What Is a Tennis Bracelet? You’ve probably been confused by the term before. You aren’t the first, and you won’t be the last.
A tennis bracelet is a bracelet that has gems in its setting. The stones are usually the same size and set closely without much metal showing. They’re almost like a pave setting for bracelets.
There are different tennis bracelet styles and different settings. They can have diamonds or colored gemstones too. You’re more likely to see gold bracelet settings for diamond tennis bracelets while shopping.
How The Tennis Bracelet Got Its Name
So, why call this bracelet this if diamonds have nothing to do with tennis? Well, here’s a little bit of fun jewelry history for you.
A diamond tennis bracelet used to be called a diamond line bracelet. They are also called eternity bracelets.
Why Is a Diamond Tennis Bracelet Called a “Tennis” Bracelet?
The name comes from professional tennis player Chris Evert. Evert experienced a mishap with her George Bedewi diamond bracelet during a tennis match in 1978.
Diamonds were new to fine jewelry and unheard of to be worn at a sporting event. I mean, diamonds are not exactly what you picture when you think of sports.
Lined diamond bracelets were an iconic fashion piece. However, they were supposed to be for special occasions, not sports. And here Chris Evert was, wearing a single-row diamond bracelet as chic sporting gear!
Evert was a tennis player who wore diamond jewelry on the court regularly. It was the only time she had an issue with her jewelry in a tennis game.
The US Open Match was a notable public event with lots of cameras, reporters, and tv viewers. Everyone was ready to watch the tennis players battle it out.
The clasp on Evert’s diamond bracelet broke off while playing tennis, and the bracelet came off her wrist.
It sounds like George Bedewi didn’t account for a more substantial clasp, huh? In all fairness, he probably didn’t think a tennis player would be wearing it during the middle of a match.
She asked the officials to stop the tennis match to look for her diamond bracelet. It was a remarkable scene for people to watch Evert and other women scramble around the tennis court looking for a piece of diamond jewelry during a match.
They found the bracelet, and the match resumed. Afterward, reporters asked about the jewelry incident. Without skipping a beat, she said:
“Oh, that bracelet? That’s my tennis bracelet.”
She wore the same bracelet while playing tennis pretty often. Henceforth, that diamond bracelet style was called a diamond tennis bracelet.
What Are the Different Types of Tennis Bracelets?
If you picture a beautiful tennis bracelet, you’re probably seeing it set in yellow or white gold. It more than likely has one single row of diamonds.
Don’t get me wrong; a classic tennis bracelet is gorgeous. However, the style isn’t for everyone.
Round and princess cut diamonds are the most popular diamond shapes for a tennis bracelet. They are the most popular diamond shapes for engagement rings and diamond earrings too.
Many jewelers offer tennis bracelets with these shapes, but few have unique diamond shapes. Some diamond tennis bracelets are oval cut, emerald cut, and even marquise tennis bracelets.
A diamond tennis bracelet doesn’t have to be yellow gold or white gold. Some are offered in sterling silver to help lower costs. Some retailers offer platinum or rose gold tennis bracelet options. Rose gold doesn’t cost any different than yellow gold or white gold.
How to Wear a Tennis Bracelet
If you want our personal advice, I don’t recommend you wear diamond bracelets while playing sports like Chris Evert. Her bracelet was in a bezel setting, so her diamonds were more protected.
Diamonds may be resistant to dust and dirt, but they can still break along like any gemstone with perfect cleavage.
So maybe don’t wear a tennis bracelet while playing sports.
Aside from that, a diamond tennis bracelet is a perfect bracelet for any occasion. People view diamonds as high-end, but a bracelet style with a classic design is excellent for everyday wear.
Many women ask if you should wear a bracelet on a specific wrist. Most women wear bracelets on their left wrist. There’s no real significance to which one you wear the bracelet.
Our best guess is that most men and women are right-handed, so the majority of buyers are wearing their bracelets on the other wrist.
