Carrington NYYC Cufflinks

Nautical cufflinks flying the burgee of the New York Yacht Club.  Founded in 1844,  the New York Yacht Club listed among its members such Gilded Age luminaries as J. Pierpont Morgan and Cornelius Vanderbilt.  These elegant cufflinks were created by Carrington & Company in 14kt gold around 1900.

The cufflinks are set with reverse intaglios carved in rock crystal (sometimes mistakenly referred to as "Essex crystals").  These miniature masterpieces were created by an artisan who meticulously carved a likeness of the burgee into the base of a polished dome of rock crystal.  Then, using small brushes, perhaps as fine as a single hair, the artist carefully painted in the fine details and colors of the burgee.

The rock crystal domes (see photo above) were then backed with mother of pearl to throw the image into relief and give it a luminous, back lit quality.  The result of these exacting labors is a lifelike portrait of a burgee flying in a brisk breeze, all in miniature.

The backs of the cufflinks are beautifully crafted in 14kt gold and polished to a mirror-like finish.  The cufflinks are secured on the cuff with sturdy ring brackets and the "oblong and ring" linkage favored by Carrington & Company in the early 1900s.  The maker's mark of Carrington (a "C" surrounding a "14" for the purity of the gold) can be seen beneath the brackets.

Carrington was one of the preeminent makers of fine cufflinks during the first half of the last century.  The firm was known for impeccable craftsmanship, elegantly understated designs, and use of only the finest materials.  Carrington cufflinks were retailed by Tiffany's and other fine jewelers of the day.

Name:  Burgees Aloft!

Cost:  Although these elegant cufflinks have sold,  you will find many more fine cufflinks in the Antique Cufflink Gallery.

Measurements:  These 14kt gold cufflinks weigh a total of  8.5 grams and measure 9/16" by 7/16".