Bracelets are an article of jewellery which is worn around the wrist.  They can be fashioned out of cloth or metal, and at times include rocks, wood or shells. Apart for the purpose of beauty, there are some Bracelets that are also used for medical and identification purposes such as allergy, blood pressure and hospital tags. The origin of the term ‘bracelet‘ is from the Latin ‘brachile’ meaning ‘of the arm’, via the Old French ‘barcel’.

In the late 1980s, “snap bracelets“, felt-covered metal bracelets that curved around one’s wrist when gently hit against it, were a popular fad. The in-line thin diamond bracelet that features a symmetrical pattern of diamonds is called a tennis bracelet.  This type of bracelet was first worn by Chris Evert, the former World No. 1 woman tennis player and the winner of 18 Grand Slam singles titles, in 1987 during the U.S. Open.

Bracelets are not often made of jewellery, for instance bands like Wristbands – strips worn on the wrist, refers to the bracelet-like band of a wristwatch, to the cuff or other part of a sleeve that covers the wrist, or to decorative or functional bands worn on the wrist for other reasons. One common type of wristband is the loops of plastic or tyvek that are placed around the wrist for identification purposes.

Wristbands, are often made of silicone. They are worn to demonstrate the wearer’s support of a cause or charitable organisation, similar to awareness ribbons.  Such wristbands are sometimes called symbands to distinguish them from other types of wristbands. Nike and Lance Armstrong popularised coloured silicone rubber as a material for manufacturing sports bracelets through the Yellow Livestrong band.  Its success led to ‘awareness’ bracelets information campaigns and charity projects.  These sports bracelets are also known by other names like ‘baller id bands’ or ‘baller bands’.

Bracelets are made of different materials and not usually for aesthetic purposes only. They could be cause based or identification based. To understand about various types of bracelets it is important to understand to read up and study about them. Enroll in the 3 years BSc. in Jewellery Design offered at one of the best jewellery designing institutes in Cochin.