Types of jewelry clasps
March 29, 2022
Epoxy resin – colorless jewellery glass
March 30, 2022
Update 6.10.2022
Although the history of using cufflinks goes back hundreds of years ago, this truly masculine decoration has experienced its ups and downs – it has disappeared from fashion to reappear again and again. These decorative fastenings are currently experiencing their “come back”. To meet the tendency and needs of men and their tastes, we have added to our stock few types of silver cufflink settings which will help you to create custom made cufflinks. In the range of sterling silver jewelry supplies that we offer, you’ll find cufflink blanks in various shapes and sizes. By purchasing them, you will receive products made of the highest quality 925 silver alloy with a solid and durable mechanism. Our jewelry and findings are free of allergic nickel, so you will avoid complaints from your customers.
Create unique men’s jewellery based on
925CRAFT cufflink findings,
so your customers feel special and sophisticated,
both for a romantic dinner with the loved one,
as well as for a business meeting.
Types of cufflinks
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bullet back cufflinks - also called toggle closure cufflinks are the most common found because they are easy to put and secure when fastened. They have bullet-shaped backs pivoted between two bars, used to fasten the links;
- whale back cufflinks - are similar to bullet back cufflinks, but their backs look like whale tails which need to be flipped against the post to open, and flipped back to secure the links;
- fixed back cufflinks - in contrary to above forms, they have no moving parts, so there are no options of adjusting them. They are slightly more difficult to wear, but usually they are available in reversible styles, what gives more options to present them;
- ball return cufflinks - they are easy to wear and a little bit looser than the bullet back closures. They consist of curved post ended with a ball shape opposite the ornamental head;
- stud cufflinks - also referred to as button style cufflinks, they are assumed to be the most secure closures obtained by tilting the smaller end and then straightening it to wear. Usually, their both ends finish with the same design
- chain cufflinks - this kind of pair is treated as most traditional accessories in this category. Their two ends are connected with a chain which allows a looser wear;
- knotted cufflinks - they are usually made of cord instead of metal, so they may be less durable. However, they are most affordable and perfect for less formal occasions.
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Below we present few examples of most popular cufflinks with crystals and stones.
Silver cufflink findings for crystals
A very popular category of blank jewellery settings is represented by cufflink designs dedicated to 12 mm rivoli crystals. Crystal cufflinks consist of a round cup intended for gluing and mechanism soldered to it. Our stock also includes cufflinks design with no rim that will expose the whole beauty of stones. Apart from round models, we also offer square cufflinks for gluing cushion square crystals.
How to make silver stones cufflinks?
If you do not know how to make silver cufflinks with stones, the best way is to choose high quality sterling silver findings from our shop. For creating cool pieces of men's jewelry, we suggest two kinds of designs:
- silver cufflink blanks for stones,
- flat round plain cufflinks.
The first ones, are intended for gluing rivoli and rosecut stones with dimensiones of 12 mm. GAVBARI natural stones are available in wide range of colours, so you can make a collection of colour cufflinks that will match to all your customer's tastes. For example, you can create elegant jewelry for men in the form of tiger eye cufflinks, aquamarine cufflinks, or very popular navy blue cufflinks with miraculous tanzanite chalcedony.
The second ones consist of round flat plate instead of cup, so they are dedicated to cabochons or the flat back decorations. Latest jewelry trends were dominated by large and colourful accessories, so we recommend adding to your collection natural stone cufflinks. Explore our wide range of rosecut flat backs in size of 14.9 mm for making fancy men's jewelry perfect for upcoming seasons. A few examples of designs with the use of our jewellery components are presented below:
Personalized cufflinks
It is worthy to note are the engravable sterling silver cufflinks, through which you express your or your customer's preferences, immortalizing their initials, important dates or short sentences. If you would like to add to your collection personalised cufflinks, we give you this opportunity by offering the silver engraving service – a precise laser engraving on our findings. Thanks to our specialized computer software and modern CNC services, you will get an accurate reflection of your jewellery project – an effect that will satisfy your most demanding customers. Apart from initial cufflinks or other personalised silver cufflinks, you can create unique branded cufflinks, with your logo, text or other graphics.
The round, rectangle or square cufflink blanks are also suitable to glue any stone or crystal with a flat bottom in appropriate sizes. In addition, you can successfully add to them decorations of the selected material. Choose one of the GAVBARI flat backs and make custom cufflinks with colourful stones, which have dominated jewelry trends recently.
How to make resin cufflinks?
Almost any small element can be embedded in the epoxy resin – dry plants, crystals, stones, photos and other funky accouterments. Interestingly, the resin can be colored, obtaining surprisingly beautiful shades of the desired color. Cufflink bezel blanks are a great choice for filling with resin, and they are available in our stock in the following options:
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round cufflink blanks,
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oval cufflink blanks,
- custom shaped cufflinks.
As a response to the growing interest in these products, we also offer products that complement the creation of an individual project of resin cufflinks – epoxy resin, UV resin as well as other epoxy resin accessories.
