Catalog: Estate Jewelry: Cufflinks and Accessories: Gold (429)

Very handsome 18K yellow gold and steel cable cufflinks by one of the most important high-end contemporary jewelry designers, Philippe Charriol. Charriol rose to prominence working for Cartier before starting his own boutique in 1983. The “Celtic” line was Charriol’s first design, and the he updates it every few years. These cufflinks are a newer variation of the original “Celtic” design (the front faces of the original design had two steel cables separated by a gold bar, while this pair has one cable flanked on either side by a gold bar). The toggle backs allow the cufflinks to be inserted and worn comfortably. The connectors are stamped with Charriol’s hallmark and are marked “750” for 18K.

Origin: Switzerland, ca 2000. Condition: excellent. Size: front faces, 3/4" x 5/16”. Weight: 10.6 grams.

A rare pair of mid-century haute couture cufflinks by Pierre Cardin. Each face comprises a carved jadeite bead simply mounted on a gold post. The backs are slightly arched gold bars. The jadeite beads are carved in a floral pattern and are done so in a way that they are carved completely through from one side to another. It’s likely that the cufflinks were constructed from an antique strand of jadeite beads. The jade has noticeable mottling in natural, strongly saturated shades of dark, medium and light green. The translucency is fair. Magnification and absorption spectra show no signs of dye. The connectors are signed “Pierre Cardin†and are fully hallmarked with French 18K marks. Pierre Cardin designed a very limited line of fine jewels in the 1950s and 60s. They were sold only at the couturier’s main store and are quite difficult to find now. Origin: Paris, ca. 1960. Condition: excellent, all original, no cracks or chips. Size: 1/2†diameter. Weight: 10.4 grams.

A very good pair of 18K yellow gold cufflinks by Alfred Dunhill. The faces resemble branches of coral. Dunhill produces the vast majority of its cufflinks in sterling silver and the 18K gold versions are very rare. The coral design, in general, is hard to find because it was made for only a short time around 2005. The cufflinks are constructed with the connector set off-center, so the link lies flat against the cuff. The toggle back is Dunhill’s classic small toggle with the company’s insignia. The connectors are fully stamped with English convention hallmarks for 18K and with the maker’s mark for Dunhill.

Origin: England, ca. 2005. Condition: excellent. Size: 1-1/4” x 3/4". Weight: 17.6 grams.

A handsome pair of Victorian 14K yellow gold double-sided cufflinks, the faces set with cabochon agates. The variety of agate is called “landscape agate” because the colors and markings resemble painted landscapes. These particular stones suggest colorful sunsets behind wooded landscapes. The bezel settings are finished with fine millegraining. The connectors are marked 14K and have an unknown American maker’s mark.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent. Size: 5/8” x 9/16”. Weight: 10.4 grams.

A fascinating pair of 14K yellow gold cufflinks set with emeralds. This is only the second pair we've seen with this particular type of mechanism. The "wheat-style" chain is inserted through the cuff and then wrapped around the emerald-set head. It works much like the more traditional stirrup-style, but with more flexibility. Each head is set with a pair of rectangular emeralds. As is typical of the Retro period when trade was restricted by World War II, the emeralds are synthetic. The stones have beautiful, deeply-saturated color. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1940. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: head, 3/8 x 1/8 inch. Weight: 10.2 grams.

A fine pair of 14K yellow gold cufflinks, the faces shaped as a convex curve of gold flanked on either side by square cut natural rubies. The superbly-matched rubies have excellent color and clarity, with no indications of heat or other treatment. The nature of the microscopic inclusions suggests Burma as the region of origin. We have seen a duplicate pair of these cufflinks, except set with sapphires, that were signed "Cartier NY". Cartier's New York store retailed jewelry made by various manufacturers such as Larter and Krementz. Sometimes they were marked with Cartier's retailer mark and sometimes not. Stamped "14K".

Origin: America, ca. 1940. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: 17/32" x 3/4". Weight: 9.0 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 1.92 cts.

A terrific pair of 14K yellow gold cufflinks, each fashioned as a pair of ridged spheres topped with round sapphires. The gemstones have a nice medium-light violet-blue color that contrasts nicely with the gold. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1940. Condition: excellent. Size: 3/4" x 7/16". Weight: 6.4 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: .392 carat.

A handsome pair of 14K yellow gold cufflinks in a classic barbell design. The larger front faces are star-set with small natural rubies. The stones have intense color that shows nicely against the gold. The connectors are marked "14K."

Origin: America, ca. 1930. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: 1-3/16" long; larger faces, 1/2" diameter. Weight: 9.8 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: .25 ct.

A terrific pair of Retro 14K yellow gold cufflinks, the round faces set with large round cabochons of amethyst. The stones have very good, deep purple coloring. The faces are joined by hinged connectors to rectangular backs enhanced with stippling and rose gold banding. The connectors are marked “585” for 14K. The style of connector suggests that the cufflinks are Scandinavian in origin.

Ca. 1940. Condition: excellent. Size: faces, 3/4” diameter. Weight: 14.9 grams. Approximate Gemstone Weight: 9.7 carats.

A nice, heavy pair of 14K gold cufflinks, the faces constructed as ornately interlocking square knots worked in both yellow and rose gold. The baton backs repeat the color theme. The cufflinks are marked “14K”.

Origin: America, ca. 1935. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: front faces, 1/2” x 9/16”. Weight: 12.6 gr.

