Asprey Diamond And Lapis Lazuli Cufflink

Favored for over two centuries by European royalty, movie stars, rock music legends and England’s elite, Asprey International Limited’s reputation for creating elegant, high-quality furniture, jewelry and decorative objects is without equal. The storied manufacturer’s motto — “It can be done” — exemplifies their approach to design, which has proven over time to be both dynamic and enduring. To this day, Asprey International Limited remains a go-to purveyor of luxury goods and bespoke design services.

The roots of Asprey International Limited can be traced all the way back to 1781 when it was founded by William Asprey in Mitcham, Surrey. The business moved to its revered modern location, 166 Bond Street, in 1847. The company’s highly accurate regulator clock, once displayed in the window of their flagship, became a frequent stop for Londoners wishing to reset their watches.

Asprey first gained renown for its manufacture of exquisitely engineered dressing cases, which were compact pieces of luggage that travelers would use to tote their cosmetics and toiletries. At the International Exhibition of 1862, the company received a gold medal for its excellent dressing-case designs and also earned a Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria for their manufacture. Upon his ascension to the throne, King Edward II introduced incredibly formal Buckingham Palace court presentations, balls and soirées, resulting in a huge demand for diamond jewels starting with his coronation in 1902. The court jewelers Asprey, Garrard, Carrington and the newly opened London branch of Cartier were all overwhelmed with orders for sumptuous diamond jewelry to be worn at the king’s elaborate coronation. Currently, Asprey International Limited holds a Royal Warrant from His Royal Majesty Charles, Prince of Wales, for jewelry and silver.

Asprey continued to build its reputation for the production of luxury goods including tableware and silverplate pieces throughout the Victorian period and into the early 20th century. Especially known for its designs of the 1920s and ‘30s, Asprey International Limited considers the Art Deco period to have been its golden age. Their designers embraced the spirited originality of the period with open arms, and Asprey enjoyed a time of intense creativity and debuted a wealth of iconic creations throughout the mid-century modern period, too.

Asprey artisans have designed bespoke pieces for such notable celebrities as British musician Ringo Starr and American actress Angelina Jolie. They have also designed made-to-order accessories for Hollywood movies, most notably the Edwardian-style “Coeur de la Mer,” which was a piece of costume jewelry from James Cameron’s 1997 hit, Titanic. The company’s recreation of the piece — this time designed with actual gems sourced from Sri Lanka — fetched more than $2 million at a fundraiser held in Princess Diana’s honor in 1998. Asprey previously acted as the official jewelry designer for the BAFTA awards and collaborated with Ferrari’s Formula 1 team during the late 1990s.

Asprey International Limited has received many awards and recognitions for its timeless designs. Most notably, it was awarded the Queen's Award to Industry in 1975. The London College of Arms bestowed upon the brand a new official coat of arms in 2006 to mark its esteemed 225-year-long legacy of excellence.

On 1stDibs, find antique Asprey International Limited decorative objects, lighting, serveware and silver and jewelry.

Cufflinks rose to popularity during the 1800s as fashionable men sought a refined and elegant solution for keeping their shirtsleeves together. Prior to this accessory, which initially materialized as a simple chain fastened to a button, men were lacing the ends of their sleeves with ribbon or string. Today, there are all manner of antique and vintage cufflinks that add flair and functionality to relaxed casual wear as much as they do for classy formal attire.

It wasn’t long before diamonds, emeralds and other precious gemstones began to appear on cufflinks, a means of adding ornament to clean and starched formal wear. When clothing manufacturers began to produce shirt cuffs and collars with more durable materials during the 19th century, a class of newer, stronger cufflinks gained credibility as being both essential and stylish. In the decades following this era’s design evolution, an entire industry bloomed around the craft of these subtle statement pieces.

Luxury brands more often associated with engagement rings and bracelets, such as Cartier and Tiffany & Co., have added cufflinks to their lines over the years, and jewelry designers, working in numerous styles, have explored the use of different materials and integrated a variety of ornamentation. Understated cufflinks of gold and platinum are guaranteed to cleanly complement any ensemble, while more niche designs allow the jewels to truly shine.

Cufflinks are practical pieces of jewelry that can also be very expressive. Consider the event for which you’re donning cufflinks and accessorize accordingly, but know that a distinctive pair of cufflinks, such as the colorful confections offered by Trianon, can pop against your dressy evening wear. Whether they’re geometric wonders of the Art Deco era, reliably relevant skull jewels or glittering accessories designed by Van Cleef & Arpels, adorned with the maison’s celebrated four-leaf clover or prominent animal motifs, you can delicately break from what can be a stuffy business meeting by introducing personality and pizzazz with a duo of nifty cufflinks.

A carefully chosen set of cufflinks can bring a stylish outfit together — literally. Find a large, luxurious collection of contemporary cufflinks as well as irresistible vintage pieces on 1stDibs today.