It is safe to say that the beginnings of cufflinks can be traced back to when men first thought of looking for something elegant to hold their cuffs together. The cuff is an extra layer of fabric that can be found at the edge of a sleeve of any garment, usually a shirt, a trouser or a jacket.

Cufflinks, though small and less noticeable, have a rich history. This article will provide you with insight on how cufflinks developed – from the improvised chains attached to buttons to the engravable cufflinks that you see today.

The Medieval Period

Cufflinks were born out from small chains that that are attached to a button (usually gold or silver) and inserted through the holes of the cuff. These were seen as early as during the Middle Ages and were used to be referred to as “cuff string.”

Over time, this piece of accessory increasingly became a necessity to adorn every gentleman’s dress shirt during formal occasions. Before, only the rich and the affluent can afford these cufflinks because of the scarcity of the precious metals used in making them.

The Industrial Revolution

Then along came the Industrial Revolution. It seems automatic to know that during this era, everything can be manufactured easily. And the cufflinks were no exception to this. The mechanisms of these accessories have also changed. Instead of using chains, cufflinks now use rods or fasteners. This makes the open-and-close mechanism easier.

Of course, some manufacturers have already ventured into making engravable cufflinks to make this type of accessory even more appealing to the public. As if this is not enough, shirt manufacturers also rode into the whole cufflink-bandwagon frenzy. They produced shirts that are cufflink ready. And the rest is simple economics: sales boomed, several manufacturers came into the picture, prices dropped and almost every middle-class individual gets to enjoy the beauty of engravable cufflinks.

The Present

Needless to say, the occasions necessitating the use of cufflinks also changed. Before, cufflinks are only seen in black tie events, today, these accessories get into the picture of casual occasions. The wide selection of engaravable cufflinks designs, for instance, paved way for less formal styles to surface.

Although the market on cufflinks experienced a low period during the early 20th century, these were never erased from the picture. When shirt manufacturers began to produce dress shirts that have buttons on the cuffs, the popularity of cufflinks sank. Thanks to giant jewellers such as Cartier and Tiffany and Co., these engravable cufflinks survived the test of time.

Cufflinks are a great and an elegant way of keeping your dress or trouser shirt neat and “composed.” And today, this accessory, which was once thought of as part of a formal wear, is a fashion statement. What’s more, this statement became popular for men and women alike.

The varieties of engravable cufflinks you see today make it possible for you to match these accessories to any type of dress or suit. And the best part is, you don’t have to be a member of nobility or the royal family to be able to afford these cufflinks. Certainly, because engravable cufflinks are becoming less costly, they are here to stay.