How to Put On a Tennis Bracelet
You’ll want to know how to put a diamond tennis bracelet on your wrist before you buy one. It’s helpful with a partner. It could prove to be a tad more difficult doing it by yourself. It’s doable but a bit challenging.
Different tennis bracelets will have different kinds of clasps. Secure clasps are essential when buying a bracelet. Your best bet is to find a tennis bracelet with an easy clasp you can operate with one finger.
Most clasps on diamond tennis bracelets are lobster clasps. This clasp is prone to breaking and challenging to operate with one hand.
Some tennis bracelets have a safety clasp mechanism that involves lifting and latching. These kinds of bracelets make the clasp easy to maneuver with a finger and keep your tennis bracelet secure while wearing it.
A bolo tennis bracelet is another style of bracelet. It allows you to tighten your tennis bracelet to the perfect size. These tennis bracelets have a mechanism two ends of a precious metal chain hanging down.
You pull on the ends to tighten it. The downside is the mechanism wears down over a while. Bolo mechanisms can be expensive for a jeweler to repair. That style is difficult to find at fine jewelry retailers.
Even if you have a hard time operating a diamond tennis bracelet, it will get easier. They say practice makes perfect, right?
How Much Do Diamond Tennis Bracelets Cost?
The price of a diamond tennis bracelet depends on a few different factors. Carat weight will have the most impact on cost.
They require so many diamonds side by side to complete the length. All diamonds in the bracelet have to have the same or close clarity and color grades. The higher in carat weight you go, the better your diamond grades have to be.
Diamond tennis bracelets in gold settings are expensive. A 1-carat diamond tennis bracelet can cost $1200+. Even a 1-carat tennis bracelet set in sterling silver can cost over $500.
How To Save Money on The Perfect Tennis Bracelet
A diamond tennis bracelet can easily cost more than the average engagement ring or other diamond jewelry. That goes double for those wanting 3-carat bracelets or more.
A brick-and-mortar retailer will charge you more than buying your tennis bracelets online. The online retailer will also have a better selection of bracelet styles.
The standard length for bracelets in fine jewelry stores is around 7 inches. The tennis bracelet has to fill about 6 of the 7 inches with diamonds.
Diamond bracelets set in precious metals are not cheap. Diamonds don’t have super-sales. Not the good ones, anyway.
There is an affordable option for those searching for a tennis bracelet that won’t break the bank. Instead of buying a diamond tennis bracelet with natural diamonds, you can always opt for lab-grown diamond bracelets.
Lab Diamond Tennis Bracelets vs. Natural Diamond Tennis Bracelets
Lab-grown diamond jewelry gets a lot of flack and for no real reason. More and more people are discovering lab diamonds as the more affordable and ethical alternative to mined diamonds.
A lab-grown diamond tennis bracelet is the perfect option for someone who wants a less expensive option or the opportunity to maximize their budget. Lab-created diamonds are real diamonds in every way.
You can feel at ease knowing your bracelet is 100% conflict-free. Lab diamonds are 20-40% less expensive than mined diamonds, so you also get to feel good about that.
Lab-grown diamonds are a better option for the environment than buying mined diamonds. Not all are sustainable so watch out for any retailers claiming so. The process used to produce lab-created diamonds still uses fossil fuels and energy. They use a lot less than the mining industry.
Everybody loves a great sale, but more want a bigger bang for their buck. A lab-grown tennis bracelet can give you both.
Conclusion
Tennis bracelets are less about tennis and more about bracelets.
A tennis bracelet is a classic jewelry staple that everyone should have the opportunity to keep in their jewelry box. And thanks to lab diamonds, many of us now have that option.
Many people wonder if they can pull off a tennis bracelet despite their everyday wardrobe.
The answer is yes, you can.
And yes, you will.
Just make sure you purchase from a trusted retailer with an easy return process. That way, you can have a worry-free experience. Just in case it’s not your style after all.
