Cufflinks

Designed to close a ‘French’ or double cuff, cufflinks are a traditional compliment to men’s dress wear the world over. The standard cufflink is simple, consisting of a post or chain that connects the two sides of the link – one that fits easily through the buttonholes and the other, larger item that is visible on the outside of the cuff. The ‘outer’ side of the cufflink is traditionally a plain disc, which can be embellished to suit the wearer with a monogram or other engraving.

Cufflinks are given to men for a variety of reasons – usually to mark a special occasion, such as a wedding day or a significant birthday. A popular gift arrangement for men is a pair of cufflinks with a matching tie or cravat pin. Cufflinks are made of gold or silver. For those who prefer a softer approach, there is the silk knot – also known as ‘monkey fists’, silk knots provide a less fiddly way of securing your double cuff. As there are comparatively few types of jewellery acceptable for men to wear in Western cultures, cufflinks are popular gifts, and as such, they are available in a tremendous variety of shapes, sizes, styles and materials to suit the taste of just about any man. What’s more, cufflinks are also available in more delicate designs for women.

Today, cufflinks are made from a wide variety of materials. Often, metal cufflinks are embellished with gemstones, crystals, china tiles or enamel motifs. There are cufflinks with humorous, contemporary and sporting themes; also, there are a growing number of jewellers and gift companies that specialise in providing bespoke cufflinks – so you truly can give cufflinks to suit any man’s taste and wardrobe requirements. Many leading designers produce cufflinks to compliment their fashion and accessory collections – such as Paul Smith, Chanel, Bvlgari, Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Cartier and Versace.

Popular styles and brands of cufflinks are available from a large number of high street shops as well as from a good selection of online retailers. Specially designed cufflinks, featuring precious metals or gemstones, are also available from jewellers online and in shopping districts. If you’re looking for big-name designer cufflinks, be aware that there are a number of counterfeiters online – often the fakes are very good copies, but tend to be made from inferior materials. A genuine designer item will always come with a certificate of authenticity, so ask about this if you’re concerned that a price is ‘too good to be true’.

If you’re purchasing your cufflinks from an online jeweller, be sure to check their return policy and ask for a certificate of quality or similar guarantee for any expensive items you buy. Most online jewellers should be able to provide you with additional pictures of the cufflinks, so that you can see how the fastening works and ensure it meets your needs. Do bear in mind that customisations, such as monogramming, usually render an item ‘non-returnable’, especially when shopping with an online merchant.