What Is A Tennis Bracelet? Everything You Need To Know
Wimbledon is just around the corner, which means it’s the staple tennis bracelet's time to shine. A truly timeless piece of jewellery that’s been loved for years, we’re here to explain how the tennis bracelet got its name, the different styles and clasps, along with our favourites.
We’re firm believers that a tennis bracelet should belong in everyone’s jewellery box, as we know there’s always room for extra sparkle. So, whether you love the dramatic shine and lots of glamour, or are curating your favourite pieces to make a capsule jewellery box to love forever, we think you’re going to love tennis bracelets.
What is a tennis bracelet?
Loved all year round and dressed up or down, tennis bracelets add so much style and just the right amount of sparkle to any outfit - pair yours with jeans and evening dresses alike.
Everyone’s sparkling staple bracelet, a tennis bracelet is a row of continuous stones, whether it’s diamonds, cubic zirconia or crystals. Set on a slender bracelet made of the most precious metals, they are designed to create a stunning sparkle.
The diamonds in our selection of tennis bracelets are carefully hand-selected by our experts, to make sure your tennis bracelet always has the highest quality, longevity, and most brilliant sparkle. Curated meticulously so that they radiate together in a perfect setting, our tennis bracelets are crafted with the fit and feel that you deserve, so you can treasure your diamonds forever.
Why is it called a tennis bracelet?
Before they were named tennis bracelets, these sparkling jewels were known as either “line diamond bracelets” or “eternity bracelets”. This is because they were given as a gift of your eternal love and a way of saying “I love you” to your partner.
The name “tennis bracelet” emerged later, and actually came from Chris Evert who was the World No. 1 tennis player from 1979 to 1987. As you can imagine, a diamond bracelet wasn’t then a common accessory for a tennis player to wear during a match in the US Open, so when Chris Evert stopped the match due to her diamond bracelet falling off in the middle of the game, the name ‘tennis bracelet’ stuck and has stayed with it ever since.
Tennis bracelet styles & clasps
Tennis bracelets can all have a different look and feel based on the setting, style and clasp design. Each type of setting is designed to hold the stones securely in place on the tennis bracelet, but will create a different overall appearance.
Prong: A popular choice, up to four prongs per stone are used to hold the stone in place on the tennis bracelet, allowing as much light as possible to pass through and create the most amazing sparkle.
Channel: The stones sit between two thin rows of metal on the tennis bracelet, keeping them tight and secure together.
Bezel: Metal individually surrounds each of the stones on the tennis bracelet to create a bubble appearance.
When it comes to clasps, there’s four famous ones used on tennis bracelets. Spring clasp and lobster clasp, which are both triggered by pulling back a lever, a box clasp which locks into place, or a slider clasp which is easily adjustable. Our Silver Cubic Zirconia Tennis Slider Bracelet features a slider clasp for quick styling.
The original diamond tennis bracelet
A diamond tennis bracelet is an essential piece of jewellery for any special occasion. The most popular style for your wedding day and beyond, the sleek and elegant style complements dresses beautifully, whether you’re the beautiful bride or spoiling your bridesmaids. With it originally being classed as the “eternity bracelet”, we think a diamond tennis bracelet makes the most thoughtful bracelet for your special day.
Our diamond tennis bracelets are crafted with the utmost care and expertise, and over a century of knowledge goes into perfecting the fit, feel, and look of each one.
“We hand-select every diamond individually so it sits just right, and so the array of diamonds complement each other for a magical sparkle. We consider each of the 4 Cs when curating our diamond jewellery, so that each diamond is as breathtaking as the next. Set into the finest materials such as 18ct white gold, your diamond tennis bracelet makes the ultimate treasure-forever piece of jewellery.” - Lorna, Head of Diamonds and Jewellery.
To learn more about diamonds and the 4 Cs, discover our helpful Diamond Buying Guide.
We’re loving this luxurious 18ct White Gold Diamond Bracelet. An 18ct white gold polished backdrop encapsulates a sparkling row of diamonds for a truly mesmerising finish. For more bridal jewellery inspiration, take a look at our Bridal Edit.
