One Atelier. One Standard. Since 2006.
Kai Zaunick founded this atelier in 2006. Every pair of custom cufflinks is made to order in solid .925 sterling silver or 18k gold, produced in-house and inspected before it leaves the studio. There is no outsourcing, no production line, no pieces made in advance.
Two decades in the atelier has built a specific kind of judgment: which fonts hold their definition at small scale, which scripts read clearly in silver and which blur, where a line that looks precise on screen will disappear in metal. That judgment is what you are commissioning when you place an order.
The atelier has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, GQ, Stern and Spiegel, recognized for the quality of its engraving work and the rigor of its personalization process. Bespoke personalization is the work, not a feature layered on top of it.
A pair of custom cufflinks is more than a fine accessory. Engraved with initials, a date or a family crest, it becomes a keepsake. Something that carries meaning every time it is worn.
What You Can Engrave on Custom Cufflinks
The engraving is cut into the silver surface, not surface-marked: the difference between a design that holds its definition for decades and one that fades within years. That distinction matters at 18mm, where precision decides which details survive the process and which do not. The range of what can be expressed in that space is wider than most expect.
- Initials and monograms: one, two or three letters in block print or calligraphy script.
- Dates: a wedding date, an anniversary, the birth of a child.
- Symbols: anchors, musical notes, sporting motifs, professional emblems.
- Family crests and coats of arms: artwork assessed and adapted to cufflink scale as part of the proofing process.
- Company logos: engraved from supplied artwork.
Each cufflink in a pair can carry a different design. The most popular arrangement for wedding orders: the couple's initials on one cufflink, the wedding date on the other.
Where the Engraving Is Applied
On almost all ZAUNICK models, engraving is applied to the swivel bar on the reverse: a surface the wearer sees when fastening their cuffs, but that no one else notices. A date, an initial, a short inscription carried close without being displayed.
The monogram range and custom designs are a different proposition. Engraving moves to the face of the cufflink and becomes the piece itself: a calligraphy script initial or interlocked monogram fills the face, precise and permanent. There is no background design. The letterform is the cufflink. Crests and original compositions occupy the face in the same way: the full image held in fine detail.
Browse the monogram cufflinks range
The Proof Process
Proof approval applies to custom artwork orders: family crests, company logos and original designs. The proof shows how the artwork has been adapted for the engraving surface: line weights simplified, proportions adjusted, details refined so the design reads clearly in solid silver. Nothing in this category goes to production without your written confirmation.
Standard engravings (initials, dates and names on the swivel bar, and the full monogram range) do not require a proof step. They are engraved directly from the order details and ship within 5–7 business days.
Not every crest or logo arrives ready to engrave. When a design is too complex for the available surface, Kai will say so before the order is confirmed. He would rather have that conversation upfront than deliver something that falls short of what was imagined.
For the Wedding Party
Often ordered as a gift. The person who receives them keeps them for years, reaching for them at every occasion that calls for something that carries meaning.
A pair of custom cufflinks given on the morning of the wedding is one of the most enduring gifts in the ceremony. Worn that day and kept long afterwards, taken out again for anniversaries, for formal occasions, for the quiet moment of remembering. Engraved with the wedding date or the couple's initials, they hold the occasion in a form that does not fade.
Custom cufflinks for the groom, groomsmen and fathers of the bride can be ordered as a coordinated set: a shared engraving ties the wedding party together without matching them identically. Sets can also be personalized individually, so each recipient receives something genuinely their own: their initials, or a date that means something to them specifically. Preferential pricing is available for sets of four pairs or more.
See our dedicated wedding cufflinks range.
Most Requested Engraving Styles
Browse the full monogram cufflinks range
Family Crests and Company Logos
A coat of arms engraved on a pair of custom cufflinks is among the most considered gifts in men's accessories. It references heritage in a form worn daily, noticed rarely, and remembered permanently.
Not every crest translates cleanly to an 18mm silver surface. Fine lines merge. Small details disappear. Kai has assessed enough of them to know which designs will hold and which will not before production begins. When a crest needs significant simplification, he will tell you so and show you what the adapted version looks like in the proof. Nothing is assumed. Nothing is rushed.
The same applies to company logos. Engraved cufflinks bearing a corporate mark are a considered gift for a promotion, a long-service milestone, or a new-hire gift.
Submit your artwork via the contact form. Kai will return an assessment and proof within two business days. Allow 2 to 3 additional weeks for complex artwork beyond the standard production window.
Designed from Scratch
Some commissions begin with a sketch. Others with a reference: an architectural detail, an heirloom, a symbol with specific personal meaning. For those who need a cufflink form that does not exist in any current range, ZAUNICK designs from scratch.
The process starts with a brief: the concept, the occasion and any reference material. From there, an original design is modeled and a rendering prepared for review before anything is made. The same proof and approval process applies. Nothing proceeds without your written confirmation.
This work is taken on selectively. Each brief is reviewed to confirm the design is achievable and that the commission is a good fit. If a concept is not right for the material or the scale, that assessment is returned promptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can you engrave on custom cufflinks?
ZAUNICK engraves initials, full names, dates, monograms, family crests, coats of arms and company logos on any cufflink model. Each face can carry a different design, a popular choice for wedding pairs and groomsmen sets.
How do I order personalized cufflinks?
Browse the shop, choose a model and select the engraving option at checkout. For standard engravings (initials, dates, names and monograms), enter your text at checkout and the order ships within 5 to 7 business days. For custom artwork such as crests or logos, upload your files via the contact form. A digital proof is prepared and sent for your approval before engraving begins.
Can you engrave a family crest or company logo?
Yes. Send your artwork via the contact form. Each design is assessed for engraving viability at cufflink scale, line weights adapted as needed and a proof sent for your approval. If a design needs significant simplification, that will be communicated before the order is confirmed.
How long do custom engraved cufflinks take?
Standard text engraving (initials, dates, names) ships within 5 to 7 business days. Complex artwork such as family crests or company logos may require 2 to 3 additional weeks for artwork adaptation and proof approval.
What are the best cufflinks to personalize as a wedding gift?
The monogram models in sterling silver are the most requested. Engraving the couple's initials or the wedding date across a coordinated pair is a timeless choice. For larger wedding party orders, preferential pricing applies to sets of four or more. See the full range of wedding cufflinks.
Can you make cufflinks from an original design or sketch?
Yes. For commissions that require a design that does not exist in the current range, ZAUNICK models the piece from scratch. The process starts with a brief: the concept, the occasion and any reference material. A rendering is prepared and sent for your approval before production begins. This work is taken on selectively: each brief is reviewed to confirm the design is achievable and the commission is a good fit.
Kai reviews every enquiry personally.
