Cufflinks are fun to wear. They add glare to a rather boring sleeve or suit almost as if by magic. And since they’re generally small and come in many different designs, not to mention inexpensive ones, they also make great gift ideas and collectibles. But like other accessories, cufflinks are not damage-proof. Sometimes, no matter how carefully you handle it, your cufflinks will wear out one way or another, or something will fall, break, or be missing.
Of course, when this unfortunate happens, you have the option to buy a new pair or repair it yourself. Now if you snapped your everyday casual style cufflinks, you can buy a new one to save yourself a lot of trouble. Casual, novelty cufflinks are inexpensive anyway. But if you’re wearing a prized cufflink, whether it’s a rare design, one that has sentimental value, an antique one, or a collector’s item, you won’t be in a rush to replace it. You will try to save it, repair it yourself, or have it repair it.
Some cufflink stores offer a warranty on your cufflinks and will replace or repair your broken cufflinks at no charge. If that’s the case, you’re in luck. Broken cufflinks under warranty will save you a lot of trouble (time and money) than repairing them yourself.
If that’s not the case, your best option is to take your accessory to a jeweler.
Here is a brief analysis. If you choose to do it yourself and know that this is not your specialty, you can save money on repairs, but there is also the risk of compounding the damage. If you repair it professionally, you spend more, but you can at least expect quality.
People normally take their broken jewelry to professional jewelers for repair and restoration. Cufflinks, like most jewelry, are small, with sometimes intricate patterns and designs, making it more difficult to fix.
When repairing cufflinks, take note of the exact damage and the specific part you are trying to repair. Of course, also consider what kind of cufflinks you are repairing. Cufflinks can come in different base materials, usually metal, wood, or silk.
For broken or missing cufflinks
Since the cufflinks are small, it is very possible that a piece will come off or stray from its place. In the case of metal cufflinks, you can glue the pieces or weld them (the metal ones).
By now you know that repairing cufflinks is not like your ordinary art class. For example, you should use a special metal glue, such as metal epoxies, when gluing metal and other pieces of cufflinks. Ordinary glues just won’t hold.
The same is applicable if you have a broken gemstone. Take out all the parts carefully and get a replacement; Fortunately, gemstones are not difficult to find. Get the right type (or maybe a new one) and the right size, then properly glue it to your cufflinks.
If and when gluing your metal is not the most appropriate, you can also try soldering (only for the metal parts). Welding melts the metals first and they bond together after it cools. Again, keep in mind that cufflinks are small and so are their pieces, making it difficult for them to stay in place.
Still, if you are inexperienced, your best option would be to repair your cufflinks.