Diamond Tennis Bracelets

While diamond bracelets date back many years, the diamond tennis bracelet is a relatively modern creation, originating at the U.S. Open in 1987. In the middle of a match, player Chris Evert asked officials to halt play so she could search for her expensive bracelet after the clasp snapped open. She wore an eternity bracelet with an inline string of individually set, sparking diamonds designed by George Bedewi.

Though Evert was not the first to wear this style of bracelet, her accident on the court sparked interest among fans and greatly increased the demand and popularity for this piece of jewelry.

The tennis bracelet, or diamond line bracelet, is most known for it’s slim, simple, and elegant style, making it a luxury piece suitable for everyday or active wear. The classic style is defined by a row of symmetrical diamonds set in individual four-prong settings made from high-quality metal such as gold or platinum.

Quick Facts

• The diamond tennis bracelet was popular even before Evert’s renaming in the 1980s. Its name beforehand was simply “diamond bracelet”
• So famous was Evert’s tennis bracelet that a line of jewelry, The Chris Evert Tennis Jewelry Collection, appeared for sale at stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue
• An elaborate take on the diamond tennis bracelet was the Gérard Diamond Bracelet that came up for auction at Christie’s in 2006 and sold for just over $1.5 million. Its whopping central diamond weighed over 29 carats and was complemented by paired diamond strands extending around the wrist