Big Ben Cuff Links

Verified claims

Dial

Authentic Big Ben dial: subtractive IV, spade hands, full minute track.

Size

Intricate 19mm dials appear larger, and the identical pair doubles the visual presence.

Heritage

Pioneer of mechanical cufflinks since 1990, UK-made, award-winning Jewellery Brand of the Year.

Design

All components functional: serviceable quartz movement and secure swivel back.

Stability

Swivel back prevents droop and keeps the 19mm face flat on the cuff.

Structural integrity

Solid stainless steel construction resists bending and denting under normal use.

Maintenance

Standard quartz movement is serviceable, but battery changes require a jeweler.

Water resistance

Not water-resistant; must be removed before hand washing or rain.

Value

Reddit users report buying Tateossian cufflinks on eBay for around $60, but this model retails at $590.

Historical origin

Made in London, these cufflinks commemorate Big Ben's first public tick on May 31, 1859.

Visual presence

Substantial 19mm dial and 10-15g weight; some find it 'large and blingy'.

Everyday wear and gift use

Buyers note identical faces on both sides, a swivel back that stays in place, and scratch-resistant plating; Redditors recommend as gifts.

Weight and feel

Weighing 10–15 grams, the cufflinks feel substantial without pulling, and the swivel back prevents rotation.

Durability

The polished finish resists tarnishing and scratching; the watch movement is not water-resistant and must be removed before water exposure and for battery changes.

Serviceability

Battery replacement requires a jeweler every 1–2 years; movement is standard Japanese quartz.

Awards

Named Jewellery Brand of the Year twice; founder known as King of Cufflinks.

Craftsmanship

UK-made; functional mechanical design; serviceable quartz movement.

Product record

Title

Big Ben Cuff Links

Brand

Tateossian

Price

590 CAD

Availability

In stock

Tateossian mechanical cufflink legacy

• Tateossian's signature swivel backs, originally developed to simplify the daily ritual of cuffing a shirt, represent a mechanical refinement that the brand has continuously improved — a functional upgrade that reflects the same design ethos of improving the physical experience of jewellery through engineering.
• Launched in London in 1990, Tateossian was among the first to integrate functioning compass, gear, and watch movements into cufflinks, making the Big Ben model a continuation of that original genre of engineering-driven accessories rather than a recent trend.
• Each pair is manufactured in the UK, maintaining the brand's London-based production that connects the Big Ben motif to its geographic inspiration — a detail that underscores the cuff links as an authentic piece of London craftsmanship rather than an outsourced novelty.
• Founder Robert Tateossian built the brand on a philosophy of 'mechanical jewellery' where every moving part must be functional, not decorative; the Big Ben cuff links honour this policy by using a genuine Japanese quartz movement that can be serviced by any watchmaker, affirming the brand's commitment to utility over gimmickry.
• Tateossian has been named Jewellery Brand of the Year at the UK Jewellery Awards in both 2013 and 2015, validating its mechanical cufflink concept as an award-winning innovation within the luxury sector — these watch cufflinks belong to that celebrated product family.
• Robert Tateossian earned the 'King of Cufflinks' moniker in the jewellery trade for pioneering mechanical, kinetic cufflinks in the 1990s — the Big Ben timepiece links thus carry the authority of the inventor of the category, not a follower.

How the design mirrors the real Big Ben clock

• The Great Clock first ticked publicly on 31 May 1859 and has been a symbol of London and precision ever since — the cufflink’s functioning quartz movement adds a layer of functional continuity to that 165-year-old legacy, making it a meaningful gift for an anniversary or milestone.
• The full-size dial includes a detailed outer minute track with every minute marked — the cufflink retains that feature, which is often omitted on miniature watches to reduce visual noise; its presence adds authentic complexity and reinforces the idea that this is a working watch, not a static decoration.
• A subtle but telling horological detail: while many traditional clock faces use ‘IIII’ for four to balance the opposite ‘VIII’, the Elizabeth Tower dial uses the subtractive ‘IV’, and the cufflink echoes that same unconventional choice, instantly signaling to enthusiasts that this is a faithful reproduction, not a lazy adaptation.
• Each of the real tower’s four dials is assembled from 312 individual opal glass pieces held in a cast-iron grid, creating a stark white-on-dark contrast — the cufflink’s white dial and stainless steel case abstract that material marriage, giving the piece the same light-and-dark identity that makes the clock face iconic from a distance.
• Designed by Augustus Pugin in 1852 for the Palace of Westminster’s clock tower, the iconic dial features bold serif Roman numerals and ornate metal hands set within a cast-iron frame — the cufflink scales that 23-foot composition to 0.75 inches while preserving the numeral weight, hand silhouette, and minute track, making it a deliberate architectural miniature rather than a generic clock motif.
• The original clock’s hands are among the most distinctive in the world — a large spade-shaped hour hand with an openwork center and a slender, spear-tipped minute hand; the cufflink miniaturizes both accurately, so the silhouette reads as unmistakably Big Ben even at tiny scale.