Men's Gold Jewelry

Men's Gold Jewelry

Men's gold jewelry, especially (or perhaps only) in the Philippines, connotes the fruit of years of hard labor in a foreign land. My beloved, flawed country's strong export industry of human labor contributes to its ever-evolving pop culture.

The early 80's saw an unprecedented rise in Filipinos taking the first chance to go abroad as overseas Filipino workers (OFW). The Middle East, most notably Saudi Arabia, opened its doors to tens of thousands of recruits who saw the desert region, ironically, as a place where the grass is greener. Poverty, low compensation and unemployment even left them with no better option and drove them away from their families, friends and homeland. True enough, over there the grass is indeed greener or more appropriately, the sand is hotter or the oil is thicker.

There is a fascinating way things become trends in this country. You can argue that trends start the same way wherever in the world you are. What makes it significant though is when trends become a way of life. If you look at the most recent objects of craze that took the country by storm, you will see that many of them have stayed, not as statistics but as a staple. Shawarma gave Filipinos a taste of exotic food from a land faraway and still does. Lechong manok (roasted chicken) nestled in every corner and today has become a comfort food for many. Zagu (flavored shake) led a bandwagon and transcended the summer. Marimar (Tagalog-dubbed Mexican telenovela) compelled even Ayala Avenue employees to clock out at exactly five in the afternoon to make it at home in time for the telecast. Since then Mexican has spawned Chinese and then Korean telenovelas and legions of adoring fans from afternoon to prime time. Now, you may ask, what has all this got to do with men's gold jewelry?

Men who labored and toiled with blood, sweat and tears and suffered sadness and longing for loved ones left at home ultimately afforded these very people what they went away for in the first place: life improvement. Houses were built, kids sent to school, wives smelled nicer, Betamax machines (do you remember them?) became status symbol. It created a whole new way of life.

The men didn't forget their own needs of course. They made sure they kept part of the money for themselves to buy men's gold jewelry. That to them was life improvement. Progress. Fashion statement? Maybe. Certainly and proudly, "Katas ng Saudi" (fruit of Saudi).

In those days, whenever a guy is seen wearing men's gold jewelry - thick, heavy chains around the neck, unbuttoned shirt to better flaunt them - you can almost be sure he is in town for a month-long vacation from digging oil or driving a crane. To him, it is perhaps a reward and what better way to reward himself than by buying what may be the most obvious symbol of weatlh? Never mind that it is quite "baduy" (tacky). For him, it is a reminder, maybe even an assurance that he made the right choice by going abroad and pursuing that path (or maybe just for the plain reason that there is a lot of gold in Saudi and that is what is there to buy). Warriors have their scars, scholars their diplomas, Valentinos their lovechildren. OFW's have their gold jewelry.

That this penchance for gold took a turn unlike other local trends and eventually disappeared is a testament to the OFW's sense of priority. Even poverty has progressed. For people who, in effect cut ties and end up struggling to make both ends meet there is nothing more than necessity. This is why they are hailed as the new hero. They don't carry their families' burden because it's in vogue. They take it upon themselves because it is simply what they are made of. If only for that, let's bring back the trend and give them back their men's gold jewelry.