Why is it called a tennis bracelet?

If you have shopped for jewelry in Dallas, you have probably seen a tennis bracelet in a case somewhere. It is one of the most recognizable pieces in any store. 

The name, though, has almost nothing to do with the piece itself. There are no rackets and no courts in the design, so where did it come from? The answer involves a Grand Slam match, a broken clasp, and a date that most of the internet gets wrong.

What is a tennis bracelet?

A tennis bracelet is a flexible band made of a continuous line of matched stones, each held in its own setting and linked so the whole piece moves with your wrist. Traditionally the stones are diamonds, which is why you will often hear it called a diamond tennis bracelet, but the style also shows up with colored gemstones or a mix of both. The look is clean and symmetrical, and it sits low enough to wear every day.

Here is the part that surprises people: this style is not new. Jewelers made versions of it back in the 1920s, when it was known as a diamond line bracelet or an eternity bracelet. The design earned its modern name much later, and it came from an unlikely place.

Why is it called a tennis bracelet?

The name traces back to tennis champion Chris Evert. During a match at the US Open, the clasp on her diamond bracelet gave way and the piece slipped off her wrist onto the court. She asked officials to pause play so she could find it, cameras zoomed in, and the piece got the public's full attention. Afterward, jewelers and the press started calling that style a tennis bracelet, and the name stuck.

Now for the date, because this is where the story usually gets told wrong. You will see it dated to the 1987 US Open all over the place, including on trusted jewelry sites. Evert has since set the record straight: it happened in 1978, the first year the Open was played at Flushing Meadows. So if someone tells you the tennis bracelet was born in 1987, you now know the better answer.

The detail most people skip: the clasp

Notice what actually set the whole story in motion. It was not the diamonds. It was the clasp. A tennis bracelet is only as reliable as the mechanism holding it on your wrist, and a worn clasp is the most common reason these pieces get lost. That is exactly the kind of thing our bench handles in house. We can add a figure-eight safety catch for a second point of security, check that every stone is tight in its setting, and make sure the clasp closes the way it should before it ever becomes a problem on a busy day.

If you own a tennis bracelet already, or you are thinking about one, stop by Fuller's in Addison and let our jewelers look it over for repairs. A five-minute check at the bench is a lot cheaper than a lost bracelet.

Choosing a tennis bracelet: metals, stones, and styles

A few things to weigh when you are picking one out:

• Metal. White gold and platinum keep the focus on the stones and read cool and modern, which is why a white gold tennis bracelet is the classic choice. Yellow gold gives a warmer, more vintage feel. Both look great, so it really comes down to what you already wear.

• Stone type. Natural diamonds are the traditional route. If you want the look at a more approachable price, we carry LaFonn tennis bracelets set with the brand's Lassaire simulated diamonds in sterling silver bonded with platinum, including gold-plated options. These are simulated stones, not natural diamonds, and they are a genuinely popular everyday pick. If you want a natural diamond line bracelet built to your carat weight and length, our custom team can design one.

• Carat weight and width. Lighter, narrower lines stack well with a watch or other bracelets, which is the way most people are wearing them right now. Wider, higher-carat pieces make more of a statement on their own.

• Estate finds. We also buy and sell vintage and estate jewelry, and tennis and line bracelets turn up in that inventory. It rotates often, so it is worth asking what we have in the case when you visit.

Care and resizing for your tennis bracelet

A tennis bracelet is built for daily wear, but it still needs a little attention. Get the clasp and settings checked once or twice a year, clean it periodically so the stones keep their sparkle, and take it off before anything rough on your hands.

Fit matters too. If a bracelet slides around or sits too snug, tennis bracelet resizing is straightforward for our bench, since we can add or remove links to dial in the length. Because we do this work on site in Addison rather than shipping it out, you are not waiting weeks to get your piece back.

Come see us in Addison

Now you know the real story behind the name, down to the year.

If you are ready to see one in person, visit Fuller's Jewelry at 15164 Marsh Lane in Addison, or browse our bracelet collection online. Our family has been helping the Dallas area find the right piece since 1949, and we would love to help you find yours.

Have questions? Contact us online or call us at 972-992-5683!