Custom Cufflinks, Handmade Design Cuff Links Liliesatelier

By Author: Brooks Richmond
Total Articles: 89
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The giftware market is still developing with new ideas for personalised gifts such as cufflinks becoming more mainstream. The original cufflink personalisation method was the simple initial cufflink which has a persons forename initial engraved onto the cufflink face. These are available off the shelf because the retailer only has to stock the twenty six letters of the alphabet. This was developed further when suppliers started to offer the forename initial on the left cufflink and the surname initial on the right cufflink. The advent of the automatic engraving machine opened up the possibility of offering a true personalisation service to the customer at a reasonable cost. This usually took the form of engraving the full set of initials onto both cufflinks. For instance, if the clients name was John Michael Smith then the initials JMS would be engraved onto the cufflink face, making the cufflinks truly original and personalised.

Engraved cufflinks are still a large part of the personalised cufflink trade but they are generally restricted to sterling silver of 9ct gold cufflinks. The development of laser engraving opened ...
... up the possibilities even further. This allowed images to be engraved onto the cufflinks or the cufflink box. The development of this manufacturing method is still in its early stages and is generally restricted to larger items such as personalised tankards or cigarette lighters etc. The modern inkjet and laser printer have opened up some marvellous design opportunities that could only have been dreamt of some years ago. The addition of colour to cufflink designs was restricted to enamelling methods which although fine for small batch production quantities was problematical for one off quantities because of the high set up charges. Consequently personalised cufflinks using enamelling methods are prohibitively expensive and therefore quite rare except for simple initial cufflinks. Inkjet or laser printing however allows the full gamut of colours to be used and even photographic images can be inserted into the cufflink design. The design is domed with a clear resin which protects the picture and gives a high quality finish. When resin doming was in its infancy there were some quality issues especially with ultra violet light which can cause yellowing and crazing with age. This quality problem was overcome with the addition of additives which are highly effective at combating these quality issues but they brought their own problems. The consequence of the addition of additives was to increase the anhydrous nature of the resin. This means it absorbed moisture from the atmosphere which would gas off when the resin started to cure and small gas bubbles would appear in the resin which ruined the perceived quality of the cufflinks.

Custom Cufflinks
Custom Cufflinks