A Spotlight on Cartier Love Bracelets

The Cartier Love Cuff, or Cartier Love Bracelets are a jewelry item that has interested me for years. With one of the most interesting histories in the jewelry world, Cartier Love Cuffs were designed in 1969 by Aldo Cipullo. While the bracelets are still made by Cartier to this day, coming across a vintage is always a find!

The bracelets gained and maintained popularity due to their purposeful suggestive look: they very much resemble medieval chastity belts. People have reacted well to the styling as they are, to this day, one of the most sold bracelets in history.

The Cartier Love Cuff is designed with a series of ‘O’s with horizontal lines through them. This way, someone checking out your cuff can’t figure out where the lock is. Most cuffs of this caliber either slide on your wrist or open in a hinged spot where the Cartier Love Cuff includes a special key with every bracelet (many of which keys hang from a necklace as both a functional effort to keep the key close by and a fashion statement)! Other sources say that women wear the key, or screwdriver, around their neck as a symbol of commitment within their faithful relationship.

The Cartier Love Cuff had a super inexpensive little sister between 2006 and 2011: The Love Charity Bracelet. Introduced by Cartier in 2006, the Love Charity Bracelet was backed by celebrities like Eva Mendes and Nicole Richie and Cartier always donated $150 from the sale of the bracelets to various charities of the celebrity’s liking.

Today, the bracelets retail new between $5,575 and about $35,000. Used Cartier Love bracelets can be found for much less in trusted jewelry stores like Raymond Lee Jewelers.

The cuffs are available in an array of precious metals ranging from 18k yellow gold, 18k white gold, 18k pink gold, and platinum. The cuffs can also be adorned with diamonds in place of the ‘O’s—or even in rotation with the normal design.

Definitely a piece of jewelry that will symbolize a healthy, committed relationship, the Cartier Love Cuff is great to give in addition to an Engagement or Promise ring, as a wedding gift or a wedding anniversary gift. When others see the Cartier Love Cuff adorning a woman’s arm, they’ll know she’s off limits.