Five Bracelet Styles Every Woman Needs in her Jewelry Wardrobe

Here at Bailey’s Fine Jewelry, we often get questions or requests for advice on where our patrons should start when developing their jewelry wardrobe. Building your fine jewelry wardrobe is a life-long, ongoing process that should be slow and steady. Just like in your closet, you will need staples in each jewelry category that will take you from yoga class to happy hour and from day to night. Here are the top five bracelets that every woman will need in their fine jewelry wardrobe!

1. Statement Cuff

A statement cuff is a necessity in every woman’s jewelry wardrobe because of the ease – it’s one of those things that you can throw on with any outfit, and it can stand alone and be really eye-catching. As jewelers, we are constantly noticing and evaluating the jewelry that we see women wearing, and we find that we are often drawn to statement cuffs because not only are they chic, but they demonstrate a level of confidence in someone’s personal style. Statement cuffs are a great staple in your jewelry wardrobe especially when you’re traveling because rather than keeping track of a whole bracelet stack on vacation, you can have one great piece that stands out and matches with everything. 

Often when we’re talking about statement jewelry or large-scale jewelry, our patrons might imagine a cuff made of heavy 14 or 18-karat gold that can be really cost-prohibitive. But, the truth is, statement-making jewelry doesn’t have to mean a statement-making price point. For example, Marci bought a sterling silver with gold overlay John Hardy cuff about 20 years ago that she still wears to this day. Another one of her favorite statement cuffs is carved from wood with turquoise and silver details that cost about $75 and she gets compliments on it all the time. Statement cuffs are a great way to show off your personal style and find something at a price point that you are comfortable with.

While Marci was creating this list of the top 5 bracelet styles that every woman should have in their jewelry wardrobe, she was going through her personal bracelet collection and she noticed that she has a great example of a statement cuff from each of her style evolutions from her teens to now. Statement cuffs are a look that we are really drawn to here at Bailey’s and that’s why they are our number one bracelet necessity.

2. Stackable Bangles

There’s no better sensory experience than wearing a great stack of bangles as they jingle on your wrist throughout your day. The key to a great bangle stack is finding bangles that fit you properly whether that means a round or oval bangle that’s large enough to slide over your hand with ease but not too large that you can’t keep them on. As with all jewelry, if your bangles aren’t sized correctly, they’re not going to be comfortable and you won’t find yourself reaching for them. Part of the fun of stacking bangles is that you can build and add to your stack over time. We love to think of our sales associate, Margarita, from our Village District store who wears 20-30 bangles all the way up her arm every day.

When you’re shopping for the beginning of your perfect bangle stack, we cannot recommend Ippolita enough. Ippolita is one of our favorite designers based out of New York and no one does better bangles more consistently than she does. Ippolita makes a wide variety of styles, widths, colors, and textures that can all be worn so seamlessly together and built up over time.

Marci has a set of three vintage bangles that she loves to wear together that are heavy, vintage 14-karat yellow gold with a bamboo texture and diamond details that she’s been wearing for 15 or more years. She also has a set of enamel bangles that remind her of a set that her grandmother gifted her when she was a child. She remembers so clearly the sound and feeling of having her enamel bangles on when she was a child that she’s able to draw joy from the set that she wears today. Marci loves to remind our patrons that they should never forget that as they’re wearing their jewelry around their children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, you never know what memories that those children are creating around your jewelry like the sound of your bangles jingling together.

3. Chunky Gold

As far as a chunky gold bracelet, this is a category that’s pricepoint can get really high really fast but if you’re looking for a great investment piece for your jewelry wardrobe, this is a great option. The term “chunky gold” can mean a lot of things, but similar to a statement cuff, a chunky gold bracelet is something that should be able to stand on its own.

We love a large-link gold bracelet like the classic Seaman Schepps Mousetrap bracelet to fill this category. Your chunky gold bracelet should be bold and eye-catching but timeless. If price is a consideration in this category, it might be accessible to go with a gold-filled or gold-plated piece so that you can achieve the look without breaking the bank. Julie Vos has a lot of great chunky gold options that are gold-plated. It’s important to remember that if you go opt for a gold filled or gold plated alternative, you’re not going to get the longevity of a solid gold piece and you may have to replace it in the future. 

4. Classic Diamond

There’s nothing more elegant than the diamond line bracelet or diamond tennis bracelet. This is another category that can be a little broader as there are so many iterations of diamond line bracelets, from a more structured cuff to a classic, flexible bracelet. Diamond line bracelets can also come in all shapes and sizes and sometimes, even a combination of shapes and sizes. 

A diamond line bracelet is a great compliment to any other bracelet in your collection as well as the best thing to stack with a beautiful watch. In terms of an investment, a diamond tennis bracelet is one of the most durable bracelets that you can spend your money on. We have many patrons who only take their diamond line bracelets off to be cleaned. This is a piece of jewelry that can truly take you from day to night, from yoga class to an event which is why we consider it an absolute necessity in every woman’s jewelry wardrobe.

5. Splash of Color

Our patrons know that we are absolute gemstone fanatics – we love anything with color which is why we think you need a splash of color in your bracelet stack. Adding color can be unexpected and eye-catching in a way that still feels classic and investment-worthy. A splash of color can play well with your other bracelets and makes sense stacked with a beautiful watch or chunky gold bracelet. We advise that you choose a color that you wear often or a color that would compliment the majority of your wardrobe. On the other hand, something like a dark sapphire can become kind of a neutral and look amazing with any outfit.

Something to think about with bracelets that you don’t have to consider as much with necklace and earring necessities is the durability of the gemstones that you’re wearing. Bracelets and rings are subject to more wear and tear than necklaces and earrings so making sure that the gemstones that you’re choosing for your bracelets have a Mohs Hardness Scale rating of 8 or above is ideal for daily wear. If you are purchasing a bracelet that you’re not going to be wearing every day, something like a dinner bracelet, it can be appropriate to include softer gemstones like emeralds that are more fragile.