A fine and substantial pair of French 18ct gold stirrup cufflinks, c.1940–50, each formed as a wrap-around bar with a snap-close clasp and a sapphire cabochon capping each end. The stirrup format — in which a single gold bar wraps around the cuff button and snaps closed rather than threading through the buttonhole — is one of the most secure and practical cufflink constructions, and the snap-close mechanism here is of notably high quality. The sapphire end caps, with their deep blue colour, provide a refined accent to the warm yellow gold of the bar. Hallmarked with the French eagle mark for 18ct gold and the workshop mark BREVETÉ S.G.D.G. — Sans Garantie Du Gouvernement, a French designation applied to patented mechanisms indicating that the patent was registered without government endorsement of its claims, a mark that confirms both the originality of the design and the period of manufacture. Weight 16.4g.

The Details

• Circa: 1940–50
• Weight: 16.4g
• Hallmarks: French eagle mark (18ct gold); BREVETÉ S.G.D.G.
• Stones: Sapphire cabochons (end caps)
• Fitting: Stirrup wrap-around with snap-close clasp
• Origin: France