Filling blanks with resin is one option, but they can also be used as settings for other materials. You can glue stones, crystals or other decorations. You can also fill cups with beads, textiles or any other jewellery masses. The only limit here can be the designer's imagination.
DIY cufflinks
DIY jewellery has a significant impact on the wide variety of different styles and design process nowadays, so it is also worth creating some more creative details for men's outfits. Nowadays, you can search for tutorials on how to make cufflinks with fabric or how to make cufflinks from buttons, so if you just started your adventure with jewelry making, get inspired and design trendy cufflinks with the use of our silver findings and join them with other materials. Recently trends also promote two different pieces of jewelry, so you can make one cufflink in one design and other cufflink with other design.
Cufflink findings for soldering
Apart from ready sterling silver cufflink findings, we also offer separate cufflinks parts, which you can solder together. For example, you can pair one of our highest quality sterling silver bezels with cufflink backs and make custom cufflinks according to your own taste. They are available in round and oval shapes in many sizes. However, if you would like to design your own shape, please contact us, and we will produce it for you.
Additionally, at your request, we will cover cufflink blanks with a protective galvanic coating of gold, platinum or rhodium, which not only increases the silver’s resistance to chemical reactions, but also offers a beautiful color in several versions:
Dark yellow gold plating
Light yellow gold plating
Rose gold plating
Platinum plating
White rhodium plating
When to wear cufflinks?
Cufflinks are symbolic signs of elegance, class and style.
Men who appreciate this style of living, will definitely make sure
to have this type of accessories in their collections.
Although considered to be men’s gadgets, cufflinks can also be used by ladies who like to wear elegant blouses with cuffs, which fastened with decorative, beautiful cufflinks will add uniqueness and style.
The history of cufflinks
These jewellery gadgets owe their “birth” to the need to secure long lace sleeves for men’s shirts during the Renaissance. The shirts were very elegant at the time, but not practical – it was easy to get their edges dirty, even by feasting at the table. Only a rich part of society had access to such fashionable outfits. Initially, long cuffs were tied with ribbons by servants. It was a time-consuming and labor-intensive occupation, so the idea for a more convenient and practical way to fasten the cuffs was born. Over the years, methods of fastening sleeves have changed to achieve the modern form of accessories.
Cufflinks, just from the beginning of their existence, have testified the high social status of their owner, because they were made of expensive materials, such as gold or silver. They were set with precious stones, including diamonds. In the 18th and 19th centuries, designers worked intensively on new designs and forms for hairpins. Slowly, they became more accessible to a wider society, so that after the industrial revolution in the second half of the nineteenth century, it would make a good decorative piece for men. In Poland, models with features of patriotic character were popular, for example with coats of arms, a white eagle or images of national heroes like Kościuszko.
George Bryan Brummell, known as the arbiter of elegance in Great Britain, friend of the regent prince, future king George IV, made a great contribution to the dissemination of cufflinks. Thanks to his suit, as well as accessories attached to it, including cufflinks, have become common items of men’s confection and still present today in business field, but also for elegant occasions and celebrations.
At the end of the 19th century, Georg Krementz invented a machine for the production of buttons and cufflinks. The result was a reduction in the cost of their manufacture and dissemination of this jewellery for men. In the 20th century enamelled shirt clips were popular, but since the 1990s cufflinks have been experiencing their renewed flourishing. Today, jewellery brands compete with each other in designing unique and newer designs. The first models were small works of art and considered jewels, today they are also works of art, but ones that are available to everyone.
Do you know what are the most expensive cufflinks in the world so far?
Currently, the most expensive cufflinks in the world are 3 JACOB & CO. projects – an exclusive New York jewellery company. Their products are promoted by celebrities like Mila Jovovich, David Beckham and Katy Perry.
- The most expensive model at a starting price of nearly 4.2 million dollars contains a 21-carat yellow diamond with a canary yellow color, surrounded by white diamonds, which are also located on the fastener of the cufflinks. The total value of small diamonds is of 10 carats. The design of the gadgets was made of 18k white gold.
- The second design of basketball ball clips costs “only” 162 thousand dollars and was made of white and yellow gold accompanied by small white diamonds with a total value of 22 carats.
- The third product of this brand is a similar reference to sport – in this case, to the American national sport. The cufflinks have the shape of a rugby ball / American football on both sides. They used white diamonds with a total value of 15 carats and 18 – carats gold, and were connected by a chain.
Another example of expensive and interesting shirt clips is the Fonderie 47 brand proposal. Their design and method of construction is not considered typical – you can make a bracelet with them. Rose and white gold, as well as metal from melted Russian AK47 rifles found on the battlefields, were used to make them, as the company’s mission was to publicize the problem of illegal weapons used during conflicts in Africa and to eliminate it. To make this jewelry piece, they used the mechanisms as for Swiss watches. A pair of cufflinks costs $32,000, and the profits from their sale are to be used to eliminate illegal weapons.
Find out more:
- Search more categories of wholesale jewelry supplies in our shop
- Experiment with our new GAVBARI collection and dedicated sterling silver supply
- Discover creative ways of making jewellery with the use of gold findings
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