Designing Pearl Rings for Men

Pearls and men’s rings aren’t something you used to hear in the same sentence. But things change—and right now, we're seeing that change unfold in real time. Pearls are making their way into modern masculine jewelry, and not just as a passing trend, but as something deeper. At Dernholt Stockholm, we’ve spent the past year exploring exactly how to work with pearls when designing bold, wearable rings for men.

It’s been a process of trial, error, and experimentation—and it’s taught us a lot about balance, material, and letting nature take the lead.

Where It Starts – Choosing the Right Pearl

Before anything gets drawn or sculpted, the first step is always the pearl itself. We work primarily with freshwater pearls, and more specifically baroque freshwater pearls—which means each one is beautifully irregular. These aren’t factory-perfect spheres. They’re wild, unpredictable, organic. That’s what makes them so powerful in men’s jewelry. They don’t feel delicate. They feel alive.

We hand-select pearls one by one. No two are alike. Some are slightly curved, some textured, some with subtle overtones of silver, cream, or even faint rose. The shape of the pearl often determines the entire mood of the ring. It’s not about forcing the pearl to fit a design—it’s about building a design around the pearl.

Building the Setting – Form Meets Function

Once the pearl is chosen, we move on to the metal. With men’s rings, the setting needs to strike a balance between strength and simplicity. We often use thicker bands and heavier settings—not to overpower the pearl, but to ground it.

Take the Lotus Baroque Pearl Gold-Plated Ring, for example. Its wide, sculptural band is there for a reason. It holds the pearl like a pedestal—lifting it without softening it. The setting is minimal but intentional. We don’t add extra flourishes. We don’t polish it to mirror-gloss. Instead, we let texture and proportion do the work.

Everything is cast in small runs, then hand-finished in the studio. That gives each ring a tactile, slightly imperfect feel—something that complements the rawness of the pearl.

Fitting It All Together

A lot of time goes into the placement. It’s not just about gluing a pearl into a ring and calling it a day. We test the angle, how the light hits it, how it feels on the hand. Sometimes, a pearl that looked perfect on the workbench feels awkward once it’s set. Other times, a slightly asymmetrical one suddenly comes to life when worn.

Each pearl is mounted securely, usually with a recessed or bezel-style setting, so the ring can actually be worn without fear. We want people to live in these pieces, not just store them.

The Final Result – More Than Just a Ring

Making a pearl ring for men isn’t just a technical challenge—it’s a creative one. You’re working with materials that have their own energy. You’re trying to find balance between softness and weight, between polish and imperfection.

When we launched the Lotus ring, it was less about making a “pearl ring for men” and more about making something real. Something that could be worn every day, dressed up or down, and still feel honest. A ring that speaks, but doesn’t shout.

Interested in One of Your Own?

We get questions all the time from customers asking how we choose our pearls, how durable the rings are, and whether pearl rings are “too much” for everyday wear. Honestly, once you try one on—you get it.

Take a closer look at dernholt.com or go straight to the Lotus Baroque Pearl Ring if you want to see how it all comes together. It’s more than a ring. It’s a conversation between natural and manmade. And it’s just the beginning of where men’s jewelry is headed.