By discovering the little history of cufflinks, we learn that they originally replaced ribbons, which were themselves used to hold shirt cuffs together. Nowadays, cufflinks have become genuine, highly fashionable accessories that sometimes resemble small works of art. There is an entire collection of cufflinks that can be worn with a French-cuff shirt for a wedding, for a birthday party, but also on certain occasions at work. Let's lift the veil on cufflinks and discover their different characteristics.
The different parts of a cufflink
Worn elegantly on a man's wrist, often matched to a watch, a tie or a bow tie, cufflinks are above all needed to close the cuffs of a French-cuff shirt. Indeed, before being a decorative or symbolic object, the cufflink is a useful item in a man's outfit. Men used to use ribbons and other lace to keep their shirt cuffs closed. It was only in the 17th century that cufflinks appeared, reserved at the time for grand occasions and wealthy families. Two centuries later, their use became widespread. Finally, three centuries after cufflinks were created, button-cuff shirts made their appearance, relegating cufflinks to the category of jewellery and fashion accessories.
As an essential part of a man's outfit, cufflinks are made up of three elements:
- The visible face: this is the part of the cufflink decorated with silk, precious stones in various colours, mother-of-pearl, cotton, gold, and so on.
- The post, which threads through the hole in the French cuff and links the visible face to the back.
- The last element is the fastening back. Although it isn't visible, its role is decisive: it's actually the back that keeps the piece of jewellery attached to the shirt.
Just as there are different types of shirt collar — wing collar, ordinary collar, or even a triple collar — there is a very wide range of cufflinks, which differ in size or in their closure system: chain, ball-back, stud, bullet-back or even fish-tail.
What cufflinks are made from
As cufflinks resemble genuine jewellery, fashion designers offer men very original designs, sometimes matched to other accessories such as a bow tie or tie. Cufflinks are made from noble materials, but also from unexpected ones:
- Stainless steel, used in original shapes such as anchors, dice, planes, turtles, and so on.
- Precious stones, such as emerald or diamond.
- Metal, such as gold, a precious metal, as well as silver.
- Silk, a fine, delicate echo of a silk bow tie closing the shirt collar.
- Fabric, which allows for countless colour variations.
- Wood, which has made an appearance at parties and weddings.
- Leather, which for its part lends a masculine look.
- Cotton, linen, wool.
- And more.
The various materials, such as fabric or silk, come in different colours: black, red, or even Liberty print, so that men can choose their pair of cufflinks based on, for example, the colour of their suit jacket. A pair of red cufflinks might be a discreet echo of a bow tie or tie in the same colour. Likewise, brown cufflinks are often preferred with a wooden bow tie. Every pair, every design of cufflinks will find its place on a man's wrists depending on the occasion: a wide choice of items is now available, for delivery or in store, making a hugely popular idea for a Christmas gift or a birthday gift.
Cufflinks for a bold personal style
Resolutely modern, cufflinks are a piece of jewellery that reveals itself beneath the suit jacket, giving a man a highly fashionable look. Depending on what they're made of, cufflinks reveal a different style: silver and gold cufflinks are reserved for a rather classic style, while those in wood or fabric give a man an original look. Steel and metal cufflinks also take on shapes that allow for every kind of whimsy: billiard balls, pastries, piano, moustache, ties, watch movements, famous brand logos, bottles, musical instruments, footballs or rugby balls, and so on. It's also possible to personalise cufflinks with names or initials: a wonderfully original gift idea for a wedding or a promotion. This accessory is firmly one of the must-have items for asserting your style — classic, modern, or quirky.
Cufflinks even proudly show up on the big screen, where, for instance, the classic, chic look can be seen throughout the James Bond films. A symbol of elegance itself, this iconic character proudly wears cufflinks beneath his suit jacket, whether in gold, silver or steel, on a black or white shirt. Indeed, the various actors who have played James Bond have given this fashion accessory a very strong symbolism, and have helped bring this once-essential piece of jewellery back into the spotlight, today standing as proof of unquestionable refinement.
A rare and precious piece of jewellery for a man's outfit
Every pair of cufflinks is carefully crafted to give men precious yet also unusual pieces of jewellery, which they can match to their outfit, and to their mood. What cufflinks are made of opens up endless possibilities: materials, shapes and colours come together to form a rare, one-of-a-kind piece of jewellery. Every man will find the cufflink that suits his outfit and his event:
- A wedding is the ideal occasion to wear a French-cuff shirt and decorate the cuffs with lovely cufflinks. The groom-to-be can match them to his bow tie, his suit jacket, or even the colour theme of his wedding.
- When cufflinks are matched to a watch, in materials such as metal or silver, they become a genuine asset that men proudly wear on their wrists.
- For a gala evening, a man will enjoy completing his outfit with socks, a suit pocket square, and matching cufflinks.
- At work, the cufflink can happily carry originality and eccentricity, with quirky designs.
- Finally, calendar events are also an occasion to wear your favourite cufflinks: Saint Patrick's Day, Halloween, Christmas, a tennis tournament, a football match, or a rugby match, and so on.
Passions and professions reflected in cufflinks
Since cufflinks are worn for every occasion, they've been designed to represent different professions or to celebrate every kind of passion. A man might, for example, choose his cufflinks based on his job: doctor, pilot, auctioneer, dentist, boss, ophthalmologist, firefighter, baker, and so on. Sporting and artistic activities are also represented, with specific cufflink designs: bowling, music, cars, horse racing, and so on. Finally, it's worth noting cufflinks that "talk to each other": these are highly original, complementary pieces of jewellery, since each of the two cufflinks carries its own meaning in relation to the other. While most cufflinks are identical on both wrists, this last category offers two different cufflinks, such as:
- A baseball bat and a white-and-red baseball.
- A fork and a knife.
- A key and a padlock.
- A wine bottle and a glass.
- Tennis racquets and balls.
- The phrases: "Trust me" and "I'm a journalist", "Trust me" and "I'm a doctor", "No pain" and "No gain", "Don't worry" and "Be happy".
These items, available at affordable prices with fast delivery, whether in metal, steel or silk, reinforce a man's image. A discreet nod to a profession or a passion, the cufflink gives character to a man's outfit, elevating it with elegance and refinement. More than just materials, cufflinks are made of values, humour, or even poetry. They are pieces of jewellery with strong symbolic potential, suited to official ceremonies, weddings or business lunches.
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