Cufflinks Articles

Tips on Selecting Cufflinks

July 11th, 2010 at 05:25am Under Cufflinks Articles

Are you having difficulties in selecting that special gift for him for that special occasion? Here, we provide some tips on how to select that perfect gift for your love ones.

Two important factors should be considered when deciding the type of cufflinks to wear:

- They should firstly be appropriate for the occasion.

- They should also match your attire.

 

How to select the appropriate cufflinks for an occasion

For formal functions or dinners, choose a classic and elegant pair with simple designs such as stripes or Swarovski crystals. Novelty cufflinks such as animals or superhero logos are best suited for informal occasions where smart-casual attires are acceptable.

Certain novelty designs however are acceptable for formal occasions, such as career-related or sports-related ones as long as they are simple and fashionably beautiful and not childish. For example, an avid tennis player could wear a pair featuring tennis rackets and ball. This could be an excellent conversation starter during sales meetings with customers.

Matching your cufflinks to your attire

You should try to match your cufflinks to your other accessories such as belt buckle, necktie, wristwatch, ring and chain. You should avoid wearing silver colored ones with gold colored watches or vice versa.

It is also a good idea to have a contrast between the cufflinks and the shirt so that the they are visible. Selecting a pair to match your white shirt is easy, as any color (except silver or white) will go with it. The thing to watch out is that it should coordinate with your other accessories as well.

However, it is more difficult to match your cufflinks to a colored shirt. They should still have some form of contrast against your shirt so that it will stand out, but at the same time you do not want it to be too jarring. For example, try not to wear a green pair with a pink shirt! However, a dark red or silver colored ones will be appropriate for the pink shirt.

Lastly, if you are wearing patterned or striped shirts, you may want to stay with simple classic looking cufflinks as their designs will complement the design of your shirt.

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Promotional Golf Accessories & Cufflinks – The Perfect Corporate Gifts

June 15th, 2010 at 09:00am Under Cufflinks Articles

When you want something that would really make an impact and would really make someone feel important, then golf accessories and cufflinks are the way to go. It’s not about the size of the business gifts that matter, but what they represent in the end.

Golf Accessories:

There are many types of promotional golf accessories, but only a few are business-class. A portable tool that may be used for just about any golf-related riddle is the Golf Tool. Plated with silver and adequately designed, the Golf Tool is a wonderful addition to any golfer’s set of tools.

The Silver Finish Fairway Golf Set is also a good choice. Aside from the common tools of golf, it also contains three golf pins. This product is sure to please any golfer. A Driver Golf Set on the other hand, is a bulkier version with a leather encasement..

A luggage tag just for the purpose of securing golf-related luggage would come in the form of a Silver Plated Golf Luggage Tag. Alternatively a Silver Plated Golf Keyring would also be a wonderful accessory for any amateur golfer.

Cufflinks:

Engraving your company logo is now easier with specially designed Engraved Cufflinks. They come in oval, rectangular, circular or square variants. These come in a stylish and elegant chrome-lined case.

Engraved Jewelry is also a good option when you’re planning to give to high-powered executives who wear extremely formal wear everyday. You can easily place your company’s logo on the surface of these jewelries. They are silver-plated.

For smaller cufflinks, Bespoke versions would be a good option. These have simple locking mechanisms at the end. You can choose between silver-plated and chrome-plated.

Engraved Cufflinks

These are a special group of designs that come in silver and gold. The engraving area for square designs is 14 mm x 14 mm. For oval, the area is 20 mm x 14 mm. The circular ones are 16 mm. As for rectangular versions, the area becomes 18 mm x 13 mm. As for the case, the engraving area is 30 mm x 15 mm.

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Pricing Vintage Costume Jewelry

June 5th, 2010 at 09:30am Under Cufflinks Articles

Vintage costume jewelry, unlike the fashion jewelry sold in department stores today, actually appreciates in value so you have to know what you are looking for when purchasing. Identifying the profitable pieces to collect boils down to knowing what actually determines value on the market.

