Twenty years of expertise in metal
Kai Zaunick founded this atelier in 2006. Every pair of personalised cufflinks is made to order in sterling silver 925, with 18-carat gold vermeil and solid 18-carat gold available on request. No serialised production. Each piece is the result of individual attention to the metal, the design, and the engraving that makes it specific to one person.
Twenty years at the atelier have produced a precise understanding of what translates cleanly at cufflink scale: which letterforms, which proportions, which details survive the reduction from drawing to metal. That understanding backs every commission.
Cited in the Wall Street Journal, GQ and Spiegel for the quality of engraving work and the rigour of the personalisation process. Bespoke personalisation is not a feature layered on top of the work. It is the work.
A pair of engraved cufflinks bearing initials, a date or a family crest becomes something kept and returned to: taken out again at anniversaries, at black-tie occasions, at the quiet moments when something that carries meaning is needed.
What can be engraved on personalised cufflinks
The engraving is cut in depth into the silver surface, not surface-marked: the difference between a design that holds its definition for decades and one that fades with wear. At 18mm, precision determines what survives. The range of what can be expressed in that space is broader than is often expected.
- Initials and monograms: one, two or three letters in block or script. Cufflinks with initials are the most frequently ordered personalisation.
- Dates: a wedding date, a graduation year, a significant anniversary or milestone.
- Symbols: anchors, musical notes, sporting motifs, professional emblems.
- Family crests: assessed and adapted to cufflink scale as part of the proof process.
- Corporate logos: engraved from supplied artwork after feasibility assessment.
Each cufflink in a pair can carry a different design. The most frequently requested combination for weddings: initials on one cufflink, the wedding date on the other.
Symbols, numerals and letters can all be engraved.
Engraving placement
On monogram cufflinks, the engraving occupies the face and becomes the piece itself: an initial in script or an interlaced monogram covers the surface, precise and permanent. There is no background design. The letter is the cufflink. Crests and original compositions fill the face in the same way.
On all other models in the catalogue, engraving is applied to the swivel bar: a surface the wearer sees when fastening the cuff, but that remains private to others. A date, an initial, a short inscription carried close without being shown.
The proof process
The proof process applies to custom commissions: family crests, corporate logos and original compositions. The proof shows how the design has been adapted to the engraving surface: lines adjusted, proportions revised, detail refined so the design reads cleanly in sterling silver. Nothing in this category proceeds to production without written confirmation.
Standard engravings (initials, dates and names on the swivel bar, and the full monogram range) do not require a proof. They are engraved directly from the order and dispatched within 5–7 working days.
When a design is too complex for the available surface, Kai will say so before confirming the order. That conversation is better held before production begins than after.
For weddings and the wedding party
Often ordered as a gift. The person who receives them keeps them for years, reaching for them at every occasion that calls for something that carries meaning.
Personalised cufflinks are the most frequently commissioned wedding piece at this atelier. Engraved with the groom's initials or the wedding date, they become a piece worn long after the occasion. For coordinated wedding party sets covering the groom, best man, ushers and both fathers, each pair carries its own specification. Preferential conditions apply to sets of three pairs or more.
See the wedding cufflinks section for coordinated sets and preferential conditions.
Most requested styles
Family crests and corporate artwork
If your family has a coat of arms, engraving it on a pair of sterling silver cufflinks is one of the most enduring ways to carry it: present at every formal occasion, rarely remarked upon, always there.
Not every crest translates cleanly to an 18mm silver surface. Fine lines merge. Small details disappear. Kai has assessed enough of them to know which designs will hold and which will not before production begins. When a crest requires significant simplification, this is communicated and the adapted version shown in the proof. Nothing is assumed. Nothing is rushed.
The same applies to corporate logos. Custom cufflinks engraved with a company logo are a considered gift for a promotion, a service recognition award or a new colleague's first day. Engraved from the supplied artwork.
Submit your design via the contact form. Kai will return an assessment and proof within two working days. Allow 2–3 additional weeks for complex commissions beyond the standard production window.
Frequently asked questions
What can be engraved on cufflinks?
Initials, monograms, dates, names, family crests, wedding logos and corporate symbols can all be engraved. Each cufflink in a pair can carry a different design. For standard text engravings, the design is placed directly from the order. For complex artwork (crests, logos, bespoke compositions) a digital proof is prepared and shared before production begins.
How do I order personalised cufflinks?
For standard engravings (initials, dates, short text) the personalisation option is available directly on each product page. For custom commissions involving crests, logos or original designs, send the brief via the contact form. Kai responds personally with the technical assessment and options.
Can a family crest be engraved on cufflinks?
Yes. Family crests are among the most requested custom engravings. Kai assesses the heraldry of every crest for feasibility at cufflink scale before confirming the commission. Highly detailed heraldry may require simplification to hold definition in sterling silver; this is discussed before any order proceeds.
How long does the process take?
Standard personalised cufflinks are produced and dispatched within 5–7 working days of order confirmation. Custom commissions involving original artwork or crests require additional time for the proofing stage; the timeline is confirmed individually by Kai.
What is the difference between standard engraving and a custom commission?
Standard engraving covers initials, dates, names and symbols selected on the product page, processed directly from the order. A custom commission applies to artwork outside the standard options: family crests, corporate logos, wedding monograms and original designs. These require a brief, a digital proof and written confirmation before production begins.
Are personalised cufflinks a good choice for a wedding?
Yes. Personalised cufflinks are among the most frequently commissioned wedding gifts. Engraved with the groom's initials and the wedding date, they become a piece worn long after the occasion. For coordinated wedding party sets covering the groom, best man, ushers and fathers, preferential conditions apply. See the wedding cufflinks section for details.
Send your brief
Detail the engraving when submitting: model, personalisation, and any reference artwork. Kai responds personally with the assessment and options.
Kai reviews every enquiry personally.
