Elegant Citrine and Gold Dress Set

Complementing the cufflinks are four vest buttons (one pictured above) and three shirt studs (pictured below).  The vest buttons and shirt studs repeat the elegant design of the cufflinks with honey-amber citrines set in yellow gold. (Please excuse the shadowy reflections of  the camera in the gemstones.)

The backs of the cufflinks, vest buttons and shirt studs are stamped with the maker's mark of Sansbury & Nellis ("S-N").  Following the maker's mark is "14K" for the purity of the gold.

Sansbury & Nellis was founded around 1900 and created fine gem-set jewelry during the early decades of the 20th century.  The firm championed lesser known gemstones (such as citrine, white coral and moss agate) which they set in finely crafted cufflinks, dress sets and stickpins.

Name:  Golden Citrine

Cost:  $1,825

Measurements:  This 14kt gold dress set features a pair of cufflinks, three shirt studs and four vest buttons.  The cufflinks weigh 8.7 grams in total and the round tops are  1/2" in diameter.  The tops of the shirts studs just over 1/4" in diameter and the vest buttons are 7/16".

The decades around 1900 were a period of innovation and invention among makers of fine cufflinks.  Cufflink makers strove to create aesthetically pleasing cufflinks that could be easily placed on the cuff and would remain safely attached when being worn.  The "spool" was an elegant design that briefly gained popularity during the early 20th century.  With its identical, usually gem-set ends connected by a rigid post the design offered a nice balance of elegance, ease and security.