Costume jewelry is always mass-produced using cheaper materials like semi-precious stones. Costume pieces were basically your low-cost but flashy alternatives to the fine jewelry. None of the fashion pieces sold in department stores today will ever appreciate in value but this is not the case with most vintage pieces. Making big money is possible when collecting but you need to understand what determines value so you can purchase the most profitable pieces to resale. One needs to look at five different components to determine value:

Rarity

Market Demand

Originality of Design

Craftsmanship and Materials

Condition

The demand varies greatly among costume jewelry pieces and can play a larger role than any other variable when it comes to final price determination. Simple economics dictates that higher demand will command a higher price. Currently, signed pieces by Miriam Haskell are en vogue and commanding top dollar in the collectible world. Learning which pieces are collectible and which are just pretty is the most critical step towards collecting for a profit. True collectors seeking profits need to remember that the popular pieces do not always have great designs or materials–but they still tend to be more profitable to collect.

What, if any, variables will influence demand for a piece and perhaps make it more valuable? The design of the piece itself plays a large role in the demand for the piece and thus also has a big affect upon value. Seasoned investors sometimes avoid collecting the signed vintage pieces because everyone is already looking for them. Instead, they will focus on unsigned but well-designed pieces because they tend to be more profitable than many of the signed necklaces, brooches, etc. A large portion of the entire vintage costume stock is unsigned despite having been made by some of the most respected companies in the industry. The unsigned pieces tend to be undervalued and the most profitable to collect and one sure way to identify a particular manufacturer is by design. Unsigned pieces by companies like Bergere and B. David are highly prized by collectors and can be identified by their distinctive but high quality designs.

If other pricing factors are held constant, then the rarity of the piece will greatly determine value. While there were dozens of manufacturers, they all produced jewelry in varying quantities. Profits tend to be lower when talking about pieces made by the larger players like Coro and Accessocraft who produced jewelry in large batches. DeMario, McClelland, and other small companies might only have batch sizes numbering in the hundreds.

When other pricing variables are held constant, signed pieces from the small companies tend to be worth more money. Still, careful research is required because even larger manufacturers sometimes produced specialty batches. These were smaller batches making the pieces more valuable than others produced by the same company.

The overall design is accentuated by the quality of craftsmanship and materials used to produce each piece. The gemstones are typically the most relevant materials to the price of a vintage piece of costume jewelry. Costume jewelry is literally defined by its relatively cheap materials and yet there were a select few manufacturers who almost always used superior materials and production techniques. When talking about gemstone quality, the best companies to look for are:

Bogoff

Bergere

Weiss

Eisenberg

As with all antique valuations, the final condition of the piece plays a pivotal role in the price determination. Be careful to note and account for any excessive signs of wear, discoloration, lost stones, or damage of any kind to the jewelry as this will necessarily lower value. Remember, even vintage pieces showing considerable signs of wear can still command $100 or more. As all vintage costume jewelry has some degree of wear given its age, collectors still make handsome profits by collecting and selling even the “ugly pieces”.

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Prom Fashion Tips For 2009

May 23rd, 2010 at 05:11pm Under Cufflinks Articles

The prom is one of the most exciting days in a young person’s life. Almost every high school student looks forward to this day. Whether you have a gorgeous partner at your side or you and all your friends decide to go together, it is surely a night filled with memories that will last a lifetime.

Selecting the Right Attire

There is so much preparation that goes into the prom to make it a spectacular event for everyone involved. Therefore enough consideration should be given when creating your look for the night. Starting with your outfit, always remember that uniqueness is what will get heads turning so opt for a dress or suit that will embrace your individuality.

When it comes to selecting that perfect dress, a great tip is to scan through a few fashion magazines. This will not only give you an idea of what is in at the moment but might also inspire you to come up with your own original designs. Also, take a look at what’s hot on the runway or what celebrities are wearing on the red carpet. Chances are you might not be so fortunate as to afford an original Valentino or Versace; there are many dressmakers out there that can recreate these styles. Do not be despaired if you cannot find a good dressmaker. There are so many choices to choose from on the internet and in the stores that you will have more than enough options. With so many designs available, you can choose a dress that perfectly fits your body type in the color and design of your choice.

