The Men’s Brooch Has Entered Its Power Era
From historic insignia to blinged-out lapels taking over the red carpet, this centuries-old accessory proves great style is all about the natural diamond details.
Colman Domingo attends the 83rd annual Golden Globe Awards on January 11, 2026. (Getty Images)
Once associated with grandma’s jewelry box, the diamond brooch—especially the men’s brooch—is officially back. The retro accessory has now cemented its place in modern menswear, which was evident at the Oscars 2026, where diamond brooches were spotted on the lapels of one A-lister after another.
Oscar winner Michael B. Jordan, who won the Best Actor award for his performance in Sinners, playfully pinned a star-shaped diamond David Yurman brooch on the back of his jacket. Meanwhile, actor Adrien Brody, who presented him with his gold statuette, wore a huge natural diamond and sapphire Elsa Jin brooch. One moment, two very different interpretations of the style.
Outside of celebrity style, men are increasingly embracing pieces like diamond brooches too. Polaris Market Research data shows that the global men’s jewelry market is expected to reach $124.13 billion by 2034 (vs. $48.56 billion in 2024). This growth reflects a shift in the relationship men have with jewelry – and the options available to them.
As Harriet Chunu-McClatchey, style coach and founder of Radiant Styling, notes, “men’s jewelry has often felt limited to watches, cufflinks, and some necklaces.” These days, men want choices beyond wearing a watch and a wedding band. The draw of a brooch is that it’s “an extension of what the wearer wants to express,” adds Chunu-McClatchey.
Meet the Experts
Harriet Chunu-McClatchey is an award-winning style coach and the founder of Radiant Styling, a global image and style consultancy for founders and senior executives. With experience working for luxury retail brands like Louis Vuitton and Bulgari and a knack for helping people develop a signature visual identity, she helps clients present themselves thoughtfully and powerfully.
Sara Beth Brown Prendeville is the President of Brown & Co. Jewelers, one of the largest independent, family-owned jewelry stores in the U.S. A third-generation jeweler, she joined the company in 2013 as Vice President and became President in 2022. She is a Gemologist from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and an Auburn University graduate.
Ahead, here’s what you need to know about diamond brooches for men, from the accessory’s ancient roots to the red carpet looks that showcase its modern appeal.
What Defines a Men’s Brooch?
A men’s brooch is a decorative pin made of metals such as gold or platinum and encrusted with gemstones like natural diamonds. It’s often worn on suit lapels but it doesn’t have to be – collars, pockets, hats, and scarves all offer unique ways to style a brooch and instantly elevate an outfit.
Design-wise, there are no rules anymore for what constitutes a men’s brooch versus a women’s brooch, as the accessory has transcended gender norms since making a comeback. Whether you lean toward a minimalist aesthetic or enjoy ornate pieces, brooches let you fully embrace your appreciation for natural diamonds.
The History of the Men’s Brooch
Brooches have been part of menswear for centuries. In the Bronze Age, early brooches were known as fibulae and looked and functioned like safety pins, keeping cloaks in place. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when the brooch became a decorative emblem, but brooches took on more elaborate forms in the early Medieval period.
For example, the penannular brooches of Celtic and Viking cultures consisted of an open ring with a movable pin designed to keep heavy fabrics in place. They featured patterns signaling the wealth, rank, and regional identity of the wearer, a clear indicator that brooches weren’t just practical at that point.
Centuries later, during the Baroque, Rococo, and Georgian eras, when aristocratic fashion trends were all about extravagance and opulence, men showed off their status by pinning gold brooches set with precious stones like diamonds to their hats and clothing.
Even Napoleon Bonaparte embraced the look, often wearing diamond-set insignia and brooch-like ornaments as part of his imperial dress. One such diamond brooch—believed to have been lost during his retreat from the Battle of Waterloo—resurfaced more than two centuries later and sold for an astonishing $4.4 million at Sotheby’s Royal & Noble Jewels sale in Geneva in 2025, far exceeding its estimate and reaffirming the enduring value of men’s diamond brooches.
