Wimbledon Special: The History of Tennis Bracelets

July 12, 2022

By Rachael Taylor

6 min read

All eyes are on the Wimbledon tennis final this week. As the sport’s brightest stars battle it out for the cup, we reflect on a piece of jewellery as synonymous with tennis as towelled headbands and white skirts. This is the history of the diamond tennis bracelet.

While many athletes must forgo jewellery when competing – Lewis Hamilton’s disputed F1 ban on jewels being a recent example of note – at Wimbledon, jewellery is not only accepted, it is encouraged. Tennis players have long shown a love for jewels on court, and one particular style has become so intertwined with the sport that it has taken its name – the tennis bracelet.

Campaign imagery for the Or & Elle x Meaghan Cox collection, including the George Rivière tennis bracelet

Campaign imagery for the Or & Elle x Meaghan Cox collection, including the George Rivière tennis bracelet

 George Rivière tennis bracelet from the Or & Elle x Meaghan Cox collection

George Rivière tennis bracelet from the Or & Elle x Meaghan Cox collection

 The George Rivière tennis bracelet from the Or & Elle x Meaghan Cox collection is inspired by tennis

The George Rivière tennis bracelet from the Or & Elle x Meaghan Cox collection is inspired by tennis

 Bracelets and rings from the Or & Elle x Meaghan Cox collection

Bracelets and rings from the Or & Elle x Meaghan Cox collection

 The George Rivière tennis bracelet from the Or & Elle x Meaghan Cox collection with other yellow gold and diamond pieces

The George Rivière tennis bracelet from the Or & Elle x Meaghan Cox collection with other yellow gold and diamond pieces

 The George Rivière tennis bracelet from the Or & Elle x Meaghan Cox collection, worn with tennis whites

The George Rivière tennis bracelet from the Or & Elle x Meaghan Cox collection, worn with tennis whites

Tennis bracelet is the modern moniker given to a diamond line bracelet. Such bracelets are defined as uninterrupted circlets of diamonds. Releasing a flash of brilliance with every swing of the racquet, it is easy to see why these jewels became a sartorial statement popular with female tennis stars.

Turkish actress Bensu Soral wearing Bee Goddess jewellery

Turkish actress Bensu Soral wearing Bee Goddess jewellery

It was in the 1970s that the tennis bracelet won its sporting name. This was an era in which fine jewels were no longer restricted to galas and formal cocktail dresses, and the concept of pairing casual clothing with diamonds was starting to emerge – including on the tennis court, where often the jewel of choice was a diamond line bracelet. The style was so prevalent among female tennis players of that era that it soon picked up the nickname by which we still call it.

Crieri tennis bracelet with yellow diamonds set in yellow gold

Crieri tennis bracelet with yellow diamonds set in yellow gold

 77 Diamonds Mayfair bracelet with diamonds in white gold

77 Diamonds Mayfair bracelet with diamonds in white gold

 Anita Ko tennis bracelet with marquise-shaped diamonds in yellow gold

Anita Ko tennis bracelet with marquise-shaped diamonds in yellow gold

 Aurelia & Pierre round brilliant-cut diamond tennis bracelet

Aurelia & Pierre round brilliant-cut diamond tennis bracelet

 Bee Goddess line bracelet with a hexagon-shaped motif in rose gold

Bee Goddess line bracelet with a hexagon-shaped motif in rose gold

It was a tennis match played in 1978 that really cemented the association between diamond bracelets and tennis. During the US Open that year, former world No. 1 tennis player Chris Evert, who regularly wore a tennis bracelet during matches, demanded play be stopped after her bracelet unfastened itself from her wrist mid swing. A search ensued until the jewel was recovered.

Emma Radacanu in Tiffany & Co. jewellery just after winning the US Open in September 2021

Emma Radacanu in Tiffany & Co. jewellery just after winning the US Open in September 2021

Tennis bracelets continue to be popular among contemporary players. The 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams often wears one during play, as does former world No. 1 player Karolina Pliskova. Reigning US Open champion and British No. 1 Emma Raducanu, who has a sponsorship deal with Tiffany & Co, has been wearing a contemporary twist on the iconic jewel, opting instead for diamond pavé or diamond-set Tiffany T bangles.

R.F Finest coloured gemstone line bracelets by Roxanne First

R.F Finest coloured gemstone line bracelets by Roxanne First

 R.F Finest line bracelets with yellow sapphires and diamonds by Roxanne First

R.F Finest line bracelets with yellow sapphires and diamonds by Roxanne First

 R.F Finest rainbow sapphire line bracelet by Roxanne First

R.F Finest rainbow sapphire line bracelet by Roxanne First

 R.F Finest coloured gemstone tennis bracelets by Roxanne First

R.F Finest coloured gemstone tennis bracelets by Roxanne First

 R.F Finest coloured gemstone tennis bracelets in shades of pink and blue by Roxanne First

R.F Finest coloured gemstone tennis bracelets in shades of pink and blue by Roxanne First

Off court, tennis bracelets are enjoying a resurgence as part of a wider trend for investing in classic jewels that will last a lifetime. Back in the 1920s, it was fashionable to wear stacks of diamond line bracelets, and proving the endurance of this timeless design, singer Billie Eilish recreated this look at last year’s Met Gala with a little help from Cartier. This year’s Oscars also featured some stars in tennis bracelets, including Nicole Kidman in Harry Winston, Ariana DeBose in De Beers.

Billie Eilish at the Met Gala wearing diamond line bracelets by Cartier

Billie Eilish at the Met Gala wearing diamond line bracelets by Cartier

 Nicole Kidman at the 2022 Academy Awards wearing Harry Winston diamonds

Nicole Kidman at the 2022 Academy Awards wearing Harry Winston diamonds

 Ariana DeBose at the 2022 Academy Awards wearing diamond bracelets by De Beers

Ariana DeBose at the 2022 Academy Awards wearing diamond bracelets by De Beers

Many designers are now returning to take a fresh look at the tennis bracelet, adding in their own subtle twists. Some swap out diamonds for coloured gems or even enamels; others play with scale by graduating the size of diamonds in the line to create undulating waves of brilliance. Clever goldsmiths have added flex and stretch to designs, allowing bracelets to now be slipped over the wrist rather than relying on a clasp… something Chris Evert might well have been glad of during that fateful match.

Tasaki round brilliant-cut diamond line bracelet from the Danger collection

Tasaki round brilliant-cut diamond line bracelet from the Danger collection

We have seen a definitive increase in demand for [tennis bracelets], alongside tennis necklaces, says Sophie Breitmeyer, a jeweller based in London’s Notting Hill. They are worn a lot more casually today than ever before. Our clients layer them with chunky gold and gem-set bracelets, creating a less formal and more day-to-day modular look.

Sophie Breitmeyer diamond-set tennis bracelets

Sophie Breitmeyer diamond-set tennis bracelets

 Sophie Breitmeyer sapphire tennis bracelet in yellow gold

Sophie Breitmeyer sapphire tennis bracelet in yellow gold

As to the jewellery choices of this year’s duelling duo on centre court, we shall have to wait for Saturday’s much-anticipated coin toss to see whether the tennis bracelet will make a return to the Wimbledon women’s finals in 2022.  

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