Cufflinks For Men
Purchase cuff links for men from top designers at discount prices.
Cufflinks are an essential clothing accessory for men. Any occasion requiring formal wear is an opportunity to make a tasteful and elegant statement with cufflinks. Whether it’s a set that has been handed down through the family, monogrammed cufflinks, novelty cufflinks, or cufflinks from a luxury designer, this understated accessory completes a man’s outfit.
Part of what makes this fashion statement so powerful is the rich history behind it, and the names that have led the way in men’s fashion. The 17th century saw the rise of cufflinks as a symbol of fashion, social prestige and luxury. Prior to this era, it was customary to tie ones cuffs with ribbon or string. The first cuff links for men were glass, connected with a small chain. Over the next century, glass paste was introduced and jewelry makers began to fashion gem-like cuff links.
With the advent of electroplating and electro-metallurgy, gold and silver became more accessible materials to market to the masses. Now, it wasn’t only the affluent upper crust of society that could afford them, they had also come within reach of the bourgeoisie.
In about 1840, the French (or double) cuff came into vogue. This of course led to a demand for more styles and greater selection. By the end of the century, Tiffany, Cartier and Faberge had extensive lines of cufflinks for men and had cemented the cufflink as an essential component of men’s style. Gold, mother of pearl, enamel, mosaics and other precious stones were used to create the classic designs that have remained in style ever since.
The Art Deco period of the 1920’s and 1930’s saw the next most exciting fashion milestone in cufflinks for men. Irises, profiles of women and garlands came into vogue and were displayed on the faces of the cufflinks. It wasn’t long before Cartier, Chaumet, Mellerio and Boucheron pursued this trend and embraced Art Deco styles. It was during this same period that the Boyer Company produced the first rolling rod-type cufflink system, which is still prevalent today. It was also during this exciting period that women began wearing cufflinks, which prior had been exclusively a man’s accessory.
The early 20th century also saw the advent of mass produced shirts that had a button to bind the cuffs sewn in. Cufflinks began to take on a slightly different meaning and men who still opted for cufflinks became the quintessence for evening style and flair. To meet fit this new era, Van Cleef & Arpels began a quest for design innovation, eventually producing the channel setting, where precious stones make up the design but no metal support is visible. This style is still with us today.
The Beatles reinvigorated cufflinks for men by incorporating them into their refreshing rock and roll statement. Now cufflinks were worn by rockers and style mavens of all types, and demand from a new demographic began to grow, requiring new and exciting never seen before, more youthful and playful designs. To meet this new challenge, Cartier produced their famous heart shaped cufflinks, Bulgari launched their famous diamond shape with blue enamel setting, David Webb introduced his miniature animal designs and Dinh Van used zen imagery in his cufflinks for men. Now, anything was possible, and cufflinks were available to match any personality and occasion.
When it comes to showcasing personal style, cufflinks have and continue to be the most indispensable fashion accessory for men. We would be remiss not to mention also that cufflinks for women make an equally important and powerful statement. With such a rich history in design and fashion, cufflinks for men (and women) are the peak of refined style and elegance, no matter the occasion.