A tennis bracelet is an intricate piece of jewelry that compliments your casual Sunday night dinner attire or an evening ball gown. This thin bracelet holds unique value in the fashion circle for its simplicity, yet it oozes charm and beauty.
Contrary to popular belief, lab-grown diamonds have the same chemical and physical properties as earth-mined diamonds. Honestly, unless you state it, no one can tell the difference.
The best part is, lab-grown diamonds are way cheaper than mined ones. It is because its creation in the lab is cost-effective. Lab-grown diamonds are also ethically sourced, unlike natural diamonds that are heavily surrounded by ethical issues.
But since there are one too many lab-grown diamonds compared to an engagement ring, the purchase requires some contemplation.
In this blog, we will discuss some factors you need to consider before buying the lab-grown diamond bracelet.
Origin of the Name ‘Tennis Bracelet’
The name began making rounds in the fashion circle in 1987. As it happens, the tennis player Chris Evert lost her bracelet during the US Open.
Evert was a tennis superstar but also a fashion icon. She was labeled the Ice Maiden for her on-point delivery within the game while looking absolute fashionista. She started various trends, but her consistent choice was the diamond bracelet.
Once during a match, she dropped the bracelet. She paused the match midway to look for her bracelet. She and some officials started looking for it too. Meanwhile, the spectators watched this witch hunt.
Of course, nobody remembers if she found it or not, but the incident stayed in people’s minds, and the diamond bracelet was later referred to as a tennis bracelet.
1. Choosing a Vendor
When buying a diamond ring, the buyers mostly get the bigger-center stone graded and certified. It adds little to the cost, but it assures the quality of the diamond.
When buying a lab-grown diamond bracelet, buyers are usually reluctant to get them graded and certified. It is pretty irrelevant because:
- The stones are tiny compared to the ring
- Getting each stone graded and certified will add a lot to the overall cost
Hence it is recommended to go to only reliable and vetted sellers. Look for a vendor that offers excellent craftsmanship. Because the only thing that makes the bracelet shine from ten feet away –is the quality, cut, and brightness of the diamond.
2. Quality of the Tennis Bracelet
Some factors contribute to assessing the quality of the tennis bracelet—first, the metal of the bracelet, and second the quality of the diamonds.
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Metal
Diamonds are exquisitely beautiful stones, and they complement almost all metal types. Whether it is silver, platinum, rose gold, white gold, or yellow gold, they all look beautiful. It only boils down to the preference of the buyer.
The only thing that needs consideration is that the material type should be durable as you will be wearing the bracelet often.
When opting for gold, make sure it is 14 or 18 karat gold. 14 karat is preferably the most durable type for resistance against weather conditions, scratches, and scuffs. It may not look as shiny as the 24k gold since 14k gold has a higher percentage of other alloy metals.
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Diamonds
It would be best to look closely for the shine and luster when looking at diamonds. The cut of the diamond is also significant as it is the reason for the sparkle that a diamond emanates.
In assessing the diamonds, you need to check that the light of the diamond reflects the eyes. Also, check for any scratch or scuff marks.
3. Choosing a Style & Setting
It may look like a mere string of stones, but there is much more to the style and setting. In the end, it all goes down to the matter of preference.
Usually, in a lab-grown diamond bracelet, round-cut diamonds are used. However, princess-cut or emerald-cut are favorite styles too.
- Round cut diamond: There are 58 facets to the diamond and round in shape. These 58 facets reflect the light; hence the round cut is most commonly opted for because of its shine.
- Princess cut diamond: These are geometrically square-shaped diamonds with four beveled sides. These stones have angular solid lines and refract light lesser than a round cut diamond. But they are budget-friendly and give freedom and versatility in design.
- Emerald cut diamond: Known for clarity, emerald-cut has 57 facets and a rectangular shape. They give the designer more liberty in mixing other stones and are budget-friendly compared to round-cut.
The same goes for the settings of the diamond. Again, various settings make a difference to the whole look of the diamond bracelet. The main purpose of the setting is to hold the lab-grown diamonds in a string to make the string.
- Prongs: Prongs are the thin metal clasp that holds the diamond in place. Usually, there are three to four prongs per diamond. Both are equally secure, and it depends majorly on the size of the diamond. In a tennis bracelet, the diamonds are small in size; hence three prongs also work fine.
- Channel: These rows of thin metal hold the diamond on both sides. The diamond sits in the middle, secured. It also helps in the design to keep diamonds aligned closely, as we see in a tennis bracelet.
- Bezel: The metal which surrounds the stone. It creates a thin protective wall surrounding all sides of the stone. Whereas, for a half-bezel, the diamond is only surrounded on its two sides.
Time or Occasion to Buy the Bracelet
If you are planning to buy a diamond bracelet for that special lady in your life, there is usually no set time or occasion. But most people like to associate a sentimental value to the purchase as expensive as a diamond bracelet.
A cynic would recommend buying a diamond bracelet on:
- Wedding anniversary (like a milestone 5th, 10th, or 25th, etc.)
- Birth of a first child
- Job promotion
- Graduation gift
- Valentine’s day
However, if you are a woman and buy it for yourself, there is no date and time for what you want.
Final Word
A lab-grown diamond bracelet will be your most treasured piece of jewelry. Since it is an expensive one-time purchase, make sure to decide on the cuts and style you like.
Since you are considerate of every purchase you make, why not buy ethically created lab-grown diamonds. They cause no damage to the planet, and the growing process is a lot safer than mining and extraction of natural stones.
Also, only buy from the vendors that are trusted and reliable –since you are purchasing these tiny diamonds without getting graded and certified.
Last, enjoy the beautiful addition to your arm. You deserve to shine.
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