Choosing cufflinks and studs: onyx, mother-of-pearl, silver

Cufflinks and studs for a tuxedo should be chosen as one matched set: the same material, the same metal setting and in step with the watch and ring you wear. For the stone, black onyx and white mother-of-pearl are the two classic options; for the metal, silver or gold should follow your watch rather than a passing impulse.

A matched set is the standard

A dress shirt has two places that need loose fastenings: the double cuffs at the wrist and the buttoning row down the chest. The links at the wrist are cufflinks, and those at the chest are studs, which replace the ordinary buttons. Tradition treats them as one pair of items, a dress set, made in the same material and the same style.

The reasoning is simple. Wrist and chest are both in view when you stand talking to someone, and if the two use unrelated styles the eye senses a missing link. A matched set, however small the details, makes the shirt look intentional.

For how studs fit into the shirt, see shirts that take studs, and for fastening the cuff, how to wear cufflinks.

Black onyx and white mother-of-pearl

Two stones are used most often for tuxedo sets.

• Black onyx: a smooth, glossy black face set in a metal frame. Its deep black matches a black tuxedo and bow tie, and it is generally regarded as the standard black-tie set.
• White mother-of-pearl: polished shell, creamy white, with a faint rainbow sheen as it tilts. By tradition it belongs with white tie and the white dinner jacket; it feels lighter and softer than onyx.

The common rule says onyx for black tie and pearl for white tie, but this is habit rather than law. Plenty of men wear pearl with a black tuxedo without being thought wrong, provided the set is matched and refined. If you are unsure, onyx on black is always safe; pearl suits a lighter look, particularly with a white dinner jacket or a shirt with a piqué front.

Beyond these two there are plain silver, engraved designs and coloured stones. Those lean toward fashion rather than strict formal wear and suit events with a creative dress code.

Silver or gold settings

The metal around the stone decides whether the set reads cool or warm.

• Silver (or white metals such as sterling silver, steel or plated white gold): a cool tone that goes with a white shirt, black satin lapel and black bow tie. It is the most common choice for black tie.
• Gold (or gold plate): a warm, rich tone that suits burgundy and brown, or a man who wants a gold watch to be the accent.

A slim setting in compact proportion usually looks better than a thick one, since the link should be only a small point of light at the wrist. A link that is too large bulges under the jacket sleeve.

Matching the watch and ring

The easiest rule is to match the metal of the links to the metal of your watch. A steel or platinum watch calls for silver settings; a gold watch calls for gold. A wedding band or a pinky ring should be the same colour as both, or at least not fight them.

This is part of a wider habit of matching metals, discussed in matching metals: cufflinks, watch and ring. You do not have to be exact on every detail, because a belt buckle is gone and patent shoes carry no metal; but the three most visible pieces, links, watch and ring, should share a tone.

A few practical notes:

• An evening watch should be slim, on a black leather strap or a quiet metal bracelet, not a large dial or a sports watch.
• If you wear no watch, take the metal of your ring as the guide.
• Keep to one main metal; mix only when the settings are fine and balanced.

From the Mon Amie workroom

Links should be tried with the shirt, because the thickness of the buttonholes, the double cuff and the chest placket all decide a sensible size. You can book a fitting at a showroom so an advisor can lay different sets against a real shirt and your own watch and pick the one that agrees.