What Are Tennis Bracelets?

What Are Tennis Bracelets?

Few pieces of jewellery are as versatile as tennis bracelets. From going to a simple cocktail dinner to dressing for your wedding, this style is perfect for all occasions. Once called line diamond bracelets, diamond tennis bracelets are made with a symmetrical pattern of stones connected by a thin, precious metal chain. Often, the stones used to make a tennis bracelet are the same shape, size, clarity, and colour. 

Why Are They Called Tennis Bracelets?

The term “tennis bracelet” was first used in the 1987 US Open when Chris Evert, a professional tennis player, lost her diamond bracelet during a tennis match. She asked the officials to stop the game to look for her diamond bracelet while TV viewers and other spectators watched the search.

Evert wasn’t only a professional tennis player, she was also a fashion icon, and one of her distinctive accessories was her diamond eternity bracelet. Jewellers started receiving requests for tennis bracelets, and line diamond bracelets started being referred to as tennis bracelets. For decades after the 1987 US Open, tennis players and spectators alike have been drawn to the design, wearing a tennis bracelet with a watch or on its own.

How To Check the Quality of Tennis Bracelets

When checking the quality of diamond tennis bracelets, it’s important to pay attention to two primary factors. First, check the type of metal used to make the tennis bracelet. Second, assess the quality of the diamonds.

The price of a tennis bracelet varies depending on the metal used, the size of the piece, and the number of diamonds. The price of tennis bracelets starts at $2,000 and can increase significantly. However, you can’t compare the cost of a diamond tennis bracelet with two carats of diamonds to the cost of a tennis bracelet containing four carats of diamonds. 

Tennis bracelets are made from various metals; the most common ones include rose gold, yellow gold, platinum, white gold, and sterling silver. There’s no best metal type for diamond tennis bracelets–instead, each metal provides its own unique look and feel. Because you’ll wear your tennis bracelet often, one primary factor to consider when selecting the metal type is its durability—18K and 14K rose gold, white gold, yellow gold, sterling silver, and platinum are all durable for daily wear. 

When it comes to assessing the quality of the diamonds, buying a tennis bracelet can be very different from buying a diamond ring. For example, when shopping for an engagement ring, the centre diamonds must be certified to ensure they’re of high quality, but because the stones in a tennis bracelet are small, they’re often not worth the cost of grading the diamonds. 

To put this into perspective, to certify the sixty diamonds used in a regular tennis bracelet, you’ll have to spend at least $5,500 on certifications alone. Because of that cost, diamonds used in tennis bracelets aren’t certified or graded. Thus, to buy a high-quality diamond tennis bracelet, you must buy it from a reputable and thoroughly vetted vendor like Holloway Diamonds.

When reviewing diamond tennis bracelets yourself, ensure the diamonds reflect light to the eye and create a sparkle, have no noticeable blemishes, and look white in relation to the background. 

When Should I Buy a Tennis Bracelet?

A tennis bracelet makes for a meaningful and beautiful gift all year round. Because of its popular appeal and classic design, a tennis bracelet is often passed down for generations as a family keepsake. Diamond tennis bracelets can make a perfect gift for any of the following special occasions:

• Wedding anniversaries
• Wedding day gifts
• Valentine’s Day gifts
• Birthday gifts
• Graduations 
• Job promotions
• Retirements
• The birth of a child
• Christmas gifts

Final Thoughts

A diamond tennis bracelet is a beautiful piece of jewellery that can make a stunning and meaningful gift during anniversaries, special milestones, and holidays. However, like any other jewellery, finding the right tennis bracelet can be a challenge. There are many styles and materials to choose from—to buy the right tennis bracelet, review all your options and discover which settings and styles are the right fit for you.