The men's evening wear most Americans refer to as a “tux” & associate with formal occasions was initially created for a distinctly different purpose. It was designed for the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII, 1901-1910), who, in fact, desired something less formal & more comfortable to wear at table after a long day of hunting and other athletic pursuits. Previously, Victorian upper-class men gathered for their evening meal in tailcoats, white tie and waistcoats, a stiff costume harder to assemble, maintain and remove. The Saville Row tailor, Henry Poole & Company answered the prince’s wish in 1865 by providing him with a midnight blue silk, tailless “smoking” jacket (hence “le smoking”, the French term for a tux). As time passed, the “smoking” jacket became the “dinner” jacket and crossed the Atlantic via first class ocean liner cabins. In 1886, it began to appear in the press as evening wear favored by the young rich, particularly in elite enclaves like Tuxedo Park, NY – giving the garment its new name: the “tux.” Jeweled buttons have a much longer and ennobled history than the garment itself. Our set of mother-of-pearl, gold, and diamonds set in platinum, comprises cuff links, three shirt studs/waistcoat buttons and a collar button. Though unmarked, they were most likely made ca. 1890-1910 for a member of the Tuxedo Park social set to enjoy wherever they resided or relaxed. Condition: Excellent with minor surface wear. Dimension: Links and buttons, all but collar button, .5".