If you’re shopping for a women’s diamond bracelet, it’s a good idea to read this handy diamond bracelet buying guide before you buy. We tell you everything you need to know, including how to pick the best style, what diamonds to choose and how to measure your wrist.
1. Choosing the style
If you’re buying a bracelet for yourself it’s easy to choose the one you like. However, if you’re buying a gift for someone, you need to pick a style they love. Read more about this in our expert guide to buying the right style of jewellery as a gift for someone.
2. Decide between a bracelet and a bangle
Traditionally, abracelet is made with a chain of metal links and has a clasp to attach it to the wrist. A bangle is made from rigid metal and forms a circle or oval around the wrist.
3. How should a bracelet fit?
A perfect bracelet should move a little on your wrist, and you should be able to slide one or two fingers between the chain and the wrist. A bangle should have a little more movement than a link bracelet, but it shouldn’t slide over the heel of your hand too easily.
Three different kinds of bangles
4. How to measure your wrist
Always measure your wrist just below the wrist bone when fitting a bracelet. You can use a flexible tape measure, or a strip of paper where you mark the size with a pencil and then measure it with a ruler.
5. Women’s standard bracelet and bangle sizes
For link bracelets, the women’s medium size is 18.5cm (7.2 inches). For bangles, the women’s medium size is 6.5cm in diameter (2.55 inches) or 20.4cm in circumference(8.03 inches). These sizes fit most people, but you’ll want to measure your wrist carefully if your wrist is very slim or wide.
6. Gold VS silver
The precious metal in your bracelet will influence its price and determine how well it resists wear and tear. Silver is a beautiful and very affordable white metal. However, it is softer than gold, and therefore not as resistant to daily wear and tear.
Gold comes in three main colours which are white, yellow and rose gold. Gold is more expensive than silver, but it’s also more durable and well suited to daily wear. If you want to save money, choose 9K gold which is more affordable than 18K gold.
7. How many carats of diamonds?
Diamond size is measured in carats. Bracelets often contain many diamonds, and therefore you’ll see their overall carat weight stated as total carat weight. The carats in a bracelet can vary, from fashion bracelets with decorative micro diamonds weighing 0.02 carats, to tennis bracelets with 10 carats or more. The maths is usually simple. The more diamonds on your bracelet, the higher its price.
Three different widths of diamond evening bracelets
8. Do you need high diamond quality for a bracelet?
Generally speaking, the answer is no. It’s true that the better a diamond’s quality, the better it sparkles. However, the good news is that diamonds in bracelets are generally small and therefore you cannot see imperfections in them with the naked eye.
9. What diamond quality is best for a bracelet?
As a rule of thumb, stick to three diamond qualities for bracelets. Premium quality is a great choice for small diamonds, or if you’re trying to keep your budget down. H/Si quality, which is higher than premium quality, looks white, sparkly and beautiful and offers great value in tennis bracelets.
G/Vsquality, which is higher than H/Si, is a superlative quality if you want a very white diamond. It’s perfect for bracelets with 2 carats of diamonds or more. Unless you’re buying a bracelet with huge diamonds, you really don’t need to go any higher than this.
10. What diamond shape is best?
In bracelets, the most common diamond shapes are the round diamond and the square princess cut diamond. You can also find baguette diamonds, which are rectangular. However, in very elaborate bracelets, you could find virtually any diamond shape.
A bracelet with square “princess cut” diamonds
A bangle with round and baguette cut diamonds
11. What diamond setting should you choose?
There are varying ways in which a jeweller can attach, or set, diamonds to a bracelet. Each type of setting has its own unique look and benefits:
Claw setting:
Four tiny metal claws or prongs hold each diamond in place, allowing for lots of light to enter the diamonds and creating maximum sparkle.
Rubover setting:
The metal “wraps” around each stone, protecting the diamonds from all sides. This is a practical choice for active people who use their hands a lot. However, this setting can limit sparkle it stops light from entering the stones from all sides.
Channel setting:
Metal strips hold a whole row of diamonds in place. The metal protects the diamonds, but it can limit sparkle because light doesn’t enter the stones from all sides.
Pavé setting:
Tiny metal beads hold dainty diamonds in place. This creates overall surface sparkle.
Illusion setting:
The metal around each tiny diamond is cleverly patterned with ridges so that it creates the illusion of a much larger diamond. This brings the bracelet’s price down considerably yet still gives you a luxurious look.
Halo setting:
In each bracelet link, small diamonds are set around each central diamond like a “halo”. This increases sparkle and creates a very luxurious look.
Cluster setting:
Lots of small diamonds form creative designs, simply for the purpose of creating a stunning piece of jewellery.
12. On which wrist should you wear a diamond bracelet?
Bracelets are usually worn on the wrist that is not your dominant hand. Most people simply find this the easiest way to wear diamond bracelets. Having said that, there are no real rules, so you can enjoy wearing wear your bracelet (or several of them) on any or both wrists.
