Tracing the Roots of Stud Earrings for Men

Men wearing stud earrings may seem all the rage today but it certainly is not a new phenomenon by any means. A brief study of history clearly reveals that men wore earrings way before today’s contemporary styles. In fact, stud earrings for men date back thousands of years to primitive Indian times where the jewelry was traditionally worn for religious or cultural rituals.

In the early 1920’s, sailors re-established the male earring tradition by donning studs of silver or gold as a status symbol for having sailed across the globe or as payment for burial in the event their bodies were washed ashore after having been lost at sea. During the hippie era of the late 60’s and early 70’s, male studs emerged once more as the latest hippie fad and it quickly caught on with prominent male celebrities and athletes who took the trend even further for their day.

However, male earring usage among those who were mainstream had its debut in the late 1980s when Lou Gossett Jr. paraded on stage for an Academy Award wearing a diamond stud. This opened the door for a male ear piercing explosion that continues to this day, embracing such professions as actors, athletes, musicians, businessmen, politicians and other prominent figures of our time.

Today, men of all ages, backgrounds, nationalities and cultures can be seen wearing earrings. Classic studs remain a popular type, but gauged earrings currently lead the male earring trend to include such designs as plugs and flesh tunnels so commonly used among the male youth of today.

The male earring fad continues to experience its share of growth and expansion. Currently, male studs and other earring types are being widely accepted in modern times as an acceptable means of expressing one’s uniqueness and individuality.

Julie R for Raymond Lee Jewelers, premiere fine jewelry and luxury watch boutique and buyer.