A history of Cufflinks

Cufflinks appear to have been around in one form or another for a long time; they solved the very simple, yet annoying, issue of how to put your hands through your sleeves without having the opening too large! What is known is that they are thought to have been around in one form or another for about a thousand years. In truth, it is in the last 400 years or so that they have exploded in popularity. Originally only worn by Royalty, these days they are much more affordable! They are designed for cuffs that have holes in the cuffs, but no buttons.

In the 16th century, cuffs were simply wide bands tied together with strings. It was later, during the reign of Louis XIV (1643-1715) that people started to wear pairs of coloured glass beads held together with string, and from this, the cufflink was born! There are lots of different styles available, ranging from two discs held together by a small chain, to more elaborate styles with swivelling fasteners.

Initially, cufflinks were purely decorative, though with the invention of the "French cuff", a double fold of material, they became useful fasteners for shirts. With the industrial revolution, as more and more ingenious machines were invented, new and exciting designs could be produced. During the 1880s, a machine was adapted from a making ammunition cartridges to make cufflinks!

Around 1904, the famous Parisian shirtmaker Charvet invented the silk knot; typically they are now made from elastic, for greater durability. In Russia in the 1920s the rise of skilled enamellers led to the production of incredibly intricate designs and wonderful flamboyant styles.

A very popular style is the "dumbbell" style, which was widely worn in America in the early 20th century. The height of the cufflink was in the 1920s; prior to that, the shirt was very much an undergarment, with only a collar showing from behind a high-chested waistcoat. In the 1920s, however, men's fashion became more colourful, and jewelled accessories were a must!

Other unusual designs included the stirrup cufflink, made from a curved piece of metal, with a hinged bar which passed through the buttonhole. In later years, major jewellery houses such as Cartier and Tiffany produced stunning examples in gold and platinum.

The rise in the use of plastic caused the demise of the use of enamel, but original old pieces are still highly prized, and very collectable.

Today there are countless different styles available, including many set with diamonds, sapphires and other precious stones, often worth hundreds of thousands of euros.

Click to view a selection of Cufflinks Ireland