As menswear evolved to become more tailored and subdued throughout the 19th century, subtler accessories like pins and fobs replaced brooches. The accessory made a comeback during the Art Deco era, where it wasn’t uncommon for a man to pair a diamond brooch with formalwear.
Around the same time, Indian maharajas were redefining the scale and significance of the men’s brooch. They wore diamond men’s brooches on their garments while also translating the concept beyond the lapel into elaborate gem-set turban ornaments known as sarpech—pinned pieces that functioned much like a men’s brooch, but on a far grander scale. While the tradition dates back centuries, the early 20th century saw many maharajas commission spectacular versions from houses like Cartier, reimagined in bold Art Deco styles and set with exceptional natural diamonds and other precious stones.
Today, men’s brooches are back in the spotlight, providing their wearers with a unique vehicle to express their individuality and wear natural diamonds proudly. “We’re seeing more modern interpretations emerge,” says Sara Beth Brown Prendeville, president of Brown & Co. Jewelers. “Some men are choosing to place a brooch on the back of a blazer or suit jacket as a subtle, unexpected detail. It’s a great example of how classic jewelry can be reimagined in a way that feels fresh and individual.”
Men’s Brooches on the Red Carpet
These days, the diamond brooch is a celebrity favorite. From vintage pieces to bespoke designs and multi-brooch looks, Hollywood’s leading men delivered memorable diamond brooch moments during the 2026 award season.
Michael B. Jordan Wore a David Yurman Brooch to the Oscars 2026
Fresh off his Oscar win, Michael B. Jordan delivered one of the night’s most unexpected jewelry moments. At first glance, he appeared to forgo accessories entirely. But after accepting the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his dual performance as twin brothers Smoke and Stack in Sinners, close-up photos revealed a hidden detail as fellow nominees embraced him: a star-shaped diamond brooch pinned to the back of his custom Louis Vuitton jacket.
Hudson Williams Wore a Bulgari Brooch to the Oscars 2026
Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams walked down the red carpet wearing a captivating diamond Bulgari Serpenti brooch made of white and yellow gold and a mix of emerald, marquise, and pavé diamonds. The Italian jewelry house’s iconic snake shone against the sleek backdrop of the actor’s black tuxedo, complementing the rest of his Bulgari jewels without competing with them.
Damson Idris Sported a Bespoke Brooch from His Own Brand at the Oscars 2026
As the founder of fine jewelry house DIDRIS, British actor Damson Idris designed his own brooch for the Oscars. Boasting a seven-carat marquise blue diamond surrounded by 42 natural diamonds, the piece made the headlines for its design and symbolism.
The center stone was ethically sourced by London-based colored diamond specialists Yeraua, as provenance is especially important to Idris, who is of African heritage. The number of diamonds was chosen just as intentionally – 42 represents seven multiplied by six, and there are six children in Idris’ family. The brooch also included a hidden F1 engraving to commemorate the film that turned Idris into a household name.
Shaboozey Showed Off a Vintage Briony Raymond Brooch at the Oscars 2026
Grammy winner Shaboozey, who made an on-stage appearance at the Oscars during the live performance of “I Lied to You” by the cast of Sinners, looked sharp in a classic black tux paired with a vintage Briony Raymond 16-carat diamond brooch by Van Cleef & Arpels.
The Nigerian-American rapper and singer pinned the multi-shape diamond piece on his lapel, along with a simpler silver floral brooch on his collar. The effect was sleek and stylish, proving that wearing multiple brooches can be an elegant move.
Adrien Brody Wore an Elsa Jin Brooch to the Oscars 2026
Adrien Brody returned to the Oscars 2026 stage to present the award for Actor in a Leading Role to Michael B. Jordan. The previous year’s winner for The Brutalist made a statement of his own, wearing a striking natural diamond and sapphire brooch by Elsa Jin—a bold, high-jewelry take on the modern men’s brooch.
