Cufflinks

I've always wondered how it came to be that the English close their shirt cuffs with cufflinks while the Italians and most of the Americans use buttons.

Curiosity aside, I like the informality of buttons with odd jackets and weekend suits and the dressed-up look of cufflinks with a city suit. The only knock on links is that they cost more than shirt buttons, but that shouldn't be too much of an obstacle. One good pair is all that's required for every day wear. After all, no-one notices if we wear white plastic buttons on our shirt cuffs every day.

If a man has but one pair, I think it should be gold and double-sided, with the two sides joined by a small chain. I've seen antique 14kt machine-turned versions on eBay for about $100 a pair. Of course, when money is no object, a pair that's hand engraved with your initials and family crest, like the links from the English jeweler Armour Winston in the photo, can be had for a considerably larger sum.

Another reason some men have avoided double-sided links is because they are perceived as more dificult to don than either buttons or the modern type of single sided link with a swivel on the other side. That's not true, of course. Links go into the cuffs before a man dons his shirt. The opening of a linked cuff is just large enough for a hand. Nothing could be simpler.

Wrist Watch Parricide

Parricide is the killing of a close relative, which is what we're seeing the cell phone do to the wrist watch these days.

It's interesting that when the watch was new it was considered impolite to carry one in social situations, let alone refer to it. At dinner parties, checking the time was an insult to one's hostess.

Today, it's equally offensive to carry an active cell phone to a dinner party and worse to use one. The distraction of the ring, or the call, is the offense of the newer generation. I'm not aware that anyone has ever done a survey to establish whether the men talking on their phones at a party had fathers who were known for checking their watches while the coffee was being served, but I'll bet there's a correlation.

The wrist watch is definitely dying (as is the camera, but we don't wear cameras). Unit sales have been declining 5-10% annually, principally at the low end, where the cell has its biggest impact, for a couple of years. Why spend money on a watch when you already have the time available from multiple sources? The only justifications are as a fashion statement or as jewelry.

High quality pocket watches have not been worn by the average man for more than fifty years but there is still a market for beautifully made mechanical versions. The same will continue to be true for high quality wrist watches, like the pictured post-War Patek Philippe World Time, for the forseeable future. But the end is in sight.

Maintenance: Jewelry Care

Men don't keep much jewelry any more. Wedding rings are about it for most. The cell phone has superceded the metal wristwatch. Few men wear cufflinks, fewer wear tie bars or tacks, and fewer still need dress sets for black tie.

That said, I'm a cufflink man, and cufflinks like the pictured gold knots require care so as not to lose their lustre. Jewelry (or, as the English spell it, jewellery) should be stored in the original box or separated in the lined compartment of a jewelry box so it is less likely to get scratched.

To maintain the original condition of any precious metal, polish it with a high quality non-abrasive cloth. Cloths specific to gold and to silver can be purchased at most jewelers. Take care not to be too forceful and damage the surface.

Silver and gold can also be cleaned in water by ultrasound. Inexpensive household ultrasonic cleaners consist of a metal-lined tank containing a removable plastic basket. Put the jewelry in the basket, add water and turn on the unit for a few minutes. Dry it afterwards with a soft cloth, not tissue or paper towels.

For travel, I wear one watch and my pack cuff links in individual lined velvet pouches in my checked luggage. Checked luggage is exposed to theft, but I think it's safer than placing my links in a bin and sending them through the metal detector in full view of a hundred strangers.

Of course, so few men wear jewelry any more that none of them might care.