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Essential Buyer's Guide to Tennis Bracelets
What you need to know when buying a Diamond Tennis Bracelet
History of Tennis Bracelets
The popularity of the Tennis Bracelet is widely attributed to the tennis star Chris Evert. In the summer of 1978, she was sporting a diamond bracelet in one of the early rounds in the U.S. Open when the bracelet suddenly broke and fell onto the ground. After this moment, the continuous-strand diamond bracelet was dubbed “The Tennis Bracelet”. While this moment in jewelry history may have been where the iconic bracelet got its name, it has been a popular bracelet style since the 1920s. During the Art Deco era, women wore diamond “line bracelets”. These diamond bracelets consisted of a row of square-cut diamonds. The line bracelets played homage to the decorations worn by the military members denoting their “tours of duty”. From the late 20s into the 70s diamond line bracelets continued to be worn and admired by movie stars and luxury shoppers for the simple sparkle they brought to their everyday looks. Today, tennis bracelets are quickly becoming an essential every day jewelry piece.
Why Are Diamond Tennis Bracelets So Popular Today
Since Chris Evert unintentionally made jewelry history at the US Open, many celebrities have since been inspired by the tennis bracelet trend. Famously, Hailey and Justin Bieber, Drake, Rihanna, and Jennifer Lawrence have been known to sport tennis bracelets. Most luxury jewelry brands also sell tennis bracelets and variations on the tennis bracelet.
The trend rose even higher in popularity when Zendaya’s new film, “Challengers” (2024), debuted in the spring of 2024 and the “Tennis Core” trend took the world by storm. With Google searches rising daily and 3M+ views on Tiktok, the Tennis Core trend is this season's biggest trend. Tennis Core is a mix of recreation and elegance. The Tennis Core trend falls on the tail end of the “old money” and “quiet luxury” trends from early 2023-2024. Sofia Richie Grainge often posted wearing a simple tennis bracelet as part of here quiet luxury aesthetic. The Tennis Core trend seamlessly connects these past trends by creating the ultimate summer look. Tennis Core requires a combination of expensive tailored pieces and an eye for luxury. The Tennis Bracelet is the ultimate symbol of this trend: it exudes luxury, wearability, and exclusivity.
Buying Tennis Bracelets
Sotheby's has a wide range of Tennis Bracelets available for immediate purchase on the Buy Now Marketplace. The most popular tennis bracelet metals are white gold or platinum but there are fans of yellow gold and rose gold. Many differently cut diamonds can be used to create a stunning diamond tennis bracelet. The most popular shape is a bracelet with round diamonds but bracelets with emerald, oval and cushion cut diamonds are also popular. Tennis bracelets can also combine different diamond cuts to create a truely unique bracelet. Sotheby's tennis bracelets generally start at $10,000 for a bracelet with ~ 5 carats total diamond weight and color G-H and VS clarity. When searching for a classic diamond tennis bracelet, we suggest white diamonds G-H minimum color with VS1-VS2 minimum clarity. The price is always determined by the cut, clarity, and color of the diamonds. High Jewelry Tennis Bracelets on Sotheby's marketplace start at $100K. These diamond bracelets have 20+ carats of diamonds and are usually D-F color with VVS clarity. All Diamond Tennis Bracelets on Sotheby's marketplace are made from natural mined diamonds. Sotheby's also has a few tennis bracelets that feature both diamonds and gemstones.
Buying Fancy Colored Diamond Tennis Bracelets
Fancy diamonds are another popular choice for diamond tennis bracelets. On Sotheby's Buy Now Marketplace, there is a curated selection of fancy-light and fancy intense-colored diamond tennis bracelets. Fancy light-colored diamonds are colored diamonds that feature a light/pale hue. These delicate diamonds are extremely rare and go for higher prices. Fancy intense diamonds are also rare and have a stronger more intense hue. Yellow is the most popular choice for a fancy diamond tennis bracelet. The price of these fancy bracelets ranges from $15K-250K+. When buying a fancy-colored diamond tennis bracelet, we suggest looking for D-F colored with VS1- VS2 clarity. Diamond tennis bracelets that include fancy-colored diamonds are more expensive than white diamond tennis bracelets.
Styling Diamond Tennis Bracelets
A tennis bracelet is easily one of the most versatile pieces anyone can have in their jewelry collection. For starters, it is lightweight, it can be worn day to night, and it looks good with every outfit. It is also a great layering piece. We suggest layering your diamond tennis bracelet with two or more other tennis bracelets to create a dazzling effect. It also pairs nicely with Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra Bracelets and Cartier Love Bracelets. Fun fact: diamond tennis bracelets are often considered the eternity band for the wrist. The series of diamonds mimics the look of the popular wedding ring style known as the eternity brand. Hence, a diamond tennis bracelet is the perfect companion to your eternity band and other bridal jewels. As the name suggests, the tennis bracelet is a summer essential for your tennis matches and can be easily styled with your tennis whites. Whether you are looking to add to your bracelet stack or play into the Tennis Core trend this summer, a tennis bracelet is the perfect choice to gift yourself or a loved one.
Buying and Selling Tennis Bracelets at Sotheby's
Sotheby's always has a selection of tennis bracelets available for immediate purchase on Marketplace starting at $10,000. Sotheby's also has jewelry auctions in New York, Geneva, Paris, and Hong Kong annually with a curated selection of rare or vintage diamond tennis bracelets. You can also contact a Salon Associate in New York or Bucherer in Zurich to learn more about our selection of diamond tennis bracelets at Sotheby's. If you have a diamond tennis bracelet with 5 carats or more total diamond weight to sell, you can contact a Jewelry Specialist to learn more about your selling options.
