About the service
I make cufflinks and tie bars one pair at a time, and the conversation always starts with two questions: what is the occasion, and what shirt will they live on. A double cuff asks for a classic cufflink with a swivel post — the bar turns, passes through four layers of fabric and then lies flat, so the cuff keeps its shape from the first toast to the last dance. A single barrel cuff is another story: there I suggest a lighter fixed-post pair or a silk knot, because a heavy swivel pulls the placket out of line and by the evening the whole sleeve looks tired.
Materials follow the budget and the skin. Plated brass is an honest choice for a one-day celebration, nickel silver keeps a warm tone through years of office wear, sterling silver is what people hand down. If nickel gives you a rash, say so before the sketch: the alloy is then chosen separately, and I keep nickel-free stock for exactly this reason. Items in precious metals follow the established hallmarking and assay rules, and the customer understands that this affects both the schedule and the paperwork.
Form is where it gets personal. Round, oval, rectangular, or a woven knot; mirror polish across the whole face, or a matte ground around a polished monogram so the letters catch the light on their own. I cut the engraving deep enough to read at arm's length, then soften the edges, because shallow letters fade within a year and sharp ones snag the cuff. Enamel goes into a milled recess and is fired in layers until it sits level with the metal. A stone or mother-of-pearl inlay is set in a bezel, never glued. What I engrave is personal: monograms, dates and author's drawings — no coats of arms, no state or award symbolism, and nothing that could be mistaken for an official insignia. A company logo only when the rights to it are confirmed.
— sketch on paper and a metal sample before the work begins;
— swivel-post cufflinks for double cuffs, fixed post or knot for single ones;
— plated brass, nickel silver or sterling silver; nickel-free alloy on request;
— hot enamel fired into a recess, natural stone or mother-of-pearl in a bezel;
— tie bar with a tempered spring that holds firmly and does not crease silk;
— matching set in a gift box, dedication engraved on the reverse;
— care notes and one free polish within the first year.
Materials follow the budget and the skin. Plated brass is an honest choice for a one-day celebration, nickel silver keeps a warm tone through years of office wear, sterling silver is what people hand down. If nickel gives you a rash, say so before the sketch: the alloy is then chosen separately, and I keep nickel-free stock for exactly this reason. Items in precious metals follow the established hallmarking and assay rules, and the customer understands that this affects both the schedule and the paperwork.
Form is where it gets personal. Round, oval, rectangular, or a woven knot; mirror polish across the whole face, or a matte ground around a polished monogram so the letters catch the light on their own. I cut the engraving deep enough to read at arm's length, then soften the edges, because shallow letters fade within a year and sharp ones snag the cuff. Enamel goes into a milled recess and is fired in layers until it sits level with the metal. A stone or mother-of-pearl inlay is set in a bezel, never glued. What I engrave is personal: monograms, dates and author's drawings — no coats of arms, no state or award symbolism, and nothing that could be mistaken for an official insignia. A company logo only when the rights to it are confirmed.
— sketch on paper and a metal sample before the work begins;
— swivel-post cufflinks for double cuffs, fixed post or knot for single ones;
— plated brass, nickel silver or sterling silver; nickel-free alloy on request;
— hot enamel fired into a recess, natural stone or mother-of-pearl in a bezel;
— tie bar with a tempered spring that holds firmly and does not crease silk;
— matching set in a gift box, dedication engraved on the reverse;
— care notes and one free polish within the first year.