Guys, you might not have as wide of a selection when it comes to prom wear. Uniqueness and individuality can surely still be achieved. Uniqueness however does not mean investing in a purple suit that makes you look like Barney, unless of course you can pull it off. Try to keep it classic but add a color shirt and tie to make your outfit look interesting. Wait until your date has decided on a color for her prom dress and then incorporate this color into your outfit. A black clean cut suit or tuxedo should do the trick, but don’t be afraid of pinstripes either. White suits or tuxedos for the guys could be one of the more trendy looks for 2009. White, if worn correctly looks chic and sophisticated. Before attempting to go with a white suit or tux, take a look at some pictures and see if you think you can pull it off. You don’t want to wear white just to wear it; you want to make sure you look good.

Accessories Can Make or Break Your Look

If you make your dress the main focus of your look, you clearly do not need multiple arm bands or huge earrings to complete your outfit. A dress that is interesting on its own should be the main attraction. By adorning yourself with an over abundance of accessories, you might look overdone. If you choose a dress that is bold enough to attract attention, you can go with small stud earrings or something with little sparkle. Some bracelets may look great with your dress but there is also a chance you won’t need one at all.

Opting for a simple dress with one solid color might leave more room for accessorizing. The trend for 2009 is to mix and match your accessories. For instance, a plain knee-length turquoise dress can be completed by adding brown and blue crystal bead chandelier earrings. An arm bracelet with a mixture of turquoise, green and brown crystal beads might just put the finishing touches on the outfit. If you do not want to wear accessories, then make your shoes interesting. Pointed toe shoes with an original design would look great with a simple single colored dress.

The choices of accessories for the guys are also quite slim. A top hat can add to the sophistication of a suit but stay away from the long chains with a dollar sign pendant. Other than a watch, a ring or some nice earrings there aren’t too many choices to accessorize with for the gentlemen.

Hair Do’s And Don’ts

With the invention of the straightening iron, hair is no longer a “big” issue. For both girls and guys straightly ironed hair is a good look for a prom. Ladies, leave the honeycomb for your wedding and try to keep your hair down, possibly straight or maybe add some soft curls. This will make your face look soft and fresh. For the guys, short hair is key. Mohawks do express individuality, but do you really want to look back in 10 years and see that? A nice short hair cut or possibly even a shaved head will look just fine. However, don’t go too short, bald heads are for body builders so allow some time for a little growth.

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Ian Flaherty Designer Cufflinks

May 6th, 2010 at 11:00am Under Cufflinks Articles

Visit Ian at his studio in Lavender Hill Clapham and you’ll find him working at the coal face with his subordinates, unafraid to get his hands dirty. A Scouser by birth and the son of a builder he chose a different career path that lead him out of working class Liverpool and into London, the fashion capitol of the world. After designing for many prestigious brand names Ian thought it was time to harness his energies and direct them toward developing his own brand. It’s been a long road from Liverpool, now his delightful cufflinks are displayed in some of the most famous department stores around the world, including Selfridges and John Lewis (UK), Nordstroms (USA) David Jones (Australia) plus stores in Japan with un-pronounceable names. The cufflink market is becoming more crowded as designer brands cash in on the growing popularity of men’s jewellery. Plus there is the lure of manufacturing in Asia as a way to increase profits, but not without risk of negative effect on your reputation. Increasing profits at your customer’s expense does not make good long term business sense. Ian’s a big fan of traditional British craftsmanship and prefers the workmanship he gets from his own Battersea studio.

Ian’s designs are hand cast in pure English pewter, because it gives the most accurate result. Each item is double plated in rhodium, a precious metal derived from platinum, and polished before being hand-enamelled or inset with Swarovski crystal. Then polished and inspected again to make sure it’s flawless. Rhodium prevents tarnishing and adds functionality to form making them extremely hard wearing, less likely to be scarred thus adding value. His cufflinks don’t tarnish and neither will his reputation. His customers keep coming back for more precisely because he does not cut corners.

