It’s impossible to speak about high-end jewelry without mentioning Cartier. They have successfully built a brand that has created iconic pieces that don the hands of many world-famous celebrities for centuries. One of Cartier’s flagship collections from the 20th century is the Cartier Love Collection which started with the Love Bracelet.
About The Cartier Love Bracelet
The Cartier Love Collection that many people see today as an expression of love between lovers resulted from heartbreak. In 1969, Aldo Cipullo got the idea for the Love Bracelet due to a messy breakup he was trying to recover from. The idea behind the Love Bracelet was to create something that signified the permanence of romantic relationships.
In Cipullo’s words, ‘What modern people want are love symbols that look semi-permanent—or, at least, require a trick to remove. After all, love symbols should suggest an everlasting quality,’
And a trick it did require, as Love Bracelets don’t have the traditional clasp design of other bracelets. Also, unlike bangles, it was a piece of tight-fitting jewelry, and the only way to open it was to loosen the screws on both ends of the bracelet. Earlier versions of the bracelet had screws in multiple places, but designers reduced it to two on opposite ends.
The screws were also a homage to the industrial spirit of New York that Cipullo had come to love. The most glaring tribute he pays to the industry of New York is the Juste un Clou bracelet. Juste un Clou is French for “just a nail” and features the design of a bent nail for a bracelet.
Cartier Love Bracelet is available in two types– small and regular. Both types have nothing to do with the bracelet’s circumference; the small and regular refer to the width.
Cartier Love Bracelet Small
As the name implies, the small Love Bracelet is the smaller of the two types, and the width is usually between 3.62 and 3.75 mm. These small Love Bracelets can either be paved with diamonds, semi-paved, or non-paved. The paved versions have hundreds of small diamonds around the bracelet, with a few big ones on the spot where the screw design usually is.
Most times, the paved Love Bracelets are slightly wider than non-paved. You can also go for the flexible 2.55 mm chain version of the Love Bracelet if you want to.
Cartier Love Bracelet Regular
Then there’s the regular bracelet, which is usually 6 to 6.5 mm wide. There are also paved, semi-paved, and non-paved versions of the regular Love Bracelet. The semi-paved regular Love Bracelets can have between 1 and 10 diamonds placed on the locations of the screw design all around the bracelet. If you’re interested, there is also a statement 9mm Love Bracelet.
The small and regular Love Bracelet is available in 7 wrist sizes– 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21 cm. You can get bracelets outside this range if you buy from an authorized retailer like Diamonds by Raymond Lee.
Cartier Love Bracelet Small Vs Regular Price
Generally speaking, the small Love Bracelets are cheaper than the regular-sized ones. Non-paved small Love Bracelets cost between $4,400 and $4,800, while the regular Love Bracelet ranges from $4,900 to $5,300.
The price difference is dependent on the type of gold used to make the bracelet. Both Love Bracelets available in rose, yellow, and white gold. White gold variations are usually more expensive than the other two.
When you get into the range of bejeweled bracelets, the prices are primarily determined by the number of diamonds paved into the bracelet. In summary, a Love Bracelet’s price is determined by the type of bracelet, its metal, and the number of diamonds paved into the bracelet.
Which Is Better, Cartier Love Bracelet Small Or Regular?
Traditionally, Cartier categorizes the Love Bracelets into two groups– “For Him” and “For Her.” The regular bracelet is supposed to be a more masculine, while the small one made for women. However, there’s no law stating that this is the case, and you can choose to buy either one for the sake of your preferred style.
If you want something that lies subtly on your wrist, then the small is perfect for you, while the regular has a bolder appearance. The paved version of a small Love Bracelet has a mystique as people only seem to see the diamonds floating on your wrist. This effect is usually more if it’s a rose gold bracelet that matches your skin tone.
No matter which you prefer, both types of Love Bracelets are undeniably two beautiful pieces of jewelry, and none is necessarily “better” than the other.