Tennis Bracelet Guide
What a tennis bracelet is
A tennis bracelet is a single unbroken line of small stones of the same size and cut, running the full way around the wrist with no gap between them and nothing hanging off it. There is no charm and no centrepiece. The line itself is the design, which is why it sits flat and reads as one continuous band of light rather than as a bracelet with a feature on it.
The name is literal. A tennis player lost a line bracelet during a match, play was halted so it could be found, and the style has been called a tennis bracelet ever since. The tennis chain is the same construction worn at neck length.
How the setting works
Every stone sits in its own cup and is held by four prongs, one at each corner. The prongs lift the stone off the metal so light reaches it from the sides as well as from above, which is where the sparkle comes from. Because each stone is held on its own, the line stays flexible and follows the curve of your wrist instead of standing away from it.
The Billie Tennis Bracelet 4MM uses round-cut cubic zirconia in that four prong setting, and closes with a box clasp with a safety catch.
Choosing your size
This is the one thing worth getting right, because tennis bracelets come in fixed lengths. An adjustable chain would break the unbroken line, so there is no extension to fall back on.
Measure around your wrist with a tape measure or a strip of paper, just below the wrist bone where the bracelet will sit. Then add roughly 1.5 cm. A tennis bracelet is meant to sit closer than most bracelets: if it hangs loose it rolls over and you end up looking at the back of the setting instead of the stones.
- 15 cm, 6 inches. For a wrist of about 13 to 14 cm. The smallest of the three.
- 18 cm, 7 inches. For a wrist of about 16 to 17 cm. The size most people order.
- 20 cm, 8 inches. For a wrist of about 18 to 19 cm, or for a deliberately relaxed fit on a smaller wrist.
The check once it is on: you should be able to slide one finger under the bracelet, but not two. That is snug enough to keep the stones facing upward all day, and loose enough to move. There is a size chart on the product page as well.
Width
Width means the size of the stones, and it sets how loud the piece is. At 4 mm the stones read clearly from across a room but the bracelet still sits flat under a cuff or a sleeve. Wider tennis bracelets get heavy on the wrist and catch on clothing; much narrower and the line stops reading as a tennis bracelet at all.
Will it fade or mark your skin
The finish is protective plated. It will not discolour your skin and it will not fade with daily wear. It is waterproof, so showering, swimming, sweating, rain and the gym are all fine, and you do not need to take it off for any of them.
Every Billie piece carries a lifetime warranty. If it ever breaks, fades or arrives damaged, we repair or replace it at no cost.
Looking after it
Barely anything is needed. When it stops catching light the way it did, that is almost always a film of soap or skin oil rather than wear: rinse it under warm water and dry it with a soft cloth. Keep it away from bleach and harsh cleaning products, and store it flat rather than tangled with harder metal, so nothing knocks against the prongs.
Bracelet, chain, or both
The bracelet and the tennis chain share the same 4 mm width and the same finish, so they read as a set worn together while neither looks unfinished alone. Both come in silver and in 18K gold plated.
