Edward VII became King of England 1901 after his mother, Queen Vittoria's longest reign to date in English history. Edward's 60 year wait as Heir Apparent with no official responsibilities provided him with the income and time to forge a congenial life of a sportsman, club man, lady's man and fashion trend setter. He popularized many styles of the day –the Norfolk jacket, the Homburg hat, the Albert watch chain, double-breasted frock coat, and pants cuffs. While some of these styles continue today, none is as universal as modern cuff links. Edward’s fondness for jeweled links by Faberge and Garrard’s was adopted by the aristocracy and moneyed classes. The industrial revolution provided the means and consumers for cuff link fashions in a wide range of styles, materials, and prices. These bold, heavy, gold-washed carnelian cuff links were probably made in the early 1970s. Reflecting the “New Age” philosophy so popular at that time, jewelry and fashion design drew heavily on Egyptian motifs such as the scarab and pyramid, and carnelian orange was one of the era’s signature colors. The woven texture picked out in the dark oxidation of the setting agrees in tone and feel with many of the experimental fabrics of the time.
N.B. There are various methods and grades of gold electroplating, with vermeil generally considered the finest when speaking of jewelry. In Britain and the U.S., the primary metal of true vermeil must be sterling silver and have 10K or higher gold plating at least 2.5 microns thick. In the absence of a karat mark, as with these cuff links, it is best to be cautious. Condition: Excellent. Size: .75" across.