Cufflinks

The forgotten element of masculine elegance The ancestral tradition concerning cufflinks was based on the father offering them as a symbolic gift to his son, or a president of a country to his ambassadors or other valuable coworkers. The elements and symbols adorning cufflinks are often very personal and original. A pair of cufflinks with a monogram of a family symbol, a date of birth or of graduation for instance, is every successful man’s dream. Most specialists agree that the appearance of cufflinks dates to the 16th or 17th century, and connect it with the habit of men living in Versailles, since they were famous for the attention to detail and passion for clothing and accessories. Cufflinks evolved to a closer version of today’s version during the end of the 18th century. In the middle of the 19th century, anybody who belonged to the middle and upper class could not be seen without them. Special series were created for women. In the beginning of the 20th century, they become as popular as ever. This period was defined by the very elegant style of masculine clothing, thus making cufflinks one of the top buying priorities for men. Cary Grant, a fervent admirer of cufflinks, received as a wedding gift from his wife Barbara Hutton a pair of Cufflinks made of gold and inserted with diamonds and rubies. Marlene Dietrich, one of the most elegant women famous thorough times for her presence and artful activities, wore cufflinks of gold and sapphires. Today, they are still quite popular and have gained the attention of modern men, still maintaining their symbolism of class and elegance.{gallery}jewel_cufflinks{/gallery}