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Erik Peterson Tom James Company Tampa Sarasota St Petersburg Lakeland: Off the Cuff Remarkable
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New statement cufflinks give men the chance to wear their art on their sleeves Repost of Wall Street Journal with select edits
YOU CAN'T EXACTLY GAUGE the economic climate by looking at a man's shirt, but you certainly can get a hint. "In a recession, the men play it very safe. They go for white and blue double-cuff shirts with classing cufflinks," says Robert Emmett, the founder of shirtmaker Emmett London, whose clientele ranges from City bankers to "X Factor" presenter Dermot O'Leary. "When they feel better, they move into color."
For the fuller picture, check out his cuffs. If he's glass half-empty, he might be wearing real gold-nugget cufflinks. Understated, they also might come in handy if fiat money ever collapses. Or, as a cautionary reminder, he might opt for the hand-painted rock-crystal and gold "Road to Ruin" links from Deakin & Francis, which picture a pack of cards, a bottle of Champagne, a horse and the shapely legs of a female dancer (£3,800).
In the limited fashion of the corporate world, cufflinks are the ultimate mood gaugers—and prime real estate for sartorial self-expression. While the 1980s and early '90s were dominated by power pieces from luxury brands such as Boucheron, today's looks are more individualistic.
“We have made exact replicas of someone's car, boat and even a packet of McDonald's french fries.”
"Oil traders buy our silver oil barrels or silver nodding donkeys," says Henry Deakin of Deakin & Francis, a seventh-generation British firm that makes almost any cufflink imaginable—and quite a few that aren't, with prices ranging from £150 to more than £16,000. "In the City, the demand currently is for Art Deco cufflinks," says Mr. Deakin. "We're selling a lot of our enamel, yellow gold and mother of pearl or opal pairs and, increasingly, bespoke items. We have made exact replicas of someone's car, boat and even a packet of McDonald's french fries." Those seeking creative self-expression in a pair of cufflinks have plenty of choice. And mixing and matching isn't against the rules—good news for those who find themselves too often relying on St. Anthony. For nature lovers, there's Roger Doyle's brightly colored silver and enamel "Beetle" (£200). Or if you're more of a dog person, the U.K. jeweler offers a Warhol-esque "Spotty
Dog" (£200).
"In the City, the demand currently is for Art Deco cufflinks," says Mr. Deakin. "We're selling a lot of our enamel, yellow gold and mother of pearl or opal pairs and, increasingly, bespoke items. We have made exact replicas of someone's car, boat and even a packet of McDonald's french fries." 