Robert Downey Jr. Wore a Tiffany & Co. Brooch to the Oscars 2026
Robert Downey Jr. took the stage to present the award for Best Adapted Screenplay in a forest green suit, accented with a Bird on a Rock brooch by Tiffany & Co. The iconic design—originally created by Jean Schlumberger—featured a pavé diamond bird perched atop a vivid green tourmaline weighing over 39 carats.
The year prior, the Iron Man actor leaned into the house’s heritage once again, wearing the historic Two Fruit brooch on his lapel. Crafted in 1956 and sourced from the Tiffany Archives, the ruby clip—similar to one owned by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis—was adorned with natural diamonds sculpted into leaf motifs.
Robert Pattinson Swapped a Bow Tie for a Brooch at the Oscars 2026
Robert Pattinson brought a fun twist to the brooch trend by swapping his bow tie for a diamond-encrusted brooch at the Oscars, where he presented the Best Director award alongside Zendaya.
Pattinson paired the jewel with a shawl-collar dinner jacket, a crisp white shirt and minimal accessories, showing that diamonds can strike the perfect balance between refined, effortless, and surprising.
Orlando Bloom Donned a Pasquale Bruni Brooch at the Golden Globes 2026
Actor Orlando Bloom donned a sophisticated Pasquale Bruni brooch made of 18k white gold and white natural diamonds at the Golden Globes. The jewel came from the Italian fine jewelry house’s Giardini Segreti line, which is a tribute to Milan’s secret gardens and features whimsical florals and leaves.
Each leaf making up the brooch was fully covered in tiny clusters of natural diamonds, which added texture and dimension to the star’s otherwise understated look.
Colman Domingo Wore Boucheron Brooches at the Golden Globes 2026
Emmy winner Colman Domingo turned heads at the Golden Globes by wearing not one, but multiple Boucheron diamond leaf brooches on nearly the entire side of his black tux jacket.
The actor’s black shirt added to the “wow” factor of the look, providing a fully black backdrop to make the cascade of diamonds, which spanned from shoulder to waist, stand out.
Jeremy Allen White Wore a Back Vault brooch to the SAG Awards 2026
The Bear star Jeremy Allen White showed off an Art Deco diamond bow bar brooch from The Back Vault at this year’s SAG Awards.
The dainty jewel popped against the actor’s sleek ivory suit jacket, which was layered over a white shirt and paired with baggy black pants to finish off the look. The result? Flawless proportions, which were accentuated by the brooch’s linear design.
How to Style a Men’s Brooch
Feeling inspired by the A-listers above? Choosing a diamond brooch doesn’t have to be daunting. As Brown Prendeville puts it, it really comes down to your personal style. As long as you trust your gut and go with what you’re drawn to, you can pull it off.
Consider why you want a brooch in the first place. “When choosing a brooch, men should consider its purpose, as it can convey a message, add an interesting twist to an outfit, or serve as wearable art,” says Chunu-McClatchey.
Maybe you have a tailored outfit in mind for a special occasion and want to complement it with a diamond brooch (or two!) to spice up the look. Perhaps you’re looking for a diamond piece imbued with personal meaning. Either way, keep your “why” in mind while shopping, as it will help you narrow down choices.
Lastly, to wear a diamond brooch with confidence, you need to feel like it aligns with your personal style. If you’re used to wearing multiple pieces of jewelry, you may want to lean into a statement-making brooch and layer it with other pieces, suggests Brown Prendeville, who adds that if your style is more minimalist, your brooch should follow suit – “streamlined, intentional, and not competing with other accessories.”
Shop Diamond Men’s Brooches
Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage White Gold and Diamond Medium Leaf Brooch, $28,000, sothebys.com
David Yurman Liberty Baguette Brooch, Price Upon Request, davidyurman.com
Belperron Vintage Platinum Diamond Trois Étoiles Clip, $75,000, fredleighton.com
Transformable Diamond Brooch, circa 1950s, $35,000, brionyraymond.com
Boucheron XXL Flèche Brooch, $108,000, boucheron.com
