The brief
The University of Notre Dame wanted a recognition gift worthy of the alumni and benefactors who give so much to its mission. The ask was a familiar and difficult one. How do you properly recognize those who generously recognize you? An ordinary keepsake would not do. The piece needed to feel personal, refined and unmistakably Notre Dame, small enough to be worn and kept close, yet considered enough to be cherished for a lifetime.
The challenge
Translating a great institution into something the size of a cufflink leaves no room for error. Every color, every line and every proportion has to be exact, because there is nowhere for a flaw to hide. The detail had to read clearly at a glance and still reward a closer look. It also had to work as a set, the cufflinks and the brooch sharing one visual language so the gift felt complete in the hand and in the box.
The design approach
Nothing here was pulled from a catalog. The set was made from scratch for Notre Dame and stays exclusive to the university, never sold to anyone else.
It started with a conversation with Emma, our designer and co-founder, about what the university stands for and the story only Notre Dame can tell. Emma drew that story into the design with subtle less-is-more pattern repeats, so the symbolism reads quietly rather than shouting. We made samples and waited for the university's approval before anything went into production. The pieces were then handed to artisans working with centuries-old British manufacturing techniques.
Materials and craftsmanship
The set was built around hard enamel cufflinks, the color set by hand and polished flush so the surface stays crisp over years of wear. The hardware was forged to the standard we hold for every metal piece, hardware made for royalty, so the fittings feel substantial and close cleanly. The brooch carried the same palette and detailing, giving the university one recognition language across two pieces. Each gift was personally inspected, then presented in a Notre Dame branded luxury box. Inside sat a printed notecard with the university's thanks on the front and the provenance of the gift on the reverse.
"You took us to the moon and back by touching our heirloom-quality gifts with the same love and care we have for our benefactors. You helped us create special memories so they can always remember their extraordinary impact on the Notre Dame family. From the bottom of our hearts, it has been a pleasure working with you. Until next time!"
Jessica Reasons and Tory Grimes, The University of Notre Dame
The outcome
The finished set gave the university a recognition gift it could put into the hands of its most generous alumni and donors with confidence. The cufflinks and brooch became a quiet sign of belonging, worn to reunions, dinners and ceremonies, a small piece of Notre Dame that travels with the people who carry the university forward. A run like this starts at 125 pieces per design and takes 8 to 16 weeks from first sketch to delivery. The work has since grown into a wider collection for the university, including the embossed leather coasters shown above.
A gift is the last word in a relationship
We believe a gift is the last word in a relationship, and our aim is always to make it the right one. For the people who give their best to an institution, recognition should feel as considered as the giving itself. That is the work we do, from the place that perfected it.