Looking for a gift for the graduate in your life? Considering the advantages of the Mr. Coffee with built-in alarm clock compared to the nondescript but utterly run-of-the-mill prepaid credit card you expect to be used for “something special” but in reality will probably be used for gas and beer?
Why not get something that gets your grad off to a good start, as a well-groomed, dapper young man heading out into the world to begin his life as an adult, a real adult?
It is customary to present girls with all kinds of coming-of-age jewelry: pearl necklaces, charm bracelets, rings with birthstones, and the like. However, once the boy in your life transforms into a man, people’s gift counters seem to go down. Look? Wallet? Belt?
Cufflinks make an excellent gift for the graduate. Whether you know someone graduating from high school, college, grad school, med school, or law school, it doesn’t really matter. Unless your soon-to-be graduating friend gets kicked out of clown college, this is a gift that will open doors, cement relationships, and be cherished forever.
My father still has the simple pair of onyx cufflinks his godmother gave him when he graduated from high school, as well as the gold pair he received when he graduated from college. Other than his watch, that little gem—worn with an excellent suit and a French-cuffed shirt—was the only expensive ever had fun He was classic, tasteful, and elegant through a lifetime of tie styles, tag widths, and collar sizes.
In my dear father’s day, the commercial attractions for men were quite limited. If you had a professional job and missed out on the horror of the so-called leisure suit (which should never be worn with cufflinks, or at all), a man was pretty much limited to a suit of some variety of wool, in a dark color, with a white shirt. or light blue and dark shoes. Even in the realm of jewelry, unless he lived in Texas and wore a hat, a bolo tie, and a nugget ring, he probably wouldn’t wear much more than his wedding band.
However, the boys on Wall Street, lawyers and managers in suits that cost $2,000 even back then knew that true style meant no detail was overlooked. And today, with so many different varieties to choose from, selecting a men’s cufflink gift means you can customize your offering to suit each graduate’s tastes and needs.
For the high school graduate moving on to college, you might consider purchasing a formal set of links. It is likely that during your college career you will have the opportunity to attend formal parties, dinners and other occasions. Instead of wearing the standard set of brass and onyx that you can rent with any characterless tuxedo, let your grad stand out with a pair of links in plain gold or white gold, or onyx with gold or silver trim.
A more cost-effective gift might be a pair of silk knots, also known as monkey cuffs. Beautifully crafted French knots in various colors are generally worn for all but the most formal occasions and would look great with a suit or tuxedo jacket.
Later in life, this gift could be used to button up your graduate’s sleeves when they get married! Imagine that; wedding!
For the college grad, you might consider a less formal, but still classic pair of cufflinks. These would be suitable for important life milestones like job interviews and business meetings. For the GQ type in your life, you might consider purchasing a pair of striped enamel links, similar to a “school” or “club” tie, these are considered far superior classics. If your graduate is more conservative, a true “event” gift of simple but well-designed discs or squares engraved with your graduate’s initials, either a triple or single monogram, will be cherished and enjoyed for a lifetime.
Graduation is the culmination of years of hard work and perseverance. Such an event deserves a gift that will stand the test of time, be highly valued, and even become a family heirloom. The coffee pot is nice, but it won’t be remembered in five or ten years… and quite possibly forgotten in a few months.