We’re in a time and place where, thanks to the Internet, gender and its societal constructs are being time and again questioned. One such point that raises eyebrows has been the idea of ‘masculinity’. The dominant narrative commanded the man to be the protector or the provider. Through the years, the narrative translated to virtues (now might be considered traditional by a few), such as strength, heroism, and endurance. These notions further widened to include other social mandates for a man that of being successful, respected, authoritative and champion-oriented.
Amidst all these conversations around masculinity and what it should be and not be, what got our attention is the “Men of Platinum” campaign by Platinum Guild International. The category – Men of Platinum – draws a direct relationship between the rarity of platinum and the value of a strong belief system, and champions a bigger cause: the importance of a man’s character.
The campaign revolves around a new breed of men – ones who are defined by their character. A character so rare, it embodies a set of values that are equally rare and hard to live by. They hone values like courage to take risks, humility to ensure that they carry people with them on their journey of success, commitment to giving back to society, and persevere in the face of odds.
Imagine a man who wants to stay up for his crying baby, and how the society might look at it as the “woman’s job to do”. Through a short video on a new father, PGI shows a man who wants a three-month paternity leave. It obviously leaves his boss dumbfounded, because the conditioning is to think that it’s not his job to do. But this man, Karan, believes it’s his job to care for his baby too, and he sticks to that belief system, no matter how odd it seems to his boss. What we really liked about this is the thought that if only all men could think about defying gender role-playing the same way and battle the stereotype of what responsibilities are, wouldn’t it be such a balanced world? This is a story that will inspire the younger generation to become better partners and more responsible fathers, and it’s a great message to send across to those on the crossroads of manhood and willing to challenge the conditioning of what being a man means.
In another film, we see the CEO of a company preparing for a cover shoot. He decides to include every person who has been on this journey with him, no matter how big or small their role was. The gratitude and humility in his voice is endearing to everyone around, and he just gains more respect for his belief in inclusivity. Acknowledgement of effort, especially from the top cop of the company, inspires everyone to do better. The best part about this story is the appreciation, the humility and the gratitude towards everything that someone brings to your life, which is something that a respectful and dignified man will always imbibe.
This category has a beautiful collection of jewellery that is made with platinum, a metal that displays many rare qualities like natural whiteness, a high density, a high resistance to corrosion and purity at 95 per cent. The Men of Platinum collection includes a wide range of versatile pieces for men like platinum rings, chains, bracelets & kadas. Borrowing from the theme of ‘staying true to one’s core character’, each piece from the Men of Platinum collection has been crafted to evoke a rare value that represents a true man of character. The versatility of the designs coupled with unconventional & statement silhouettes makes each piece in the collection a ‘one-of-a-kind’ & ‘rare’ platinum piece and thus a must-have for every Indian man!
MW Take: In a time when it’s becoming more and more important to spark a conversation about evolving the definition of masculinity, it’s inspiring to see an entire category focusing on enhancing the importance of building a character. This is essentially a message of (and some jewellery) that makes one feel reflective of what their actions bring to the community around them and highlights the idea that the key to finding success in your personal or professional lives is to make your character the backbone of your decisions. For women who would want to honour the men in their lives who have always held true to their belief system, this would make the perfect gift.
