Custom cufflinks are one of the quietest ways an institution can say thank you. They are worn to reunions, dinners and ceremonies, and they invite the question that lets the wearer talk about you. For a university, a school, a hospital or a foundation, a pair of enamel cufflinks carrying a crest or a campus detail becomes a sign of belonging that a donor or trustee can wear for decades.
Translating a great institution into something the size of a cufflink leaves no room for error. Every color, every line and every proportion has to be exact, because there is nowhere for a flaw to hide. This guide covers how we approach the design, the materials, the matching pieces, the minimums and the presentation.
What makes cufflinks bespoke
A custom manufacturer usually adds your logo to a cufflink it already makes. We start from a blank page. Each pair is drawn from scratch for a single institution and stays exclusive to it. Harris Made only manufactures what you order and never sells online, so nobody else can buy your cufflinks, now or later.
Designing from a crest
Most institutions come to us with a crest, a seal or a monogram. A full coat of arms rarely survives being shrunk to the size of a thumbnail, so the first design decision is what to keep. Often the strongest cufflink takes a single element and gives it room.
For Columbia University, we made 2 cufflink designs from details on campus: the 'C and Crown' on the wrought iron railings, and the famous brass lion's head door knocker. For Notre Dame, the brooch carries the official Notre Dame monogram from 1916, and the cufflinks share its palette and detailing, giving the university a single recognition language across 2 pieces.
Emma, our designer and co-founder, presents hand-drawn sketches before anything is made. Look at them at actual size. Lettering that seems clear on a screen can be too small to read across a dinner table, and detail that delights at full scale can disappear on a piece this small. We then make samples for your approval, so you hold the finished piece before anything goes into production.
Brass, nickel and hard enamel
Our cufflinks are hand-forged in brass or nickel with an enamel overlay. Brass gives a warm, golden tone and nickel a cooler silver one, so the choice usually follows your colors. The enamel is hard enamel, with the color set by hand and polished flush so the surface stays crisp over years of wear.
The metalwork comes from a foundry in England that holds a Royal Warrant and makes the hardware for the royal carriages at Buckingham Palace. The fittings are made to the standard we hold for every metal piece, so they feel substantial and close cleanly. You can read more about the materials and makers behind our work on our craftsmanship page.
Matching lapel pins, brooches and badges
Not every recipient wears French cuffs, so a cufflink design works best as part of a family. The same artwork can become:
- A lapel pin. In soft or hard enamel, crisp in detail and built to be worn for years. From $15.
- A brooch. Cast and enameled, a quiet emblem of belonging and service. The Notre Dame brooch shares the palette and detailing of its cufflinks. From $38.
- A magnetic enamel pin. Magnetic, so it goes on and comes off easily. The minimum for magnetic pins is 250.
- A bullion badge. Handmade in the bullion wire thread used for military uniforms, with a magnetic, felt-covered back. When it is not being worn, it makes a useful paperweight. From $52.
A matched set lets you recognize everyone at a dinner with a single design, and it lets a giving society or a board build a family of pieces over time. Browse cufflinks, pins and badges in our catalog to see the range.
Minimums, timing and price
Our minimum for custom cufflinks is 150 pairs per design. Most other pieces start at 125 per design, and magnetic enamel pins at 250. Enamel cufflinks start from $45.
A project takes 8 to 16 weeks or more from first sketch to delivery. That covers the conversation with Emma, her sketches, samples for your approval and production in Britain. If the cufflinks are for a named occasion, such as a reunion, a giving society dinner or a board retreat, work back from that date.
If your marks are managed by a licensing company, we work with the major trademark licensing companies that represent premium institutions, so your crest is handled properly. We are also a Fair Labor Association partner.
Presentation
Cufflinks are small, so the box carries much of the first impression. Emma inspects every pair before hand-wrapping it in a foil-embossed luxury presentation box branded for your institution. The Notre Dame set above sits in a 3-part box, with the brooch and the cufflinks on either side of the university's mark. Your thank-you message is printed on a thick, high-quality notecard, and the reverse describes the provenance of the gift. For Notre Dame, the card tells the story of the 1916 monogram the set is built on.
"You took us to the moon and back by touching our heirloom-quality gifts with the same love and care we have for our benefactors. You helped us create special memories so they can always remember their extraordinary impact on the Notre Dame family. From the bottom of our hearts, it has been a pleasure working with you. Until next time!" Jessica Reasons and Tory Grimes, The University of Notre Dame
If you have a crest you would like to see in enamel, read about our process, or start a project and tell us about the people you want to recognize.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum order for custom cufflinks?
Our minimum for custom cufflinks is 150 pairs per design. Matching lapel pins and most other pieces start at 125 per design, and magnetic enamel pins at 250.
How much do custom cufflinks cost?
Our enamel cufflinks start from $45. The final price depends on the design, the metal and the quantity.
How long do custom cufflinks take to make?
A project takes 8 to 16 weeks or more from first sketch to delivery, including samples for your approval before production.
Can you design cufflinks from our crest?
Yes. We start from your crest, seal or monogram, or from a detail on campus, and Emma draws a design that reads clearly at cufflink size. The design stays exclusive to your institution.