Cufflinks, Watches and Gentlemen’s accessories

As collectable items, cufflinks have the advantage of being practical whilst aesthetic and accessible to almost every budget. They make great presents and are extremely easy to store. This latter is not an entirely facetious detail; an Australian collector, when asked ‘Why cufflinks? ‘, commented wryly ‘Well, I used to collect old farm machinery, but I ran out of warehouses’.

A pair of 18ct white gold and sapphire cufflinks, Sold for £550

It would be easy to imagine that cufflinks originated with the Victorians and hit their heyday with the Edwardians and during the Jazz Age. In fact, cufflinks have been worn since the 17^th century. A pair of Stuart crystal cufflinks with interlocking C’s were made to commemorate the marriage of Charles II to Catherine of Braganza, and several commemorative pairs from the period still exist. Thus proving, that the passion for Royal memorabilia did not start with a mug and a tea towel!

A pair of yellow metal, diamond and cats eye chrysoberyl cufflinks, Sold for £280

In the flamboyant and multifaceted world of jewellery, gentlemen’s accessories like cufflinks, dress-sets and perhaps even pockets watches can easily be over-looked. This is not helped by the fact they so often dwell in a down-at-heel stud box or the dark recesses of the sock drawer! In the more casual work environment where ties are often discarded it may be counter-intuitive to learn that the popularity of cufflinks remains as solid as ever. I dare say that during lockdown there may well have been double-cuffed shirts with cufflinks above desk height with shorts or joggers below.

A pair of Edwardian gold and mother of pearl cufflinks, Sold for £170

Gold prices remain high and whilst the increased price of gold may not directly affect some lady’s gem-set jewellery, this is not the case with gentlemen’s accessories where the gold content is usually significant. Clients are often surprised to learn that although the price of the pocket watch they have inherited may have remained relatively stable, the accompanying watch chain has greatly increased in value over the last year or two.

A Waltham 9ct yellow gold pocket watch, Sold for £380

It is not surprising that cufflinks by high end manufacturers such as Cartier, Boucheron, Van Clef and Arpels and Tiffany sell well. Less obvious perhaps are the impressive results achieved even when the materials involved do not have a significant intrinsic value. Lalique glass cufflinks perhaps, rock crystal, enamel in both silver and gold, jade, onyx, and agate – all are likely to be saleable at auction.

August Hollming - A pair of rose gold, diamond and blue enamel cufflinks, Sold for £3,200

Perhaps counter-intuitively in our fast-moving, high-tech world, the demand for wristwatches, especially amongst a younger cohort, is also flourishing. For example, a 1970’s gold wristwatch, even by a lesser-known maker, which might have sold for little over its gold weight a few years ago, could be worth much more than you might imagine in today’s market. There are a variety of collectors, dealers and influencers gaining the attention of younger audiences and numerous watches forums extolling the attractions of pieces ranging from staples of the luxury watch world, like the Patek Phillipe Nautilus to far more obscure or newer brands.

A fine and rare Patek Phillipe Nautilus, Sold for £38,000

The team of experts at Dawsons are always happy to provide a free verbal appraisal and auction valuation; regularly consigning an array of wonderful items to our monthly dedicated jewellery, watches and silver sale. We can also provide insurance valuations, where required.

Please do get in touch, should you have jewellery, watches, or indeed silver that you are keen to have valued. We would love to hear from you.

0207 431 9445 / info@DawsonsAuctions.co.uk