The bespoke market survives amidst a mass manufacturing revolution, delivering products in accordance with an ever growing demand. Other reputable designers are also gaining recognition for their talent, Jo Downs, Babbette Wasserman, Veritas and Tateossian. Their styles differ enough to maintain originality and the majority of their cufflinks are made in England. Ian literally draws his design inspiration from the world around him. He’s always looking at patterns and reflections, sketching things that catch his eye as he walks down the street. His designs have been copied, often blatantly by many big names. He continues his work happily labelled the quiet achiever, carving out a name for himself in the fashion rock face of. The only thing that overshadows Ian’s immense talent is his sincerity; his working class principles remain intact. Having a pair of his cufflinks in your collection is a must; you’ll reveal their unique story each time you bind your links to cuff. Now his cufflinks are available on http://www.patrickmcmurray.com and other quality shops.

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Ugg – Comfortable Shoes During Chilling Months!

May 1st, 2010 at 01:15am Under Cufflinks Articles

Ugg shoes are well known to keep cold off from your feet during the winter. These shoes started with the humble beginning of being the sheep grazers’ shoes during that cold season when you could easily catch a frost during your walks. Made from sheep skin, these shoes are the blandest looking shoes ever created.

Sheep fur is known to keep your feet warm naturally; in fact the fur is so good that you may not even require wearing socks inside the shoes. Sheep skin is soft, no wonder these shoes are soft and very comfortable. Uggs are well known all over the world. However, there is quite some controversy regarding who started the retail venture for these shoes.

The Ugg shoes originated in Australia, however, these have traveled all over the world. The Ugg is called so because of their bland looks, these are generally in the sheep skin color, therefore these do not have the shine or look of normal leather shoes.

Sheep skin is softer, therefore, there was a stiff layering inserted inside of these shoes to keep them from folding over and staying fit over the person’s foot. Ugg shoes are more well known among young teenage girls than any body else.

However, people are finding these shoes very comfortable to be worn inside the house like slippers, especially during the winter. The sheep skin can keep your feet absolutely warm without you having to wear socks. It has been noticed that the sheep skin is beneficial for wear.

There are different types emerging in the Ugg, the Ugg shoes, Ugg slippers, Ugg Slip ons, etc. all for winter wear. You will find these shoes in many retail shops all over the world. If you would like to take a look at these first, you will find these also with the online shoes websites. Most famous shoes websites like the Zappos.com, Shoebuy.com, etc have these shoes with them.

With end of season sales, you increase your chances of finding a product cheaper than at your regular mall. Check out the Ugg at different online shoe malls.

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Designer Cufflinks

April 11th, 2010 at 11:25am Under Cufflinks Articles

Occasions happen every day. This is because there are so many different types of occasions; from birthdays to a barmitzvah, graduations to a first job, engagements to weddings, and divorce to funerals, in fact there are so many different types of occasions it is almost impossible to get away from them.

For every occasion there is a particular type of present that is associated with it. For example, for someone’s birthday, a birthday cake always seems to be at the top of the list. There are others too, but the cake always seems to go with the birthday. For anniversaries, a photo frame always seems to be a good present, marking the anniversary with a few pictures to put in some nice-looking photo frames. Sometimes however, choosing the right present for the right occasion is very hard, especially if it is someone who you do not know all that well. Perhaps you have been invited to a wedding by an old school friend who you have not seen for quite a number of years or invited to a neighbours birthday who you only really say hello to in the morning. Deciding what to get them can be tricky and even though there are so many different types of gifts, deciding what to buy can take a while.

One option that has become far more popular in recent years is designer cufflinks. Designer cufflinks are a great present for almost anyone. Many people like to dress up for parties and events and look as trendy as they can. Cufflinks are a great addition to a person’s outfit and with a pair of designer cufflinks, people can really look the business. Cufflinks can be bought for both men and women and there are many different types of cufflinks available to suit the needs of both genders.

