If Arthur Bolotovsky had his way and could influence what happens for jewelry in the New Year, cufflinks would become a bigger trend in 2024 and grace the shirtsleeves of both celebrities and everyday gentlemen on a regular basis.
Bolotovsky is the managing director for Illicium London, a British brand that specializes in men’s jewelry and accessories. So while he may be a bit biased, Bolotovsky says the timing is right for cufflinks to have a moment.
“Gold and silver cufflinks have been a timeless men’s accessory over the decades and still prove to be going well,” Bolotovsky says. “Along with traditional materials, alternatives such as wood, natural stones, and precious metals such as platinum are likely to be a rising trend in 2024.”
The cufflink market had a growth rate of about 5.4% over the past 12 months, according to reports, and is estimated to increase by $1.514 billion by 2027, Bolotovsky notes.
“Many influential trendsetting individuals like celebrities and politicians prefer to wear cufflinks on important occasions,” Bolotovsky says. “This has evolved into an expression of personality and style. And it’s a key reason as to why cufflinks can be a classic trend in 2024.”
Bolotovsky researched the rich history of cufflinks, and he says these small accessories have had a big impact on men’s fashion since their creation in the 1600s. Cufflinks at the start were more functional, used to fasten shirt cuffs, Bolotovsky says. By the 18th century, men started thinking about their clothing for more than just practicality and cufflinks evolved as a symbol of style and sophistication, he says.
Mass production made cufflinks accessible to more men by the late 1800s, Bolotovsky says. However, buttons became a less expensive—and more convenient—alternative for fastening shirt cuffs. Literary mentions of cufflinks, like in Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo, helped bring the links back in fashion, where they have remained.
Bolotovsky says he hopes cufflinks will gain greater attention in 2024 because jewelers including Illicium and David Gotlib have made unique offerings available for men and women. They allow you to express your personal style, he says, whether you want to be bold with big colors and gemstones or go more refined with an elegant gold or platinum cufflink.
He points to the Omi Privé’s cat’s-eye alexandrite cufflinks that won a 2023 JCK Jewelers’ Choice Award as a prime example of how jewelry brands are adding flair to cufflinks—with blue oval center stones, round diamonds, and black rhodium platinum, the $30,000 pair is unforgettable, Bolotovsky says.
With style icons like soccer star David Beckham and actor Ryan Gosling wearing cufflinks, more people will see them as an easy way to upgrade any outfit from fine to fabulous, Bolotovsky adds. So don’t save your cufflinks for just special occasions, he says—wear them whenever and everywhere.
Top: Illicium London’s Modern Art cufflinks ($39.03) give wearers a bold look with contrasting colors of blue, red, and yellow over silver. (Photos courtesy of Illicium London)
Follow me on Instagram and Twitter
Follow JCK on Instagram: @jckmagazineFollow JCK on Twitter: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Facebook: @jckmagazine
