RINGS FOR MEN

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28490, 21 January 1958, Page 2

RINGS FOR MEN

Fashion Comes To New Zealand [By NAN MORTON}

The pendulum swings from a fad to a fancy and back to a fad —and we can be sure that almost any fashion will spin a full circle through its period of being virtually unknown, until it is again ‘‘the thing.” Men’s rings for instance. The Elizabethan adventurer wore diamonds, rubies and amethysts in blinding clusters, with extravagant settings, and at times, even outdid their womenfolk with their glitter. During the first half of this century men have scorned rings as being effeminate, and the average sporty type of man would never dream of wearing one Australia is showing the influence of its New Australian population with a big boom in jewellery for men this year, the demand being mostly for rings. Migrants alone create a considerable demand for them, and this demand is being increased by the dyed-in-the-wool Australian who is quick to take up a new vogue. In both Australia and New Zealand this year, jewellers are offering a wider range of men’s rings than ever before Most of the designs are severely masculine, to appeal to those who have not worn a ring before. Club emblems and old school shields are popular choices for ring design. A long-established custom in many European countries is the one of wedding rings for men in plain gold, but for some unknown reason, the idea is not at all popular in New Zealand.