I just received a fax order for a pair of cufflinks I’ve had on my
website for, um, a really, really long time. I found them amidst my
stock and immediately decided that I don’t like the way they’re
assembled (made before I could solder at all, they’re sterling
charms with a loop on the back attached to a commercial hinged
sterling cufflink finding by a split ring). Too floppy and poorly
made.
So… I want to solder findings right to the backs to make them
one-piece, with no hinge. I have the findings here, but what I don’t
know is which way to make the charms face when the cufflinks are
worn. The charms are small greyhound charms (what else?) and while
their basic shape is rectangular, they would hold the cuff closed in
either direction. The backs however, will only work when they cross
the buttonholes. So the charm must be soldered on facing in the
direction it will always be worn.
It seems to me that the dogs should face horizontally around the
sleeve cuff. But DH (who wears shirts with cufflinks when he sings in
choir concerts) says the dogs should go with the sleeve length so the
dogs are running in the same plane as the arm of the wearer of the
shirt.
I looked online for over an hour and couldn’t find an answer. Even
sites that sold cufflinks were no help. IS there a correct
orientation for asymmetrically shaped cufflinks?
Here’s a picture of the dog charms in question so you know what I’m
babbling about.
The fronts of the cufflinks should sit perpendicular to the
buttonhole. With a one-piece finding, this will be the same
orientation as the oval pad on the back side. The front should be
oriented correctly when one is shaking hands.
If you have trouble positioning the finding on the back you may want
to solder on a small backing plate to give it a landing area.
I vote with DH. Have them running along the arm. I don’t think
people would understand the ‘around’ orientation. (Or, I do a couple
of pairs of cufflinks a year, and rig them so that the design is
’rightside up’ when the arm is out parallel to the floor.) I don’t
think there’s any ‘official’ rule about this or anything though.
Kathy, no doubt you’ll get many hits on this. Usually and normally,
your dogs should face the hand or the shoulder, which is up to the
wearer. (It’s been said that those who wear a directional piece
towards themselves are introverts, and towards the world are
extroverts, BTW - whether it’s true or not…). Think about it - if
the are oriented front and back, they are looking forward when the
arm is down, covered by a jacket. The should be “right side up” when
one is eating at a dinner table, or whatever. That puts the arm
parallel to the table top, and the cuff link parallel to the arm.
Beautiful work, there. Just enough detail, and very well
proportioned. The overall shape is close enough to rounded that you
could orient the dogs any way you want without worrying about
unpleasant snagging or poking.
I don’t know anything about the One True Way, but my vote would be
to expect the wearer to align the dogs’ backs with his arms.
Personally, I would want to wear them with the dogs running toward my
hand, with their feet away from my arm. I can’t give you reasoning
for this, other than it just seems right to me.
Have you considered just asking the customer what (s)he wants?
I always thought that when a man’s forearm (elbow to wrist) is on the
table or desk, the person sitting across from or next to him should
be able to “read” the cuff link properly.