Pulling off man jewelry can be tricky and daunting at times. Which pieces to pair together, how much is too much, how to keep it all looking masculine, etc.

Who better to show us the ropes than my favorite jewelry designer, and one of our style inspirations here at TSB.com, Philip Crangi.

Philip is not only one of the most noted industry leaders and trendsetters in jewelry design, he’s also a friendly, down-to-earth guy with badass personal style. Between his fine jewelry collection Philip Crangi which combines age-old techniques with a unique palette of gold, wrought iron and steel, and his edgier diffusion collection Giles & Brother (a collaboration with his sister Giles), Phil has managed to find the perfect balance between fineness and ruggedness in order to put out some of the most wearable pieces in the men’s jewelry game.

Here, we caught up with Philip in New York’s meatpacking district so he could give us a taste of what he does best.

1. Let the Jewelry Speak

“Here I’m keeping it simple with just enough personal jewelry to make this basic look mine“.

Let the jewelry speak for itself. A simple, well-fit neutral look is a great canvas to showcase some statement pieces. You don’t need other elements competing for attention (i.e. other accessories, bold colors, etc).

Bonus Tip: Although hand-crafted with fine jewelry techniques that Philip studied at the renowned Rhode Island School of Design, the majority of Phil’s pieces have a toughness and manliness to them – an embedded dagger in one neckless, and an anchor in the other, for example.