There was an object on the lapels of the guests at the last gala that caught special attention. Beyond the viral badge Be good (“Be good”) with which celebrities such as Mark Ruffalo honored Renée Nicole Good, highlighted an accessory with less political significance but equally striking on the tuxedo jacket with which numerous actors attended the event. The jewel in question, a high jewelery brooch pinned to the satin fold that usually accompanies this type of garment, took on forms and languages as diverse as the characters who defended it.
There were discreet and floral ones, like (there are similar pieces from 97,500 euros); compared to much more historic formulas, specifically, that of the bouquet of brooches designed by Dolce & Gabbana that she wore on her jacket. A gesture that on social networks, the legendary comedian and also queen of red carpet commentators, who often wore a diamond bee very similar to the one of the protagonist of .
More brooches that squandered carats followed one another non-stop at the 83rd edition of the film and television awards: the striking emerald-cut diamond Bird on a Rock from Tiffany on the Saint Laurent from – an evolution of the famous brooch created by Jean Schlumberger in 1965 and which is valued at about 1.7 million dollars – to the Bvlgari medal that he combined with his custom suit from The Row, or the rapper’s peculiar commitment to a piece from Talia Coles, known for her brand of leather jackets, Cisum Couture.
Some brooches appeared twice, like those in the collection , by Boucheron, inspired by nature, which was installed with numerous ivy leaves on the lapel of or surrounded by pavé diamonds for the co-creator of , Paul W. Downs, both ambassadors of the French firm.
This craze among the male public for high jewelry brooches when it comes to formal wear has been brewing for a long time. Born in Ancient Egypt to fasten clothing – before becoming a status symbol adorned with metals and precious stones – the brooch seems to have entered into conflict with the watch as the eternal jewel of the men’s wardrobe. , one of the media figures who brings more color and experimentation to the almost always conventional men’s rugs, has made this accessory his hallmark in the last decade. Every appearance of the protagonist of Jurassic Park, Filled with tailored suits from Prada and Saint Laurent that bear the seal of stylist Andrew T. Vottero, it reinforces the character. The trio of brooches she wore at the 2024 Met Gala will remain for posterity, where it is worth highlighting the 52 carats of green beryl from a Tiffany pin; or the cascade of diamonds in the shape of butterflies from De Beers jewelry on an emerald jacket, to promote his Wizard of Oz character in the saga of Wicked.
Jacob Elordi could not be missing from this list, whose devotion to Bottega Veneta goes beyond the bag Let’s go that she carries everywhere, she demonstrated it at the latest edition of the Marrakech Film Festival with a frog-shaped brooch from the spring-summer 2025 collection of the Italian firm.
The musician Omar Apollo would not fail either, also seen with a reptilian motif designed by Chopard on a Valentino suit, a supposed nod to the aesthetics of his character in Luca Guadagnino’s film, in which he debuted as an actor. With the Italian filmmaker he shares the same affinity for this gem. At the 2018 Oscars, not only did it dazzle with the nominations for Call me by your name, but for a prominent spider-shaped brooch made of yellow and white gold, diamonds and baroque pearls. A first foray into the trend that would be repeated over the years, and that was soon replicated, like the design vintage of diamonds and rubies by Cartier that she wore at the 2019 Oscars.
Beyond film premieres and fashion events, the reality is that this jewel used since the Renaissance by royalty to communicate power – Queen Elizabeth’s jeweler was nourished by iconic designs such as the Cullinan V with a central diamond of the same name, the largest in the world to date – has seen a significant rebound in 2025. According to a report from a specialist in the retail market, sales of charms and brooches saw a 207% increase during the second quarter of last year.
The emerging maximalism in fashion and the personalization in the demand for accessories, the source points out, would be the reasons that have driven the purchase of these collectible pieces. For Sebastian Kaufman, creator of the platform dedicated to jewelry trading vintage and second-hand, if we specify the interest among the male public, we would have to start with the openness of men to experiment in other fields of style. “This is something evident, which happens from the catwalk to the street,” he explains to ICON. He also believes that the fact that high jewelry brands have focused on a new wave of male ambassadors such as Colman Domingo, Timothée Chalamet or Jacob Elordi reinforces the phenomenon. But why wear a brooch and not another type of jewelry? “It is more visible and complementary to the face than a ring, but less invasive than an earring.”
In that aspirational map that brands and designers draw during Fashion Weeks, the brooch has burst in strongly in recent seasons. The new era of the Dior man, with the arrival of in his creative direction, resets the codes of masculine classicism through a honeycomb of eras and with pieces of jewelry that take the shape of a clover, a horse or an articulated bee. Designed in sterling silver and with a pin closure, they are part of the collection, the first by the designer that reaffirms that modern palatial ideology created by Anderson for the French brand. , or Hermès (with its Destrier Minérale design, which references the equestrian world) are other couture houses that have joined the phenomenon with designs created exclusively for the male audience.
On an earthly level, far from red carpets and catwalks, Kaufmann predicts a prosperous future for this type of jewelry and points out that the demand from the male public is comparable to that of the female one. “It is very gratifying to see that they incorporate it into their look organically. Brooches are capable of providing everything from religious symbolism to play and fun; from a note of sobriety to a message of extravagance. The versatility is infinite.” And it is not necessary to resort to them only in a gala wardrobe. “A good brooch can accompany us on a daily basis over a jean jacket or a bomber jacket. And, in the best style of , nothing like superimposing several on the same look giving it a fun, informal and highly individual twist.”
With a wide catalog of limited pieces of high jewelry from the 19th and 20th centuries, the businessman confesses that there is no specific profile among his male consumers; They can perform everything from traditional professions – “that seek to give a note of individuality to their tailored suit” – to creative ones for whom the brooch is an extension of their artistic vision. “The most sought after are the animal-inspired designs of Cartier, Bvlgari and Van Cleef & Arpels. Not only for the wonderful historical creativity of these brands but also for their resale value.” Individuality and a safe investment, two definitive values to dare to try the trend.
