Cufflinks

Cufflinks appeared in the 1600s although usage didn’t become popular until the end of the 18th Century.

Coloured cufflinks made from gem stones were initially only worn by men with a great deal of self-confidence, however this situation changed when the Prince of Wales, later Edward VII, popularised colourful cufflinks; the more elaborate and flamboyant the cufflinks the more dandy the gentleman. By this time cufflinks were the most commonly used gentleman’s accessory and one of the few items of jewellery for men.

By the 1950s cufflinks became mechanical, which made them more practical and easier to put on.