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What Is a Diamond Tennis Bracelet?
Posted on You aren’t the first person to ask what is a diamond tennis bracelet, and you certainly won’t be the last. This beautiful, popular, and elegant piece of jewellery is one that many people with exquisite taste love to wear.
What you may not know is where a diamond tennis bracelet comes from, or even which style or setting is right for you. For all this information and more, read on.
You may assume that ‘tennis’ is a complicated jeweller’s term used to describe the type of diamonds within the bracelet, or even the settings and style, but the reality is far more absurd.
According to many online reports, American tennis player Chris Evert was wearing a diamond and gold bracelet that broke and fell off her wrist during the 1978 or 1987 US Open in New York City. She asked officials to pause the game so that she could look for it, and surprisingly, they did. All spectators and TV watchers could do was look on in awe as the search was carried out.
However, Chris wasn’t just your ordinary tennis player. She was often referred to as a fashion icon, with her preference being a diamond eternity bracelet.
Since that unforgettable day, the official name of her bracelet, a line diamond bracelet, has faded away. Instead, it is referred to as a tennis bracelet. This is because, after the game, jewellers began receiving requests for a ‘tennis bracelet’, not knowing what the actual name of it was. Chris was all the inspiration some people needed to start wearing diamond bracelets themselves.
What Does a Diamond Tennis Bracelet Look Like?
When you search for ‘what is a diamond tennis bracelet Australia’ online, you’ll likely see dozens of results pop up in various styles and designs. However, there’s a common theme that runs through most, if not all, of them.
The bracelet, be it a silver or gold tennis bracelet, has small gems or diamonds linked by a thin metal chain. Given their sophistication and elegance, they usually feature sterling silver, 14 or 18-carat gold, or platinum.
Choosing the Metal
Whether you’re purchasing a ready-made diamond tennis bracelet or you’ve contacted a jewellery business to custom-make one, choosing the metal is an integral part of the process. Out of all ways to determine its quality, the metal is one of the most crucial.
The most common metal type for a tennis bracelet is white gold. However, people also adore rose gold, yellow gold, sterling silver, and platinum. Each metal type has different characteristics to suit your preferences, which means no single metal type stands out as better or worse than others.
However, if you plan on wearing a tennis bracelet every day, sterling silver and platinum are among the most durable metals. Your chosen jewellery designer or manufacturer can recommend the best metal for your needs.
Inspecting the Diamonds
If you were purchasing a wedding ring or engagement ring, you’d likely inspect the diamond to make sure it was certified, and of the quality you expected. However, the average tennis bracelet has more than 50 small diamonds. The certification process of each of these diamonds would end up costing more than the bracelet itself.
To ensure the diamonds are of a high standard and from ethical sources, you simply need to purchase from a reputable jewellery business that sells ethical diamonds under the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.
You can also review the diamonds yourself to make sure you’re happy with them. Take note of their brilliance, which is how the light reflects back to you to produce a sparkle. They should also be free of noticeable blemishes while appearing white within the setting.
Diamond Tennis Bracelet Styles in Australia
Even though the very first tennis bracelet was a single line of diamonds, the styles have changed over time. Now, you can create or buy a tennis bracelet that’s one-of-a-kind and reflective of your personality.
Most designs you can purchase today have a single diamond row or loop. However, it’s not uncommon to find some with two or three diamond rows. Most have round-cut diamonds, but you also have the option to choose emerald-cut diamonds or princess-cut diamonds.
Upon deciding on the diamond layout and cut, you may also be able to choose a setting. Typically, there are three options: bezel, channel, and prong. No single setting is better or worse than the other. Instead, your setting choice is your personal preference.
Bezel Setting
A bezel setting, or half-bezel setting, has metal around the stones. You may see this setting type used frequently in watches. A half bezel bracelet has metal connected to two sides of the stone.
Channel Setting
If you purchase a diamond tennis bracelet with a channel setting, you’ll notice that it has two rows of metal to hold stones on either side. The diamonds are positioned in the middle.
Prong Settings
Diamonds in a prong setting are held by three or four prongs for each diamond. This setting is particularly popular as light can pass through the diamonds beautifully.
Finding the Right Sized Diamond Tennis Bracelet
If you have made an appointment with an expert jeweller to create a custom diamond tennis bracelet, then you don’t have to worry about getting the right size. They will take your wrist measurement and ensure the perfect fit.
However, anyone purchasing tennis bracelets online in Australia may see the value in measuring before they buy. Use a tailor’s measuring tape around the wrist area. If you don’t have access to a tailor’s measuring tape, tie a string around your wrist and cut it at the join. You can then measure the length of the string with a ruler or builder’s tape measure.
Add around 12 to 25mm to the length to identify the best fit. Fortunately, due to the style of the bracelet, jewellers can remove links to shorten the chain if necessary. If you can fit one finger under your bracelet against your skin, you’ve achieved a near-perfect fit.
Given the beauty, history, and customisation options of tennis bracelets, there’s little wonder why they are so popular. If you’re looking for one for yourself or a loved one, book an appointment with Kalfin to produce a custom diamond bracelet that you or the recipient will adore.