There are in fact a vast range of brands that sell designer cufflinks. Some of these include Ted Baker, Clogau Gold, Caran d’Ache and Emporio Armani. Emporio Armani is a particularly popular brand as the logo is very recognisable in the fashion world yet small enough to fit neatly onto the individual cufflinks. The Emporio Armani cufflinks are set in mother of pearl, but there are various other styles that can be chosen to suit the tastes of those who require the designer item.

So if anyone is in any doubt over what to buy someone for an occasion such as a birthday or a wedding, designer cufflinks are definitely a good purchase. They look good, feel good and are reasonably priced too and in particular models can be picked out for almost anyone.

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Why to Seek God

April 10th, 2010 at 12:55am Under Cufflinks Articles

If man is frail and subject to get sick, God has put into his disposition many methods of healing. Great men upon this earth always sought to heal the persons in trouble and sickness. Both body, psyche and the spirit can get sick. One of the great expression of holy men is healing the persons who seek them to be healed. God Himself intervenes in human history and those who seek Him and ask for healing He grants them the grace of healing even without having the accessibility to medical treatment.

Man is a likeness and image of God. Man has tremendous powers dormant in him. When man is enlightened, the spiritual powers are awakened in him. The healing energy flows into man’s body like the electric current. This energy vibrates. When the healing energy of man vibrates over any part of the body it gets healed with the use of other medicines. Man can heal others and himself by the power of his will united that to God. Then man becomes the canal to transmit God’s healing power, when this power flows into the affected part of the body, that part gets purified and gets healed. By his positive vibrations man can heal the body and the psyche of every person. But man needs Faith to believe in it.

The healing energy doesn’t heal everyone in a similar or standardized manner. The healing depends upon one’s faith and the receptive magnetic power flow. If the super consciousness is alert in man he can be the master of himself and gain power over the nature. When man acquires the healing power, the nature simply obeys him and it performs the action exactly as commanded by the man who gives command. The intuitive power get very alert in the mind of the healer. By concentrating on the sick person, the healer is able to say exactly what is the sickness, what is the cause, when did it happen exactly and then he suggests the treatment.

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Fine Jewellery – A Buyers Guide

April 9th, 2010 at 06:40am Under Cufflinks Articles

There many different types of fine jewellery nowadays so this guide will aim to focus on a shortlist of the most popular types. I’ll be focussing on jewellery such as rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, watches and associated jewellery gifts. This kind of jewellery is usually only made by a small number of brand name jewellers who only produce high quality high value pieces.

However unfortunately for every item of jewellery which becomes popular in the mass market, there are usually unscrupulous companies who want to cash in on their success by producing replica copies and selling them online. These are the kinds of jewellery products which you may have seen in spam email or offered at a fraction of their usual cost on auction websites.

Fine Jewellery – Wedding & Diamond Rings

Diamond rings traditionally associated with engagements and weddings come in a variety of types and designs. Most notably are solitaire or singular diamond rings, eternity rings, usually given to a partner after the birth of their first child or later in a marriage to show the ever lasting bold between a couple and 3 stone diamonds rings which have a set of three diamonds. Diamonds rings are made with a band of a variety of metals such platinum, gold and silver being the popular choices today.

Diamonds however because of their high value are not the norm when it comes to wedding rings and the majority of couples who wear rings choose much plainer and more affordable options. In addition there a number of other fine jewellery rings which contain other gemstones such as amethyst, aquamarine, ruby, sapphire and opal rings which are available on the market today. Wedding rings without a jewel are popular and are usually made from a high carat of gold such as 22ct or other previous metals such as palladium or silver.

Fine Jewellery – Bracelets, Necklace & Pendants

Gold & silver necklaces have always been popular fine jewellery even throughout history as they can be easily worn and are immediately seen as a statement of wealth and power. Other jewellery such as rings and bracelets rely on the hands being on display. Bracelets are available in a number of styles and are usually made from either Gold or silver, but other metals are common also. Bracelets design can range of simple bangles to complex intricate fine jewellery with gemstones, diamonds and even engraved beads such as within recently popular lovelinks. Lovelinks have become popular because the wearer can change the beads along the bracelet to suit their mood or outfit.