A very nice pair of Retro 18K yellow gold cufflinks in the stirrup (“etrier”) popularized by Cartier. During the war years, even the most exclusive European jewelers frequently used synthetic rubies and sapphires because natural material simply wasn’t available. The square cut stones are channel set along the sides of the cufflinks, and a single stone is collet-set at either end of the closing mechanism. When being worn, the band of rubies goes fully around the outsides of the shirt cuff. The cufflinks are stamped with French 18K gold hallmarks.

Origin: France, ca. 1940. Condition: excellent. Size: 1-1/16” x 11/16”. Weight: 10.2 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 2.52 cts.

A handsome pair of 18K yellow gold cufflinks by Tiffany & Co. set with square cut sapphires. The cufflinks are fashioned in a sort of modified belt buckle motif. The sapphires have very good uniform color and show no indication of heat treatment. The backs are stamped Tiffany & Co. and also have the manufacturing jeweler’s mark for Larter.

• Origin: America, ca. 1940
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 9/16” x 11/16”
• Weight: 13.2 grams
• Approximate Total Sapphire Weight: 1.0 carat

A beautiful pair of handmade cufflinks by one of Italy’s most luxurious men’s jewelry, Riccardo Zannetti. Oval cabochons of pink tourmaline, green tourmaline and aquamarine are simply fitted into bezel settings. The faces are hinged for ease of wear. Zannetti makes everything by hand and in very small quantities. Each cufflink bears appropriate Italian hallmarks and has the engraved “Zannetti” signature. This particular design is no longer available, but similar designs from his “Gems” collection currently retail for $2400.

Origin: Italy, ca. 2010. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: faces, 1/2" x 7/16”. Weight: 12.7 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: tourmaline, 5.28 cts; aquamarine, 1.54 cts.

An extremely rare pair of 22K yellow gold cufflinks designed by the famous surrealist painter Salvador Dali. Inspired by his hero, Louis XIV, Dali minted a limited number of his own gold coins in 1966. The artist called his gold coin the "Dali d'or" after the "Louis d'or" coins created for the French king. The coins were minted in four sizes and values, and Dali occasionally used them to pay debts he owed to friends.

In 1967, a year after creating the money, Dali collaborated with the luxury jeweler Piaget to create a line of jewelry incorporating the remaining coins. Dali d'or jewels are quite rare, but can be found as watches, pendants, earrings, brooches and cufflinks.

Like the royal coins, Dali's personal coins featured his likeness along with that of his wife, Gala, on the front. Their faces are surrounded by laurel leaves, fleurs-de-lys and eggs, the last element a recurring symbol of rebirth in Dali's works. The same motifs are repeated on the back, but without the faces and in an even more surrealistic design. Each coin is signed and dated by Dali and is incised with its edition number. The coins used for this pair of cufflinks are #1495 and #1499.

The toggle findings are worked in 18K gold and are signed "Piaget".

Origin: Spain and France, 1967. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Size: 1" diameter. Weight: 35.8 grams.

A stunning pair of 14K yellow gold cufflinks, the double faces set with bright red garnet cabochons. Unlike many garnet cufflinks, the stones have bright coloring without the brownish overtones that are typical of garnets. The backs are stamped 14K and are signed by Sansbury & Nellis.

Origin: America, ca. 1925. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 9/16" x 7/16". Weight: 7.4 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 9.2 cts.

A very fine pair of double-sided cufflinks by Seaman Schepps. Each of the faces is made from a single blue sapphire that has been tumbled rather than faceted, and then set in a framework of curling gold wirework. The setting is substantial, yet its delicacy allows the rich violet-blue color and internal characteristics of the sapphires to take center stage. Schepps was among the earliest of American jewelry designers to use cabochon and tumbled stones as primary gemstones. Even after 50 years, his colorful designs still seem completely contemporary. Each cufflinks is marked for 18K gold, is signed with Schepps’ hallmark and has the design serial number. These links originally retailed for $5,500.

Origin: America, ca. 2005. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: faces approximately, 5/8” x 1/2”. Weight: 12.6 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 34.0 carats.

A fine pair of mid-19th century 14K yellow gold double-faced cufflinks set with banded agate and gold-bearing quartz. The quartz is generously spotted with gold, showing only isolated areas of creamy white quartz, and the agate is nicely patterned with even bands of cream, brown and tan. Shreve & Co. was one of the first fine jewelers in San Francisco, capitalizing on the new wealth generated by the California Gold Rush. By the mid-1880’s, the store advertised its selection of jewelry made with gold bearing quartz, and it became a specialty. Today, gold quartz pieces—especially those marked by Shreve—are difficult to find. Each cufflink is signed “Shreve & Co. 14K”.

Origin: America, ca. 1885. Condition: excellent. Size: faces, 17/32” x 7/32”.

An extraordinarily fine pair of 18K yellow gold double-sided cufflinks, the oval faces pave-set with round blue sapphires and round brilliant diamonds. The gemstones are of extremely high quality. The diamonds are graded as E/F color, VVS1 clarity and the sapphires as vivid, pure blue. The sapphires are set in black gold to further intensify the color. Each cufflink is marked "750" for 18K and is signed "Apogée". We have been unable to find any reference to this mark, but the cufflinks came from a private collection that was mostly by Cartier Buccellati, Bulgari, etc. These cufflinks are clearly of equal quality.

Origin: Continental Europe, ca. 1980. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: larger faces, 9/16" x 13/16"; smaller faces, 7/16" x 9/16". Weight: 21.2 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: sapphire, 2.74 cts; diamond, 1.0 ct.