Style your tennis bracelet like Beaverbrooks Brand Ambassador and Fashion & Lifestyle Influencer, Debbie LeGrainger (@debbielegrainger). We love how Debbie has stacked her tennis bracelet with sparkly rings, Essence by Beaverbrooks jewellery, a 9ct Yellow Gold Diamond Bangle and a Longines watch for a truly stand-out aesthetic. Debbie has paired her tennis bracelet with jeans, a blazer, and a basic tee, so her jewellery takes centre stage. Get Debbie’s look so that your tennis bracelet doesn’t just finish your outfit, it makes it! We love how the beautiful gemstones sit together for a dazzling shine, and think a tennis bracelet will complement your everyday neutrals perfectly.
Sparkling silver tennis bracelets
If you’re looking for a sparkling tennis bracelet but not wanting to spend too much, our sterling silver tennis bracelet collection is perfect for your all your celebrations. Our silver tennis bracelets feature a sparkling array of cubic zirconias, each one hand-selected, cut, and set to give your tennis bracelet a beautiful sparkle. Embellished in sterling silver of the highest quality, we’re certain you’ll achieve the shine you’re looking for, to complement all your outfits stunningly.
We love stacking the sparkle, and our Silver Cubic Zirconia Heart Tennis Bracelet goes perfectly with this Swarovski Subtle White Crystal Bracelet. The heart-shaped design makes the perfect gift for someone special, whilst the Swarovski bracelet has a beautiful array of smaller and larger stones for a twist on the original.
Complete the look with a tennis necklace
If you’re going for an all-out shine, we recommend pairing your tennis bracelet with a beautiful tennis necklace. Perfect for an array of sparkle, co-ordinate your shining chains with a tennis bracelet and necklace set.
“A tennis necklace features a row of stunning diamonds, cubic zirconia or crystals, and is worn as a collarette. The style of a tennis necklace means they really complement a dress or top with a lower neckline.” - Courtney, Jewellery Buyer.
Leading the way in tennis necklaces is Sif Jakobs, with not just one, but two stacked together for the ultimate sparkle. And their trendsetting doesn't stop there, thanks to their mix of metals for even more style. Whether you’re wanting to dress up or down, this Sif Jakobs Ellera Grande Silver Cubic Zirconia Tennis Necklace and Sif Jakobs Ellera 18ct Yellow Gold Plated Cubic Zirconia Tennis Necklace is perfect for you.
Colourful tennis bracelets
A huge trend we’re seeing this year is colour, and what better staple jewellery piece to inject some colour into than a tennis bracelet? Showcasing a rainbow of multi-colours, this 9ct White Gold Diamond Sapphire Bracelet is not only perfect for any occasion, but it also has up to 50% off in our summer sale!
Is pink your favourite colour? Swarovski have the tennis bracelet for you. This Swarovski Matrix Pink Tennis Bracelet adds a hint of baby pink sparkle to your everyday look, perfect for stacking with other colourful tennis bracelet for maximum style, like the Swarovski Matrix Blue Tennis bracelet or the Swarovski Matrix Gold Tennis Bracelet.
Wearing your watch with a tennis bracelet
If you want to know how to wear a tennis bracelet with a watch, the best way to wear a tennis bracelet with your watch is by placing the bracelet closest to your hand, with the watch slightly further up your wrist. When choosing a watch to wear with your tennis bracelet, we’d recommend wearing a designer watch with a fashion or silver tennis bracelet, and a luxury watch with your diamond tennis bracelet. Also look out for watches with sparkle around the bezel, or diamond dot hour markers, as they complement a tennis bracelet perfectly.
“A chic watch with a tennis bracelet is perfect for making your outfit shine, and if you’re going for bold, opt for a luxury watch to match.” - Courtney, Jewellery Buyer
We’ve paired this stunning OMEGA Constellation 29mm 18K Sedna Gold Diamond Automatic Ladies Watch with our dazzling 18ct White Gold Diamond Bracelet. The diamond-set bezel that frames the watch dial matches the gold tennis bracelet perfectly, and creates double the amount of sparkle. We’re loving this look for a dressed up style both day and night.
Found these styling tips helpful? Share with us how you’re wearing your tennis bracelets over on our Instagram by tagging @beaverbrooksthejewellers and #ByBeaverbrooks.
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