How Much is a Tennis Bracelet?
March 24th, 2022 / Lindsay Kazan
If you’ve spotted Meghan Markle wearing a simple strand of diamonds on her wrist, or you’ve seen the street-style photos where women pair their diamonds with a matching sweatsuit, you’re probably familiar with and wanting a tennis bracelet. But, exactly what is a tennis bracelet? The tennis bracelet first came on the scene back in the 1920s, when so many incredible jewelry once-trends, now-classics were born. The diamond line bracelet or eternity bracelet as it was known at the time was minimalistic and subtle, yet carried a weight of symbolism: eternal love.
Today, though, tennis bracelets are more than a gift from one lover to another; they are a jewelry box staple that is actually never in the jewelry box because it’s always being worn. The understated, yet elegant diamond tennis bracelet style has won over women, and even men, everywhere thanks to its charm, its versatility, and, of course, its beauty. With just the slip of a tennis bracelet on the wrist, any outfit is that much more complete and any jewelry stack is that much sparklier. If you’re looking to purchase this piece for yourself or drop a hint to your significant other, you may first want to learn how much a tennis bracelet costs.
With any piece of diamond jewelry, especially one with surging demand, the cost is a substantial factor that can keep it just out of reach. This is certainly true for the tennis bracelet. If you have your eye on this classic piece and are wondering if it’s attainable, you have come to the right place. We’ll first answer the question: how much is a tennis bracelet? While the answer may hurt just a little, don’t click away. We’ll also help you find a tennis bracelet that works with your budget.
How Much Does a Tennis Bracelet Cost?
A real tennis bracelet is made of precious metal, such as yellow gold, white gold, rose gold, or platinum, and precious gemstones. As you might expect from the word “precious”, a tennis bracelet is a special piece of fine jewelry created with natural materials that are limited, which raises its price tag. The design of a tennis bracelet also influences its cost; a line of continuous diamonds surrounding your wrist is naturally more expensive than a solid gold bracelet or a bracelet that features one small stone.
There are many factors that influence the cost of a tennis bracelet and why some cost far more than others. We’ll explore these below, but know that, in general, a tennis bracelet can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a hundred thousand dollars. The majority of quality tennis bracelets that provide plenty of sparkle will be over $1000. Beyond that, the purer the metal, the larger the size of the diamonds, and the greater the complexity of the design, the more expensive the tennis bracelet will be.
At Diamond Nexus, our tennis bracelet collection ranges from $1200 to $2200.
What Influences the Cost of a Tennis Bracelet?
If you’ve ever shopped for diamonds, you know there are many factors that go into the cost. Two seemingly similar stones can vary widely in price due to microscopic differences. Since you may not be able to spot these differences at first glance, it’s important to know what to look for, and what could be influencing the high cost of a tennis bracelet. We’ve already touched on the fact that all tennis bracelets require multiple stones and precious materials, but there are other important factors that will set one tennis bracelet apart from another. These are the metal that is used, the type of stone that is used, and that stone’s cut and carat size.
Metal Type
White gold, rose gold, yellow gold, sterling silver and platinum are all popular metals used to create beautiful and durable tennis bracelets. Platinum is the rarest and most expensive of these metals, which makes tennis bracelets made of this metal typically more expensive than their gold counterparts. Sterling silver is another great option if you wish to achieve a similar look, at a more affordable price.
When it comes to gold, the level of purity is what dictates the price; 10K gold will be the least expensive while 18K gold will be the most expensive because it contains 8 more karats of pure gold. However, the greater the level of gold, the softer and more scratch-prone the metal. To ensure both quality and durability, 14K gold, whether it is rose, yellow, or white, is the best option for a tennis bracelet. Plus, it will be more affordable than 18K gold.
Stone Type
The type of stone that makes up a tennis bracelet will have a large impact on price. For instance, the traditional diamond tennis bracelet is typically the most expensive, but if a tennis bracelet is made with rare colored diamonds, it will likely be even pricier. On the other hand, tennis bracelets made with gemstones such as rubies, amethyst, or morganite will usually be less expensive than diamond tennis bracelets.
Tennis bracelets made with lab diamonds or diamond simulants will also cost less and usually significantly less than tennis bracelets made with mined diamonds. This is because lab diamonds and diamond simulants are created without the use of expensive labor, transportation, and natural resources necessary for mining practices.
Cut and Carat Size
As with any diamond bracelet, engagement ring, wedding ring, necklace, or other piece of diamond jewelry, the price of a tennis bracelet is largely influenced by the diamond cut, diamond clarity, and carat weight of the diamonds or gemstones it features. Round brilliant-cut diamonds are the most expensive diamond cut, and princess cut diamonds fall just below them on the scale of price.
Carat weight affects the price even more so than cut. Tennis bracelets are made with smaller diamonds, so the carat weight is listed as total carat weight, which is the combined carat weight of all the diamonds that make up the bracelet. For reference, a 10-carat diamond tennis bracelet could cost around $30,000 while a 2-carat diamond tennis bracelet could cost around $3000.
There’s no need to purchase a large tennis bracelet, though. Much of the attractiveness of a tennis bracelet lies in its dainty nature. A tennis bracelet with an overall carat weight between 3 and 7 carats will be both eye-catching and wearable; the stones will be large enough to sparkle brilliantly but not too large that they weigh down your wrist, or worse, appear fake.
How to Find the Tennis Bracelet for Your Budget
Now that you’ve learned how much a tennis bracelet is, you may feel disheartened, or even ready to give up, but don’t be. While tennis bracelets are notoriously expensive, it is possible to find affordable versions that fit within any budget. Consider following these suggestions to bring a tennis bracelet home without breaking your budget.
Shop Diamond Alternatives
If you’ve had your eye on a tennis bracelet for quite some time and know you’ll love and wear it for the rest of time, but have a budget that is less than $5000, you can still afford a beautiful tennis bracelet. To find a bracelet within your budget, consider an option created with lab diamonds or diamond simulants. These stones offer the same appearance, quality, and durability as mined diamonds at a far more economical price point and with a far more ethical approach.
Not only is purchasing a tennis bracelet made with diamond alternatives easier on your wallet, but it is also easier on the earth, as the process to create it requires far fewer natural resources because it doesn’t involve mining, and isn’t clouded by potentially harmful labor conditions. Plus, you aren’t sacrificing beauty, sparkle, or longevity. The Nexus Diamond™ alternative, in particular, is a patented lab-created diamond simulant that, among all simulants, most closely imitates the look and wear of a diamond, with two exceptions – it is absolutely perfect in every way, and it costs significantly less.
Explore tennis bracelets and other quality diamond jewelry crafted with the Nexus Diamond alternative at Diamond Nexus. Our team of experts are here to assist you with finding the right bracelet style and guide you through how a tennis bracelet should fit. Start shopping today!
Sources:
https://www.dmia.net/how-much-is-a-tennis-bracelet/
https://www.withclarity.com/education/jewelry-education/bracelets/diamond-tennis-bracelets
For price information:
https://www.kay.com/bracelets/tennis-bracelets/c/9000000170
https://www.macys.com/shop/jewelry-watches/bracelets/Bracelet_style/Tennis?id=10834
https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-jewelry/diamond-bracelets/diamond-tennis-bracelets