One man’s mission to share with the world the fine art of cufflinks.
Each blog a different pair and each blog a different story. Read on in this series...
Today we once again travel out to the Marchés aux Puces in Paris and we celebrate the anniversary of the opening of the Eiffel Tower in Paris some 123 years ago. The Tower was the world’s tallest structure until about 1930 when the art deco sky scrapper boom in the US was in full swing. It is just over 1,000 feet high and is the equivalent of an 81 storey commercial office tower. It is the symbol of all things Parisian and is a joy to behold at sunrise or sunset.
Built by Gustave Eiffel it is a massive iron framework supported on four massive masonry piers from which rise four columns that unite to form the single vertical tower. There are observation decks on three levels and give a breathtaking view over Paris. The elevators were installed by the Otis Elevator Company and the most fun of any elevator your scribe has ever ridden in. For the engineers, architects and builders amongst us, it has about 7,500 tonnes of wrought iron within the main structure and requires 50-60 tonnes of paint every couple of years to paint.
360º view…..awesome.
Today’s cuff links come from your scribes favourite daily outings when in Paris…..a quick visit to Pere La Chaise cemetery to visit some old heroes and then on to the famous Parisian flea markets, Marchés aux Puces in the adjacent suburb. In a dusty old store, I spent a long while chatting to the shop owner sipping Dubonnet and smoking Gitannes. I was struggling with my school kid French but we talked all things cuff links and antiques……we had a wonderful afternoon.
These links are “jet”, which a jeweller friend of mine calls “fancy pants coal”. I generally wear them to formal occasions or funerals but on the odd occasion that your scribe wears a black tie I like to dig them out. They are antique French jet and gold cuff links and probably date in the late 1890’s when jet was de rigueur. They are worn with a cotton tailor made shirt and black silk Vivienne Westwood tie with space ship motifs.
Til Later
ONWARD
Each blog a different pair and each blog a different story. Read on in this series...
Today we once again travel out to the Marchés aux Puces in Paris and we celebrate the anniversary of the opening of the Eiffel Tower in Paris some 123 years ago. The Tower was the world’s tallest structure until about 1930 when the art deco sky scrapper boom in the US was in full swing. It is just over 1,000 feet high and is the equivalent of an 81 storey commercial office tower. It is the symbol of all things Parisian and is a joy to behold at sunrise or sunset.
Built by Gustave Eiffel it is a massive iron framework supported on four massive masonry piers from which rise four columns that unite to form the single vertical tower. There are observation decks on three levels and give a breathtaking view over Paris. The elevators were installed by the Otis Elevator Company and the most fun of any elevator your scribe has ever ridden in. For the engineers, architects and builders amongst us, it has about 7,500 tonnes of wrought iron within the main structure and requires 50-60 tonnes of paint every couple of years to paint.
360º view…..awesome.
Today’s cuff links come from your scribes favourite daily outings when in Paris…..a quick visit to Pere La Chaise cemetery to visit some old heroes and then on to the famous Parisian flea markets, Marchés aux Puces in the adjacent suburb. In a dusty old store, I spent a long while chatting to the shop owner sipping Dubonnet and smoking Gitannes. I was struggling with my school kid French but we talked all things cuff links and antiques……we had a wonderful afternoon.
These links are “jet”, which a jeweller friend of mine calls “fancy pants coal”. I generally wear them to formal occasions or funerals but on the odd occasion that your scribe wears a black tie I like to dig them out. They are antique French jet and gold cuff links and probably date in the late 1890’s when jet was de rigueur. They are worn with a cotton tailor made shirt and black silk Vivienne Westwood tie with space ship motifs.
Til Later
ONWARD
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