Your Complete Diamond Tennis Bracelet Buying Guide
Introduction
Tennis bracelets are timeless, beautiful, and flashy pieces of jewelry everyone should have in their collection. The bracelets are made of a gorgeous string of diamonds, sparkling with every move.
These bracelets are both stylish and sophisticated and complement any outfit. You can flaunt your tennis bracelet from business meetings and parties to the red carpet. Diamond tennis bracelets initially cost you about 1,000 USD to 100,000 USD; however, their value constantly increases with time.
This comprehensive diamond tennis bracelet buying guide is all you need to make an informed and valuable investment.
What is a Tennis Bracelet? Meaning and History
A tennis bracelet consists of a symmetrical pattern of gemstones connected by a thin, precious metal chain. These gemstones are often of the same shape, color, size, and clarity to ensure high similarity. Often, the gemstones used in tennis bracelets are diamonds or imitation diamonds.
Why is it called a tennis bracelet when it has nothing to do with the sport? Contrary to what many believe, it has quite a lot to do with the sport.
In 1987, Chis Evert, a professional tennis player, lost her diamond bracelet during the US Open Tennis match after its clasp broke off. The officials paused the game, and everyone helped her locate her bracelet.
When reporters asked about the incident, she replied: “Oh, that bracelet? That’s my tennis bracelet.” Thus, the style became known as a tennis bracelet.
The tennis bracelet has largely remained the same in style, but jewelers have made adjustments in the clasps and bands to ensure they stay securely fastened on your wrist.
Diamond Tennis Bracelet: FAQ's and More Shopping Tips
How do I choose my Diamond Tennis Bracelet Color?
Tennis bracelets come in many diamond colors. While a colorless diamond tennis bracelet has been considered a jewelry staple, many fashion icons have elected to use rare diamond colors, including pink.
If you are looking for a classic tennis bracelet, you need to consider the color grade of your diamond. The color of the bracelet metal plays a vital role in affecting the overall color of the diamond!
When paired with yellow-gold or rose-gold bracelet metal, diamonds with warm tones look best. The color of the diamonds blends with the metal color, creating a seamless, sparkling look.
If you are looking for white gold or sterling silver metal, you should invest in the highest quality diamonds. Even the slightest yellow tints in the diamond will be highly noticeable.
How Do I Choose my Diamond Tennis Bracelet Clarity?
If you know a thing or two about diamonds, you may know what an eye-clean diamond means. An eye-clean diamond has no visible imperfections and is near-perfect when it comes to color, clarity, and cut.
Diamond size and cut help distinguish it from other gems. Bigger diamonds refract more light, and their cut helps makes them clearer.
How Do I Choose the Metal in My Diamond Tennis Bracelet?
There are many metal colors to choose from, so we’ve broken down a few below.
Yellow Gold
Yellow gold is a traditional color and brings a classic, elegant and distinguishable feel. It is recommended for people with warm skin tones as it brings out their skin color nicely.
Rose Gold
Rose gold blends with every skin tone. Whether you have a warm skin tone or a cold skin tone, rose gold will compliment your style. Rose gold is quickly becoming a staple in jewelry collections.
White Gold
White gold is recommended for people with cooler skin tones. It is durable and offers a nice blend with colorless diamonds.
How Should a Tennis Bracelet Fit?
A tennis bracelet’s fit depends entirely on your comfort and wrist size.
If you aim to make a statement with your tennis bracelet, it should be loose enough that it can move freely. It should not be loose enough to slide off the wrist. Many celebrities opt for a tennis bracelet fit like this.
Measuring a tennis bracelet is much easier than measuring ring sizes! Wrap a ribbon loosely around your wrist, keeping a one-finger gap between the ribbon and your wrist. Then, measure the ribbon against a tape measure. This will give you an accurate measurement of your tennis bracelet.
Diamond Tennis Bracelet: Uniformity of Stones
The main factors in diamond choices are the Four C's–cut, color, clarity, and carat. The same rule applies to the diamonds in your tennis bracelet.
Remember, a tennis bracelet statement piece must be uniform, elegant, and bold. It certainly should not have diamonds varying in size.
Diamond Tennis Bracelet: Styles & Settings
Diamond tennis bracelet settings come in the following three varieties:
Bezel: The metal surrounds each stone separately in the bezel setting. There is another style variation, which is called half-bezel. In a half-bezel, the metal is only connected to the sides of the rock.
Prong: Three to four metal prongs support each diamond, holding it in place. This is one of the most popular choices for tennis bracelets.
Channel: Two thin rows of metal hold the diamond by its sides, tightly secured together.
