Among the more refined everyday accessories produced during the original Links of London years, the Round Tag Screwball Keyring stands out for combining a simple polished form with an unusually elegant opening mechanism.
Crafted in silver plate, the design pairs a U-shaped keyring with two removable spherical end fittings and a large circular Links London tag. Rather than relying on a conventional split ring, the keyring opens by unscrewing either ball, allowing keys or additional fobs to be threaded directly onto the metal ring.
The result is practical, tactile and distinctly more considered than an ordinary keyring.
Vintage Links of London silver plated Round Tag Screwball Keyring
A Screwball Mechanism
The defining feature is the opening system.
Both polished spherical end fittings can be unscrewed completely from the U-shaped ring. Once either ball is removed, keys or compatible fobs can be threaded onto the ring from that side before the ball is screwed securely back into place.
This means the keyring can be opened from either end, making the mechanism both symmetrical and practical.
The screwball construction also keeps the overall silhouette clean. There is no conventional split-ring edge or hinged clasp interrupting the polished form.
Links of London round tag keyring with screwball fitting
The U-Shaped Ring
The keyring itself measures approximately 41mm wide × 44mm high.
Its broad U-shaped profile gives the piece a substantial presence without becoming bulky, while the polished silver-plated finish keeps the design visually simple.
At each end sits a spherical fitting measuring approximately 9mm in diameter. These balls act as both the functional closure and an important part of the design, giving the keyring its distinctive balanced appearance.
Vintage silver plated Links London keyring front view
The Round Links London Tag
Suspended from the ring is a circular branded fob measuring approximately 31mm in diameter.
The tag is laser etched with the Links London word mark and three-ring logo, giving the piece a clear house identity without relying on elaborate decoration.
Its broad, flat surface contrasts nicely with the curved U-shaped ring and spherical ends, creating a simple combination of circle, arc and polished metal.
Links of London U shaped keyring with round branded fob
A Different Kind of Luxury Accessory
Links of London was best known for jewellery, but the original house also produced a wide range of practical accessories and small personal objects.
This keyring sits comfortably within that broader tradition. It takes an everyday item and gives it a more refined mechanical treatment, relying on proportion, polish and construction rather than embellishment.
The screwball mechanism is particularly effective because it is both useful and visually satisfying. The act of opening the keyring becomes part of the design experience.
Round Links London logo tag keyring in polished silver plate
Round Tag Rather Than Round Disc
Surviving descriptions of this design have used wording such as Round Disc U Keyring, but Round Tag Screwball Keyring is a clearer modern description of the construction.
The term “round tag” reflects the large circular branded fob, while “screwball” describes the opening mechanism now commonly used for this style of luxury keyring.
That terminology makes the design easier to recognise while preserving the original object itself accurately.
Vintage Links of London screwball keyring with 9mm ball fittings
Unused Vintage Condition
The example held in The Vault appears never to have been used for its intended purpose.
It does, however, show light signs of age from years of storage, as does the original Links of London box supplied with it.
For that reason, it is best described as being in unused vintage condition rather than new condition. The distinction is important: the piece has survived without everyday use, but time and storage have still left their own marks.
Links of London keyring showing round 31mm branded tag
In The Vault
The Links of London Silver Plated Round Tag Screwball Keyring held in The Vault retains its original polished U-shaped ring, both removable 9mm screwball fittings and 31mm branded round tag.
It is a strong example of the original house applying jewellery-like attention to an everyday object: polished metal, clean geometry and a mechanism that feels considered rather than merely functional.
Simple in appearance, but unusually satisfying in construction, it is the kind of small accessory that explains why Links of London’s design language extended well beyond jewellery alone.
Silver plated luxury keyring by Links of London
Vintage Links London keyring with removable screwball end
