PAHKIN: Expressing Style and Identity in Men’s Jewellery

Men’s jewellery has evolved over the past few years, with men now embracing a variety of jewellery and accessories in order to express their unique style and identity to the world. As a jewellery designer who has been in the industry for nearly 20 years, Pahkin Chongdiwattana, Founder & Head Designer of PAHKIN Collection, has witnessed the evolution of men’s jewellery.

Though he is now a recognised expert in designing men’s jewellery, Chongdiwattana started out designing women’s jewellery. It was in 2012 that Chongdiwattana decided to start PAHKIN with his younger brother Sirapob Chongdiwattana. They introduced their own men’s jewellery collections. The brothers also joined the Talent Thai project organised by the Ministry of Commerce’s Department of International Trade Promotion in 2013, and participated in trade fairs such as Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair and BIG+BIH.

According to Chongdiwattana, his most successful collection was Olympus where he derived inspiration from Greek gods. Meanwhile, the brand’s Medieval collection inspired by knights, has also received positive feedback from customers who said the pieces were truly unique and meticulously crafted.

Chongdiwattana believes men’s jewellery designs are evolving in an interesting direction.

“Men are now more interested in accessories, and as I see it, we should see more simple designs, such as large rings with simple patterns engraved with onyx or other gemstones that are suitable for everyday use. On the other hand, men are becoming more adventurous in layering together different types of jewellery on one wrist, like silver and stone bracelets,” he says.

Another trend to look out for is customisation and personalisation as customers are expressing their identity through their jewellery.

“A few years ago, a lot of men wouldn’t consider wearing jewellery engraved with their initials or personalised with their names, but now many are asking whether we can customise jewellery pieces for them. People are also looking for multi-functionality, such as jewellery that can be worn in more than one way,” Chongdiwattana says.

In addition to its own brand collection, PAHKIN has taken on more projects as an original design manufacturer (ODM) for international clients, collaborating with fashion brands to design accessories and even an amulet manufacturer to update the style of amulets.

“PAHKIN doesn’t really engage in a lot of advertising and branding, so most of our customers hear about us from their friends or follow us on Instagram,” Chongdiwattana says. “Building a brand is difficult. It’s a challenge to stay true to the brand’s identity and keep our customers interested. However, for PAHKIN, we don’t focus on trends or seasons because we represent our own style.”

For more information, visit www.pahkincollection.com.

Words by Pimsirinuch Borsub

Photos courtesy of PAHKIN Collection