With Summer behind us and the holiday season quickly approaching, it’s time to start thinking about gifts for the special woman in your life! The tennis bracelet is THE gift for the woman that seemingly has it all, and can be an incredible addition to any jewelry collection.
Elegant. Classic. Simple.
Tennis bracelets have grown in popularity recently, and have an “out of the way” design that allows them to be worn in any situation, from a night out on the town to the (you guessed it) tennis court. Tennis bracelets are one of the simpler forms of jewelry that we are able to create at Jonathan’s Fine Jewelers, but has one of the more unique backstories in the jewelry world.
The origin of the tennis bracelet
The tennis bracelet literally earned it’s name on the tennis court! During the 1987 US open tennis tournament, Chris Evert (a major tennis star at the time) asked for her matched to be stopped in order to search for diamonds that had fallen off of the bracelet around her wrist. Because the event was nationally televised, the former “Eternity Bracelet” earned a new nickname that has stuck ever since.
The Diamonds
While tennis bracelets can be made with many different types of stones, diamond tennis bracelets are generally the most popular design choice that we see in the store. When you come in for your one-on-one appointment, be sure to have a price range in mind for the entire bracelet rather than the individual size of diamonds that you would like on the bracelet. This helps us be as cost-effective as possible, as well as give you an accurate quote right away. With that said, if you would like specific diamonds mounted in the bracelet, just let us know and we can make it happen!
Similar to diamond earrings, the diamonds on a tennis bracelet do not necessarily need to be the same quality as those found on an engagement ring, which can help keep the cost down if you are trying to work within a holiday budget! The general rule is that the diamonds should be “eye clean” from up to two feet away. Remember – the tennis bracelet will not be viewed from up close very often.
Clasp Types
There are several different types of clasps that can be found on tennis bracelets. However, not all of them are considered secure, and could lead to an incident that gave the tennis bracelet its name! Here are the clasp types that Jonathan’s Fine Jewelers recommends:
Box Clasp – This is the most common type of clasp that we utilize, and is both easy to use and looks incredible. We can also add a safety chain to the box clasp in order to keep the bracelet from coming undone.
Hidden Clasp – The hidden clasp does exactly what the name indicates: it can’t be seen on the underside when the bracelet is worn. These are generally very secure and look great, but can be harder to take off than box clasps.
Lobster Clasp – The lobster clasp is our least used clasp for tennis bracelet applications. The lobster clasp is fairly secure but can be challenging for ladies to open if they prefer to have longer or acrylic nails.
Other Items To Consider
Metal type – Tennis bracelets can come in several different metal types, but white and yellow gold is by far the most common. Silver is not ideal for these bracelets, as it tends to tarnish very quickly. If white gold is known to cause skin reactions for your significant other, platinum is hypo-allergenic and is a great alternative to white gold or yellow gold.
Fit – It is extremely important that you have a good idea of the size needed for your tennis bracelet. The bracelet should not be so tight that it restricts wrist movement, but not so loose that it falls off. A great rule of thumb is that you should be able to squeeze a finger in between the wrist and the bracelet.
Don’t wait until the holiday rush to make your appointment with a jewelry expert at Jonathan’s Fine Jewelers! While we do carry some tennis bracelets in stock – they go fast around the holidays…trust us.
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