Prior to 1987, a row of diamonds set in a bracelet was called an in-line diamond bracelet. Today, we refer to it as a tennis bracelet, but how many people have ever stopped to wonder why or how this beautiful diamond bracelet got its seemingly unrelated name.
At the 1987 U.S. Open, a national tennis championship event, jewellery history was made at this most unlikely of events. Chris Evert, previously ranked the top female tennis player in the world, was competing in a tennis match when she realized her bracelet had fallen off. The bracelet was a diamond bracelet, set with multiple diamonds in a row or line across the bracelet. It had been specially made for her by celebrity jeweller George Bedewi. In a surprise ruling, the judge allowed the match to be stopped momentarily so Ms. Evert could collect her beloved diamond bracelet from the court and move it to safety. Since that day, any in-line diamond bracelet has been referred to as a tennis bracelet.
Today, diamond tennis bracelets are not only worn by major tennis stars such as Serena Williams, they can be enjoyed by women around the globe, regardless of the athletic inclinations. If you’re looking for something to break away from the traditional gift of a diamond ring or necklace, a bracelet may be the perfect answer. Diamond tennis bracelets can be found in a variety of gold and platinum settings with diamonds of nearly any shape or size imaginable.