Vintage Button Cufflinks by Abi Insoll - Ideal for Father's Day

Abi Insoll makes bespoke jewellery. Some may recall that she made me some foxy cuff links for my daughter's wedding last year. She has now produced a collection of cufflinks made from vintage buttons - ideal gifts for Fathers' Day. I visited her recently at her studio on Eel Pie Island to see what she's made.

Abi reflects on her studio

The Eel Pie Island boatyard that houses Abi's studio

The buttons are in limited supply and only around three pairs of each pattern are produced - so these aren't a mass-produced product. They are mounted in sterling silver and have fixed bars for durability. The buttons are either glass or metal and from 13m to 19mm in diameter. Prices vary from £140 to £160.

I've shown a selection of what's available below. Abi can make bespoke cuff links from a client's own vintage buttons or to other designs. Please visit Abi Insoll's website for more information and to buy.

Best of British: Jessica de Lotz Jewellery

Jessica de Lotz was born into a large artistic family and this, fired by a love of collecting intriguing objects, has inspired her jewellery. Her studio in East London is a treasure trove of  objets trouvés. each of which, steeped in memories, has a story to tell. And these stories are revived in her jewellery, for men and women; charms, brooches, earrings, bracelets, cufflinks; all romantic, historical and full of personality and many based on her signature wax seal design. 

Jessica's work has been much recognised, won awards and appeared in countless magazines, including GQ, which commissioned a pair of cuffinks. To find out  more, or to buy, see Jessica de Lotz.

H&B London cufflinks - how they are beautifully made in England

H&B London was started by Stephen Brister whose vision is to create in the UK luxury products for men. When I met Stephen recently it was clear that he is passionate about the skills and care needed to create a high quality product. He showed me some of his leather goods and silver cuff links and it was clear that he understands the design and manufacturing process intimately. Like many, he likes to make in the UK so that he can retain close control of the manufacturing process. 

Stephen's cuff links combine designs that are classic yet modern and are different enough to demand serious consideration when cuff links are so often very derivative in design.

I asked Stephen to tell me how his cuff links and wallets are made. These topics will be covered in two posts over the next couple of weeks, starting here with cuff links. To find out more, or to order H&B's products, visit H&B's website here.

How We Make Our Cufflinks by Stephen Brister of H&B London

Each design starts life as a pencil sketch. A rough model is then made from clay to give a clearer idea of how the piece will look. Once all the dimensions have been finalised a 3D computer model is created.

Computer 3D model

A physical model is then printed using the latest 3D printing technology and employed to create a metal master. A mould is formed from the metal master by surrounding it with vulcanized rubber and placing it in a kiln. Once cooled, the mould is cut open and the master removed. It is then resealed and injected with hot wax to create perfect copies.

Cutting the Mould

The waxes are then attached to a central stem, a process called spruing or treeing up. The tree is placed in to a cylindrical flask and filled with a paste called investment mixture. The flasks are placed in to a kiln and left until the mould has set properly and the wax has drained away.

Treeing up

Once the wax has drained away the flask is placed under a crucible. Pellets of Sterling Silver are added to the white hot crucible where they are melted at a carefully calibrated temperature. The molten silver is then injected in to the flask below, where it is left to cool down.

Pouring raw metal into the crucible

Once the flask has cooled, the metal tree is removed and each piece is detached and individually finished.

Filing the item at the bench

This involves filing and sanding each cufflink to remove cast marks and any remnants of the tree.

Sanding the item at the bench

Once the piece has been finished, the back must be soldered in place by hand.

Soldering the back into position

Each cufflink is then polished before being given its signature brushed finish by hand.

Polishing

Finally, each pair is placed in an H&B London gift box before being given to the customer.

Cufflinks in Gift Box

Photo Grey Fox

Cufflinks from The Justified Sinner

I came across these cuff links on Twitter and was so impressed I contacted the jeweller, Dauvit Alexander of The Justified Sinner and asked if I could feature them on Grey Fox.

They're made from old corroded nuts, washers, coins, clay and other objets trouvés. A bit different, they bring character and colour to a formal shirt. See The Justified Sinner for more information.

Duchamp cufflinks - British craftsmanship at its best - video

Over the weekend I heard from photographer & style blogger, Jonathan Daniel Pryce, who had just returned from Kent, where he had gone to meet Duchamp London's cufflink craftsman. 

Although I know that they use British products where they can, I was surprised and delighted to hear that Duchamp's cufflinks are made in the UK. We tend to assume that such pieces are imported for all but the very exclusive end of the market.

Jonathan kindly sent me photos of his visit, during which he watched Duchamp's jeweller create each piece by hand in his small studio. He photographed the process from beginning to end and spoke to the craftsman, capturing the interview on video (below). 

The Cufflink Artisan from Duchamp London on Vimeo.

Here are some of Jonathan's images and the finished products. See Duchamp's website here for more information about these lovely British-made pieces.

I've talked about Duchamp before here on the blog. Their classic, with a colourful twist, designs are ideal for the man looking for something different. The quality of the cut and fabrics is very high.

All photos Jonathan Daniel Pryce/Duchamp

 

Well & Truly - well and truly British style

At Best of Britannia last month I met a new business marketing a range of products ideal for the man of style (overseen by Basil Brush - Google him if you don't know). Well & Truly are proud of their British roots, with their products handmade in this country. Their pocket squares, scarves and cuff links have partly, but not exclusively, a sporting and slightly humorous theme. I love this sort of product and wish them well.

See more information on their website here [link broken 2016 - I assume W&T no more].

Harris Tweed cufflinks

It seems possible to buy almost anything made out of my favourite cloth, Harris Tweed, but I didn't expect to find cufflinks.  Here they are, bought on eBay from a seller in the Outer Hebrides (seller - ma1r1).

Grey Fox photo

I bought them with a matching tweed scarf, and could swear that I got a scent of peat fires as I opened the well-sealed package.