They can be expensive when made in precious metals, as the size and weight of the ball adds considerably to the material cost of the item. Locking Dual-Action Cufflinks use a hinge mechanism similar to the closure of a metal watchband.

Do cufflinks have a purpose?

Going beyond their aesthetic brilliance, cufflinks do serve an old world function. They were initially curated to hold the cuffs of your shirt together- so you can think of them as the rich mans button.

Do cufflinks replace buttons?

What Are Cufflinks? Cufflinks are tools for fastening shirt cuffs closed. Theyre an alternative to the buttons that are commonly sewn onto shirt cuffs. The defining feature is that cufflinks are separate objects: sew it onto the shirt and its a button, but if its fully removable its a cufflink.