Style Up Your Sleeves

Oftentimes, markers of true luxury and style are minute. Unflashy and quiet, they pass before the eyes in a flash as if they wouldn’t care if you missed out on them because they are so fully aware (without really saying anything about it) that the loss would be, well, entirely yours. But if they catch your attention, they will hold it for long, and elevate its owner or carrier to the rank true sophistication. One such item, it can be argued, is a pair of sleek, stylish cufflinks. 

This may perhaps be making too grand a case for cufflinks, yet what other men’s jewellery item can be as luxurious and subtly charming as premium cufflinks by brands such as Montblanc and Deakin and Francis?

Montblanc, quite well known for luxury items such as timepieces and premium writing instruments, offers a host of cufflinks in all kinds of shapes, sizes, styles and materials, carved in designs that are aesthetically appealing and classy. Its latest limited edition collection, for instance, take inspiration from one of the greatest military commanders of ancient history, Hannibal Barca and commemorates his crossing of the Alps in 218 BC with his elephants. These cufflinks are created into a faceted white gold elephant heads and have rubies for their eyes.

Says Franck Juhel, president, Montblanc Middle East, India and Africa, “Cufflinks are the pinnacle of style and personalisation — the finishing touch to any distinguished look. Their addition to an outfit is oftentimes as ornamental as it is functional, making them a luxurious, stylish part of men’s fashion.” Made in different sorts of materials from resin and leather to stainless steel and red gold, cufflinks by Montblanc are carved using the most advanced technology such as ultraviolet laser and priced in the range of Rs.30,000 to Rs.40,000.

For those whose taste is quirky, fun and laidback but also leans towards the luxurious, there’s cufflinks by Deakin and Francis for you. Its Walking Tortoise cufflinks in particular evokes the sort of laidback, gentle and understated ease that a man of opulence and good taste wants to exude. Quirkily sculpted, these premium cufflinks are carved with wiggling turtle legs, sapphire set eyes and an intricate, hand-enamelled shiny brown shell. Priced at about Rs.28,000, it is crafted of sterling silver. “From initial design, the cufflinks are worked on by our skilled team of craftsmen — from the skilled enamelling, polishing and precise mounting, to the careful handling of the piece as it is beautifully presented and made ready for delivery,” says Sally Warrillow, brand & marketing manager, Deakin and Francis.

But is India a feasible and docile market for men’s luxury accessories, such as cufflinks? Juhel paints a favourable picture, “The luxury market is strong in India right now, this is evident through our large and discerning clientele base. We have opened eight Montblanc boutiques across the region in the last two years and we see no major differences — our best sellers in London and Hamburg are also selling in Mumbai or New Delhi.” What more can one wish when understated charm and style is called for?