Kay, Khepri, and John Hardy Say Men’s Jewelry Has ‘Exciting New Energy’

By Karen Dybis | September 21, 2026

With men using jewelry to express individuality more often, brands such as Khepri, Kay Jewelers, and John Hardy say they are expanding their collections and stores to include more men’s jewelry for the holidays and into 2027.

Khepri in September debuted its first men’s collection. Kay Jewelers is rolling out men’s shops with jewelry and watches in about 200 locations. And John Hardy’s creative chairman Reed Krakoff says his company sees “an exciting new energy” in men’s jewelry, particularly around bracelets.

“Men are embracing a more personal, expressive approach by stacking pieces and mixing leather, multicolored beads, gemstones, gold, and silver. It’s no longer about choosing between novelty and classic icons, but about layering them together in a way that feels entirely individual,” Krakoff tells JCK.

Khepri’s Reema Chopra and Kay president Julie Yoakum agree: Their move into men’s jewelry reveal the segment’s growth and potential. Add in major star power—Brad Pitt showing off his layered Anita Ko jewelry and tennis necklace during the recent U.S. Open and Colman Domingo donning a full suite of Boucheron jewelry at the 2026 Emmys—and you can see why these brands are going all in.

Kay Jewelers Sees Younger Buyers Driving Growth In Men’s Jewelry

kay mens tennis necklace — *Kay Jewelers Men’s Diamond Tennis necklace ($9,999) with 2.875 ct. t.w. in natural diamonds in 10k gold.*

Yoakum tells JCK that men’s jewelry has gained traction within its business because consumers increasingly view jewelry as a category for self-expression and gifting beyond traditional occasions. Kay saw a 9% increase in men’s category units sold from fiscal year 2025 to fiscal year 2026, she notes.

Kay is centering its expansion around the new Jaxxon collection and mechanical watches. Based on the success of Jaxxon—which Kay introduced this summer—the brand decided to fast-track its rollout to additional stores this holiday, Yoakum says.

Shifts in watch buying and how men are wearing watches are even more exciting, she adds. Watches for Kay have delivered “strong performance” over the last nine quarters and continues to generate year-over-year growth.

“One of the biggest drivers behind this momentum is a shift we’re seeing with younger consumers, particularly Gen Z, who have a renewed interest in traditional timepieces,” shares Yoakum. “Mechanical watches are experiencing a resurgence, bringing attention back to heritage brands like Citizen, Bulova, and Movado all with histories spanning more than a century.

“Today’s consumer is buying a watch as an accessory and statement piece. Many collectors use watches to complete an outfit, incorporating them into their overall look and, in some cases, even layering multiple watches within a wrist stack,” she says.

Khepri Men Is “Answering a Gap”

Khepri men bracelets — *The new Khepri men’s jewelry collection includes rings, bracelets, and necklaces in silver and diamonds, like its natural diamond signet ring ($2,000).*

For Khepri, men’s jewelry was one of the clearest opportunities for growth within the luxury industry, Chopra explains. Her men’s jewelry collection, which debuted Sept. 9, is about texture, unique diamonds, and fresh design.

“The timing felt right because the modern man is ready for something beyond status. He wants something with character,” Chopra tells JCK. “Men had relatively few choices between traditional status jewelry and fashion jewelry, and many were having pieces custom-made simply because they couldn’t find what they wanted.

“For me, Khepri Men wasn’t about entering another category. It was about answering a gap. Taking what Khepri already stands for—natural rarity, individuality, and unexpected beauty—and creating it specifically for how men want to wear jewelry now,” Chopra says.

What makes designing for today’s man exciting is how he has moved away from rigid rules around status and masculinity and moved toward something much more personal. Chopra notes, there isn’t one Khepri man, and there shouldn’t be one way to wear fine jewelry.

“Men can move between tailoring, streetwear, vintage, sportswear, and gender-fluid fashion without feeling confined to one definition of how they should dress,” Chopra says. “I wanted Khepri Men’s to bring that same freedom of expression to fine jewelry. We took materials and symbols traditionally associated with masculinity—silver, black rhodium, leather, dog tags, shields, cords—and reinterpreted them through the Khepri lens with rare natural color diamonds, emeralds, texture, and unexpected details.”

She says Khepri Men will continue to grow with more jewelry and, eventually, an entire division devoted to the men’s market.

“I believe men’s jewelry is going to become an increasingly important part of the global fine jewelry market. Men are becoming more expressive in how they dress and more intentional about the jewelry pieces they choose,” says Chopra. “There is so much room to innovate, and I want Khepri to help define what the next generation of men’s fine jewelry looks like.”

Top: Khepri recently introduced its first men’s collection, which includes an emphasis on silver, black rhodium, and leather. (Photos courtesy of Khepri)