The cufflink, a symbol of elegance
Until the 17th century, men's shirts were fastened with ribbons or lace. The cufflink makes its appearance for a practical reason, and remains to this day an accessory that allows every man to assert his style and elegance, to complete his look. The Luxury Houses are not mistaken, which create for most of them classic cufflinks or in direct reference to their iconic collections.
Cartier thus declines many iconic lines of the House, starting with its Santos cufflinks, to be associated - or not - with the Santos-Dumont watch, the great aviation pioneer since the first model dates back to 1904. From watchmaking, Cartier naturally moves on to jewelry by revisiting the Juste un Clou or Love collections in the form of luxurious cufflinks that can be worn every day. Those featuring the famous panther, the brand's signature animal, are worn on more exceptional occasions, especially the models featuring the panther head. They are in rhodium-plated white gold, set with diamonds, emeralds and onyx, as well as in yellow gold, tsavorites, onyx and black lacquer.
The particularly extensive catalog of Cartier cufflinks demonstrates, if it were necessary, how trendy and symbol of French elegance this accessory remains. And this even though the advent of shirts with buttoned cuffs in the 1970s could have signaled their end.
On the contrary, the cufflink is worn today as a true men's jewelry. For the record, you should know that it was King Edward VII who, in the nineteenth century and across the Channel, popularized the "jewel button", adorned with precious or semi-precious stones, set with enamel ... His cufflinks were then designed by a certain Karl Fabergé, the Russian jeweler.
Classical models and more daring models
Roman letters engraved as in ancient Rome by Bulgari, the bee by Gucci, Happy Diamonds by Chopard... The cufflinks of our time are an opportunity to display an undeniable standing, while maintaining a certain classicism. But we can do much more daring! The Bean design models in yellow gold and green jade or in the form of a silver and turquoise cabochon from Tiffany & Co are there to prove it. The cufflink is, also, becoming more modern and original.
It thus adapts to all men's styles. But beware, not to all shirts! Musketeer shirts, without button closure and with cuffs twice as long as plain shirts, are the most suitable for this type of accessory. Shirts with convertible square cuffs are also suitable.
Wearing cufflinks is also an art. Unfolding and folding the cuff on itself, placing the button vertically and then sliding it through the openings and layers of fabric... and finally installing and adjusting it according to closure device.
These cufflinks are ultimately a testament to the fact that these symbols of French elegance and luxury are also part of a mindset turned to attention to detail.