If you’re shopping for a women’s diamond bracelet, it’s a good idea to read this handy diamond bracelet buying guide before you buy. We tell you everything you need to know, including how to pick the best style, what diamonds to choose and how to measure your wrist.
1. Choosing the style
If you’re buying a bracelet for yourself it’s easy to choose the one you like. However, if you’re buying a gift for someone, you need to pick a style they love. Read more about this in our expert guide to buying the right style of jewellery as a gift for someone.
2. Decide between a bracelet and a bangle
Traditionally, a bracelet is made with a chain of metal links and has a clasp to attach it to the wrist. A bangle is made from rigid metal and forms a circle or oval around the wrist.
3. How should a bracelet fit?
A perfect bracelet should move a little on your wrist, and you should be able to slide one or two fingers between the chain and the wrist. A bangle should have a little more movement than a link bracelet, but it shouldn’t slide over the heel of your hand too easily.
4. How to measure your wrist
Always measure your wrist just below the wrist bone when fitting a bracelet. You can use a flexible tape measure, or a strip of paper where you mark the size with a pencil and then measure it with a ruler.
5. Women’s standard bracelet and bangle sizes
For link bracelets, the women’s medium size is 18.5cm (7.2 inches). For bangles, the women’s medium size is 6.5cm in diameter (2.55 inches) or 20.4cm in circumference (8.03 inches). These sizes fit most people, but you’ll want to measure your wrist carefully if your wrist is very slim or wide.
6. Gold VS silver
The precious metal in your bracelet will influence its price and determine how well it resists wear and tear. Silver is a beautiful and very affordable white metal. However, it is softer than gold, and therefore not as resistant to daily wear and tear.
Gold comes in three main colours which are white, yellow and rose gold. Gold is more expensive than silver, but it’s also more durable and well suited to daily wear. If you want to save money, choose 9K gold which is more affordable than 18K gold.
7. How many carats of diamonds?
Diamond size is measured in carats. Bracelets often contain many diamonds, and therefore you’ll see their overall carat weight stated as total carat weight. The carats in a bracelet can vary, from fashion bracelets with decorative micro diamonds weighing 0.02 carats, to tennis bracelets with 10 carats or more. The maths is usually simple. The more diamonds on your bracelet, the higher its price.
8. Do you need high diamond quality for a bracelet?
Generally speaking, the answer is no. It’s true that the better a diamond’s quality, the better it sparkles. However, the good news is that diamonds in bracelets are generally small and therefore you cannot see imperfections in them with the naked eye.
9. What diamond quality is best for a bracelet?
As a rule of thumb, stick to three diamond qualities for bracelets. Premium quality is a great choice for small diamonds, or if you’re trying to keep your budget down. H/Si quality, which is higher than premium quality, looks white, sparkly and beautiful and offers great value in tennis bracelets.
G/Vs quality, which is higher than H/Si, is a superlative quality if you want a very white diamond. It’s perfect for bracelets with 2 carats of diamonds or more. Unless you’re buying a bracelet with huge diamonds, you really don’t need to go any higher than this.
10. What diamond shape is best?
In bracelets, the most common diamond shapes are the round diamond and the square princess cut diamond. You can also find baguette diamonds, which are rectangular. However, in very elaborate bracelets, you could find virtually any diamond shape.
A bracelet with square “princess cut” diamonds
A bangle with round and baguette cut diamonds
11. What diamond setting should you choose?
There are varying ways in which a jeweller can attach, or set, diamonds to a bracelet. Each type of setting has its own unique look and benefits:
Claw setting:
Four tiny metal claws or prongs hold each diamond in place, allowing for lots of light to enter the diamonds and creating maximum sparkle.
Rubover setting:
The metal “wraps” around each stone, protecting the diamonds from all sides. This is a practical choice for active people who use their hands a lot. However, this setting can limit sparkle it stops light from entering the stones from all sides.
Channel setting:
Metal strips hold a whole row of diamonds in place. The metal protects the diamonds, but it can limit sparkle because light doesn’t enter the stones from all sides.
Pavé setting:
Tiny metal beads hold dainty diamonds in place. This creates overall surface sparkle.
Illusion setting:
The metal around each tiny diamond is cleverly patterned with ridges so that it creates the illusion of a much larger diamond. This brings the bracelet’s price down considerably yet still gives you a luxurious look.
Halo setting:
In each bracelet link, small diamonds are set around each central diamond like a “halo”. This increases sparkle and creates a very luxurious look.
Cluster setting:
Lots of small diamonds form creative designs, simply for the purpose of creating a stunning piece of jewellery.
12. On which wrist should you wear a diamond bracelet?
Bracelets are usually worn on the wrist that is not your dominant hand. Most people simply find this the easiest way to wear diamond bracelets. Having said that, there are no real rules, so you can enjoy wearing wear your bracelet (or several of them) on any or both wrists.
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