Some of the most popular diamond cuts for tennis bracelets are:
Round: This cut style has 57 sides and is flat-faced on the bottom. The bottom has a tiny point at the base, where all the sides come together.
Emerald: Usually prominent in rectangle and square shapes, the emerald cut has a profound clarity and a larger surface table, offering abundant reflections.
Princess: It has a pyramidal shape with angular and robust lines. The four beveled sides give the cut a geometric sharp square shape.
Some less common diamond cuts for tennis bracelets are the following:
Marquise: Carved with 58 sides, the marquise diamond has an elongated elliptical shape with pointed ends. It is generally longer and narrower in shape, giving the illusion of a larger size.
Pear: This shape is made round at one end and tapered at the other, with 58 sides. This is one of the best cuts to have for high sparkle and brilliance.
Diamond Tennis Bracelet: How & When to Wear
Now that you understand a bit about the diamond tennis bracelet, you may want some tips on how to flaunt the timeless piece.
Here is how to wear and flaunt a diamond tennis bracelet:
- Wear it alone on your non-dominant hand. This will immediately bring the viewer's attention to the bracelet and reduce wear and tear.
- Pair the bracelet with your watch. Be sure to choose an elegant watch. You do not want a big smartwatch to overpower the bracelet.
- Add some diamond studs or hoop earrings. You can never go wrong with pairing the tennis bracelet with another diamond accessory.
Diamond Tennis Bracelet: Care & Maintenance
It is essential to periodically clean your diamond tennis bracelet to maintain its eye-catching sparkle. Keep the following in mind when cleaning your bracelet:
Do’s
- Use soap and warm water with a soft cloth to clean the bracelet.
- Soak the bracelet in baking soda and hot water.
- Use fragrance-free washing-up liquid.
Don'ts
- Use an ultrasonic cleaner. It pulls on the diamonds and can damage them with notable internal flaws.
- Use strong detergents and cleaners.
- Use perfume, lotion, or heavy moisturizer while wearing your bracelet.
- Wear while showering, swimming, or cleaning.
Famous Tennis Bracelets You Should Know
Offering an elegant timeless look to complement any outfit, diamond tennis bracelets are classic pieces of jewelry that never go out of style. Here are some famous tennis bracelets you must know about:
Chris Evert
The Queen of tennis bracelets herself! Chris Evert is the reason this diamond line style bracelet has its name.
Penelope Cruz
Cruz is known to wear a 24-carat heart-shaped tennis bracelet during her red carpet appearances.
Queen Elizabeth II
The Queen owns an heirloom diamond quatrefoil bracelet that her granddaughter-in-law is often seen wearing at special galas.
Lady Antebellum
Hillary Scott, the lead singer of Lady Antebellum, has one of the biggest and brightest tennis bracelets we have ever seen.
Kate Winslet
She is frequently spotted wearing a full diamond pave Fiji friendship at events, including the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Jennifer Lopez
Ben Affleck gifted Jennifer Lopez a striking Harry Winston tennis bracelet that she wears to date. She was recently spotted wearing it on the couple's yacht vacation in the Mediterranean.
Diamond Tennis Bracelet Alternatives
Although diamond tennis bracelets are stunning and a worthwhile investment, not everyone can afford them. There are ways around spending a fortune on a tennis bracelet.
We have highlighted the best imitation diamond alternatives for you below:
Lab-created Diamonds
These diamonds cost half of what mined diamonds cost and are the best alternative in the market. These man-made diamonds are not fake or imitation diamonds. While they might not have the same level of clarity and color finish, an untrained eye cannot tell the difference!
Cubic Zirconia
Often mistaken for diamonds, cubic zirconia is another diamond alternative. A high-quality cubic zirconia bracelet in a well-crafted metal will give the same effect as a diamond bracelet while costing 80% less.
Moissanite
This gemstone is becoming increasingly popular, replacing diamond as its affordable twin sister. If you are unfamiliar with diamonds, you may mistake moissanite for a diamond. The gemstone is exceptionally durable, shiny, and has brilliant cuts.
White Sapphire
A beautiful, colorless stone, white sapphire makes the perfect alternative. It shines differently than a diamond but still makes for the ideal, affordable replacement.
Where to Buy Your Tennis Bracelet
Since tennis bracelets are a hefty investment, it is best to buy them from a reputable company like Lexie Jordan Jewelry. At Lexie Jordan Jewelry, we use the highest quality diamonds and each piece is constructed to the highest specifications of quality. Shop our diamond tennis bracelets, bangles, and more.
