to give the combination its interest.
• Weekend studio timeSecure a single safety-pin earring and leave the second lobe bare. The asymmetry echoes the improvisation at the heart of any creative task.

No pairing is prescribed; the pieces are built to cross paths with garments you already own. They are equally at home with selvedge denim or a pressed poplin shirt, provided they are granted enough space to be noticed.

Design and craft

The design process begins with research into historical objects—regalia, nautical instruments, protest badges—followed dialogue about how those references might serve today’s wearer. Initial sketches lead to wax prototypes; from there, alloys are cast, cleaned and finished hand. Stones and pearls are set individually, allowing minor variations that prove no machine finished the work alone. Clasps receive particular attention: a catch that fails is not an option, so each mechanism is opened and closed repeatedly before leaving the workshop. The resulting pieces carry the quiet confidence that comes from thorough testing as well as aesthetic intent.

Carrying the message

For Westwood, jewellery has long been a platform for commentary—on power structures, environmental stewardship, the right to self-expression. While the men’s collection does not shout its politics, the act of choosing and wearing these designs remains a declaration. A cufflink etched with longitude and latitude might prompt a conversation about borders; a necklace combining pearls and industrial bolts suggests that refinement and utility are not opposites. The wearer decides how loud or quiet that conversation should be, but the potential sits there, waiting.

Looking ahead

As dress codes continue to loosen, the role of men’s jewellery grows broader. A lapel pin that once surfaced only at evening events can now appear on a Monday commute without comment. Vivienne Westwood pieces anticipate that fluidity: they refuse to divide the week into formal and casual, work and leisure, public and private. Instead, they propose that a single well-chosen object can travel through all contexts, adjusting its energy to match the moment.

Final thought

Slip on a Westwood bracelet or clasp a pendant and notice how the weight changes your awareness of movement. It is a small shift, yet it signals a larger one: the decision to let personal style carry meaning, to allow heritage and provocation to share the same metal. In that sense, each piece fulfils Vivienne’s original premise. Jewellery is not merely decoration; it is a compact statement of who you are and the future you would like to see—worn openly, every day, for anyone willing to look.