Cartier Love Bracelets – A Timeless Classic
The Cartier Love bracelet or bangle is a timeless piece that can work in any woman’s wardrobe. We consider it a jewelry collection staple, and a true classic.
The Cartier Love collection now includes rings, necklaces, cufflinks, and even watches, but it all started in 1969 with the original design of the Cartier Love bracelet.
Aldo Cipullo, the renowned jewelry designer who created the trademark bangle, designed the Love bracelet for Cartier. Cipullo began his career in his home country of Italy before moving stateside and working for David Webb as well as Tiffany & Co.
Cipullo has said that his initial inspiration for the famous Love bracelet was the medieval chastity belt, thanks to its secure screw enclosure. His idea was that couples could exchange the bracelets, much like rings, as a symbol of everlasting devotion; once the bracelets were closed around the wearer’s wrists, they could only be removed with the accompanying (and almost equally famous) Cartier screwdriver. Cartier publicized the bracelet at first by gifting pairs of Love bangles to famous Cartier fans like Elizabeth Taylor & Richard Burton.
The screwing enclosure on the Love bracelet is perhaps its most distinctive feature. Where a traditional bangle would be wide enough to allow the wearer to slip it over their hand, the Love bangle is sized to the wearer’s wrist.
Click here for a Cartier Love Bracelet Sizing Guide
In a take on Cipullo’s original intention for the bracelet, Cartier also offers screwdriver necklaces, so that one wearer has the Love bangle “locked” on their wrist, and the other wears the screwdriver “key” as a symbol of their partnership.
The original Love bracelet is a simple, modernist approach with clean graphic lines. The utilitarian appearance of the screws is elegantly juxtaposed with the gorgeous 18kt yellow gold and makes for a striking and instantly recognizable design. Cartier also offers variations of the original Love bracelet, like its 18kt white gold versions, rose gold versions, diamond studded editions, and special edition pave, ceramic and gemstone Love Bangles. The rare Love cuff can also be found on occasion.
The Cartier Love bangle remains a hot seller in our Boca Raton showroom, and even withstood last year’s record high gold prices. Because our Cartier Love bangles are pre-owned, Raymond Lee Jewelers is able to offer them at prices significantly less than the $3k+ retail value.
We adore the simple, clean lines of a Cartier Love bangle, think they’re highly collectible, and officially have deemed them a “must” for every jewelry collector.
