Meet A Designer Behind Legendary Tiffany Cufflinks

Cufflinks

Holiday gift shopping season is in full swing and today we take a closer look at one of the most sophisticated and stylish gifts for a man of every age on your list--cufflinks. Cufflinks range from daily-casual to black-tie-appropriate, depending on the material they are made of, stones settings, and of course craftsmanship. This classic accessory can add a subtle note of refinement and style to anyone’s wardrobe. Many fashion houses create their own versions of cufflinks. Let’s take a look at Tiffany’s cufflinks as these represent examples of some of the best cufflinks designs ever created in the U.S.  

PALOMA PICASSO CUFFLINKS DESIGNS FOR TIFFANY

Tiffany & Co. Paloma Picasso Cufflinks Paloma Picasso is a daughter of a famous French painter, costume designer, and author Françoise Gilot and cubism founder Pablo Picasso. Paloma’s collaboration with Tiffany goes back to 1980, and over the past almost four decades she has introduced several critically acclaimed collections based on her personal life experiences, preferences, and believes. For example, out of her well known love of Morocco, Marrakesh collection was born; seven years ago she debuted her Venezia collection, which celebrates the city of Venice and its motifs; her famous Graffiti collection included Picasso's signature design and cufflinks in the shape of the universal symbol for love and kisses.  

SOPHISTICATED AND URBAN STERLING SILVER CUFFLINKS

Tiffany & Co. Sapphire Gold Cufflinks For the most part Paloma’s jewelry designs for Tiffany are made of sterling silver and include sterling silver cufflinks with carbon fiber. Most people know her for what is often described as “complete obsessions with red color” due to her being seen wearing red lipstick more often than not. But her notable work with silver as a primary material certainly adds diversity to that color palette. In fact, her wedding ceremony (with her first husband playwright and director Rafael Lopez-Sanchez) was entirely black and white themed. Tiffany & Co. Cufflinks If there has been an abundance of opinions as to what her favorite colors are, most preferred materials, design styles and such, there is one thing everyone in the fine jewelry world shares about Paloma--she is a pleasure to work with. The designer is bold, creative, yet humble and values humility as one of the most important human character’s trait. She often admitted she believes one should never stop improving him or herself, the work one does, or the things one creates.  

JEWELRY MAKING ARTIST VS ARTISTICALLY DESIGNING JEWELRY

Tiffany & Co. Diamond Mother of Pearl Enamel Gold Cufflinks Before designing her earrings, necklaces, bracelets and cufflinks for Tiffany, Paloma Picasso worked with one of the most iconic and synonymous to elegancy brands--Yves Saint Laurent. However, while designing jewelry pieces for haute-couture, Paloma seems to have never put her “artistic expression” over consumers feelings and wishes. Her commercial success is often attributed to her famously describing herself as “artistic” rather than artist, meaning she always has a person who will be wearing her designs as a top priority, rather than creating a piece of “wearable art”. Maybe that down-to-people approach was something John Loring, who was Tiffany’s Director of Design for thirty years, saw in Paloma when they first met in Venice. Tiffany & Co. Schlumberger Enamel Cufflinks  Tiffany’s chairman and principal owner, Walter Hoving famously gave John Loring a clear direction to “lead Tiffany design into the 21st century.” John didn’t waste his time and just a year after being appointed as Tiffany’s Director of Design, Loring made the brave move and appointed Paloma Picasso as Tiffany’s next named designer. She was only 30 years old at the time. At Tiffany & Co. the young designer had access to a huge variety of gemstones, and she created jewels that used large stones and bold mountings. Her designs from that early Tiffany’s period, now considered vintage, are still in high demand, partially because of their craftsmanship and partially because of their now rarity. Tiffany & Co. Sapphire Cufflinks & Studs