Explainer | What is a tennis bracelet? The stackable diamond jewellery item Chris Evert made famous at the US Open is trending again
- A bracelet with a single row of diamonds, the tennis bracelet was so named after tennis star Chris Evert lost hers at the 1987 US Open
- Light, flexible and easy to wear and stack, tennis bracelets are considered ageless and genderless, and are coming back into fashion
When the #wriststack became a major trend a few years ago, it brought a jewellery favourite back into the spotlight – the tennis bracelet.
This staple – which in its most classic form consists of a bracelet made up of a single row of diamonds – has existed as far back in the 1920s, when it was more commonly known as an eternity bracelet. Since the 1970s, luxury jewellers like Cartier, Tiffany and DeBeers have incorporated it into their collections and it’s often spotted on high-powered women and celebrities.
It was only during the 1987 US Open tennis tournament, when American player and 18 times grand slam champion Chris Evert lost her diamond bracelet during a game, that it was rechristened the “tennis bracelet” in popular culture.
“Tennis bracelets are a classic jewel everybody should have in their collection because they are light, flexible and easy to wear,” says Valery Demure, a consultant and the founder of fine jewellery showroom Objet d’Emotion.
“They are also ageless and genderless staples, which makes them a safe purchase. They can be worn forever, passed down and never go out of style,” Demure adds.