Meet The Jewellery Staple Hitting The Courts This Summer

6 months ago

Tennis bracelet season is upon us

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Looking for a winning serve at Wimbledon? Regardless of whether you’re a dab hand with a racket, you can still make a splash on the court with the sport’s unofficial uniform: the tennis bracelet.

What Is A Tennis Bracelet?

Characterised by its strong clasp, thin metal chain and row of symmetrically patterned stones, a tennis bracelet is the more common name for a line diamond or diamond eternity bracelet. While these bracelets have been around since the 1920s, the design was made popular by tennis players in the 1970s – more specifically, by American former world No. 1 Chris Evert.

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Evert was known for her chic on-court style – which earned her the title of ‘The Ice Maiden’ – but her signature accessory was a line diamond bracelet by jeweller George Bedewi. As Sotheby’s notes, ‘this flexible, serpentine design of diamonds provided flexibility even while landing her opponent a perfectly placed backhand shot.’

But it was during 1987 US Open when the jewellery design really took off. A long rally caused Evert’s bracelet to snap off mid-game, causing her to put the match on pause while she searched the court. When found, it was revealed that a broken clasp had led to the bracelet’s disappearance.

Inspired by the pop culture moment, a huge uptick in requests for tennis bracelets occurred – with jewellers all over the world answering the call for new styles that included sturdier clasps that could withstand sporting activities. Today, you can still catch both athletes and onlookers alike wearing the line diamond design on their wrists.