Gold & silver pendants are an extension of the necklace idea, typically they feature a simple gold or silver chain and then a focal point of a pendant in the centre of the chain, which usually is worn above the cleavage. Pendants range from gold lockets, a single gemstone such as a sapphire or ruby or an assortment of gemstones.

Fine Jewellery – Earrings & Cufflinks

Earrings have been worn for many years as a sign of wealth in history but more recently becoming mainstream must have accessories for women and even some men. Some tribes around the world wear earrings as part of their traditional dress, though they do not wear the type of fine jewellery that you and I see available on the high street, they make their earrings ornate and stylised. The types of jewellery earrings that are available tend to be high value gemstone earrings such as diamonds, opals, topaz and ruby earrings.

Fine Jewellery – Watches

There a number of big brand fine jewellery watch manufacturers who have long histories and making high quality, long lasting and accurate timepieces. Watches such as rotary watches and Victorinox watches are popular brands who make timepieces for both men and women in either gold or silver. Some have metal straps and some leather as different people prefer the comfort of leather over the strength and durability of metal straps. Victorinox Swiss Army watches have a world famous reputation for making high quality Swiss Army knives and this along with the fact that Switzerland has a long history of clock making has helped them build up a similar following for their range of watches.

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Irresistible Christmas Gifts for Your Favorite 19-Year-Old

March 28th, 2010 at 01:25am Under Cufflinks Articles

It is that jolly, holly time of year again when everyone is filled with good cheer. And happily, it is time to uncover some irresistible Christmas gifts for your favorite 19-year-old. Most 19-year-olds are open to all kinds of gifts from the very inexpensive to the costly. They appreciate whatever you give them.

If they like electronic gadgets, for instance, a pocket digital video recorder may be just the thing. Or perhaps a 4GB MP3 player. Then again, a great laptop computer would surely be a welcome gift.

A super travel gift might be a set of luggage – both wheel-on and carry-on. Or, how about an electronic piano. This keyboard rolls up and fits into a handy slim pouch. But it has a resounding tone. It is a 49-key, 4-octave piano keyboard with tuning knobs and speaker.

What do you say about taking a closer look at a few great Christmas gifts? So, if you are ready, just grab a coffee and pull up a chair. Here we go.

Nifty Digital Camera – Chances are great that a 19-year-old would really like a a digital camera. This digital camera has an optical-zoom lens and a 3 inch LCD screen. It comes with optical image stabilization and 1GB of memory. This camera is light-weight and runs on a rechargeable battery.

Jewelry or Accessories – Now here is a gift to bring a smile to the face of your favorite 19-year-old. For a girl, a pearl necklace or necklace of gold beads is a gift of simple elegance. Add to this later with matching earrings or a bracelet. For a boy, a pair of cuff links engraved with his initials might be exactly what he wants for those special occasions. Or, consider a waterproof watch showing the time, the day and the date and equipped with an alarm.

Telescope – A telescope provides a a fascinating bird’s eye view of constellations and stars. This telescope is computerized and comes with GPS to let you know your position in relation to the stars. The software makes it easy to identify celestial bodies.

UBS Guitar – If someone wants to set up a recording studio, this is the way to do it. With this UBS guitar and cable, you can turn your computer into a recording studio. Also, you can produce a full orchestra sound with MP3 songs for backup.

Fabulous Name Scroll – Here is one gift that is always a hit. This scroll contains the person’s first name and its meaning along with famous people with that name. The background of the scroll is a painting of animals, flowers or a crest. There is a golden crown, a crest, a seal, and a colorful border. This treasured gift is ready for framing.

I hope that this quick peek at some gift ideas inspired you. Irresistible Christmas gifts for your favorite 19-year-old are fun to look for. In the meantime, stay warm and have yourself a wonderful Christmas.

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