Handmade Cufflinks

The popularity of handmade cufflinks has been on the rise these past decades. Always adding a sophisticated look to one's attire, it is no wonder that these handmade gold jewelry pieces are a significant part of many wardrobes today.

The cufflink, a decorative fastener used by both men and women, is used to fasten together the two sides of the cuff of either a dress shirt or blouse. Over the years, the cufflinks have become a fashionable adornment to many dress styles, from tuxedos and other formal attires to casual wear.

The History of Cufflinks

The handmade cufflinks have a history dating back to the seventeenth century. What preceded the cufflinks in those early days was the cuff string which decorated the wrists of many fashionable gentlemen. Perhaps one of the earliest acknowledgements of cufflinks as we know them was made as early as 1684 in the London Gazette, which wrote about a pair of cuff buttons beautifully set with diamonds.
Over time, as elaborate wrist ruffles gave way to fashionable French cuffs, the cufflinks made the necessary transition from being the property of wealthy gentlemen alone to becoming popular throughout all classes.  What enabled this change was the industrial revolution, where cufflinks began to be mass produced at lower prices, enabling a large variety of different designs to be manufactured and distributed to the average middle class gentlemen as well.

Nearing the end of the twentieth century, the cufflinks industry had a slow period as different shirt manufacturers began to mass-produce shirts with buttons on their cuffs.  Nonetheless, the demand for handmade cufflinks still exists and with the various precious stones and metals used to make them, the designs only get better.

Cufflinks Today

Today, as jewelry artists become bolder and more unique in their designs, the range of cufflinks is great.
Many handmade cufflinks enjoy different shapes rather than the traditional round or square shape. One can find cufflinks shaped as the Star of David, and name cufflinks shaped as the individuals personal name.
In addition, a beautiful adornment to cufflinks is precious stones, adding colorfulness and prestige to these wonderful pieces of jewelry.
Another popular trend is to combine ancient stones in the design of the cufflinks. One of these is the amazing ancient Roman Glass. These sparkling pieces of authentic glass found mostly in the Judean desert, date back 2,000 years to the time of the Roman Empire. No two pieces of Roman Glass jewelry look exactly alike, making each of these handmade cufflinks truly one of a kind. Another ancient addition is the authentic Masada coin, dating back to that same period.

Many Israeli artists offer unique cufflinks which are hard to find anywhere else in the world. Influenced by the rich Jewish tradition, they design marvelous Jewish jewelry, including gorgeous cufflinks such as Hoshen cufflinks, Kotel cufflinks and beautiful Jerusalem cufflinks decorated with the fabulous Jerusalem skyline.

Today more than ever, the variety of cufflinks is endless, and growing by the day. There is no doubt that handmade cufflinks are here to stay.