Emerald Tennis Bracelet Guide

Tennis bracelet, but make it emerald. 

Diamond tennis bracelets have been popular for years, but a green upgrade to the classic is capturing jewelry lovers around the globe. Whether you're buying a Valentine's Day gift, a birthday gift, or just treating yourself (because you deserve it!), a new emerald tennis bracelet is sure to be a showstopper for years to come.

Tennis bracelet history

One of the top professional tennis players in the world in the 1970s and 1980s, Chris Evert could be spotted on the court wearing a diamond eternity bracelet during every match. At the 1978 US Open, her gold and diamond bracelet fell off, and Chris famously stopped play to find her "tennis bracelet." This diamond tennis bracelet, crafted out of white diamonds and gold by jeweler George Bedewi, rose to instant popularity. Modern tennis stars, including Serena Williams, have followed Evert's footsteps and sport classic tennis bracelets on and off the tennis court. The tennis bracelet has evolved to include various types of gemstones, and the emerald tennis bracelet is having a moment. If you'd like to learn more about how the tennis bracelet got its name, check out our article. 

History of emeralds

May babies got lucky with their birthstone - emeralds are very special gemstones that are rarer than diamonds. Emeralds are extremely popular in the fine jewelry world right now, and we completely understand why! Emeralds symbolize vitality, fertility, eternal youth, and stress relief. According to ancient folklore, by putting an emerald under your tongue you can see into the future. Staying young with reduced stress and clairvoyance... yes please! 

Here are some more fun facts about emeralds: 

• A Grand Gift: Emeralds are the traditional gift for the 20th, 35th, and 55th wedding anniversaries.
• 50 Shades of Emerald: Emeralds range in color from deep green to paler shades. The deeper the color, the more prized and expensive the stone. 
• Emerald-Cut: The emerald is the only gemstone that has a diamond shape named after it! 
• A Diamond is Forever, but an Emerald is Rarer: Emeralds are among the rarest gemstones in the world. An emerald with minimal inclusions and a deep color is so rare that it's worth more than a diamond of equal carat weight. 
• Fit for a Queen: Cleopatra had a lavish collection of emeralds. She adorned her palace with gorgeous green gemstone and often gave them as gifts. The British royals are also known for their love of emeralds - many of the British Crown Jewels are adorned with the precious gemstone. Princess Eugenie wore the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik tiara for her royal wedding, which features six emeralds spaced evenly on both sides of an impressive 93.7 carat emerald center stone. 

Whether you are purchasing a special milestone gift or want to treat yourself like a queen, an emerald tennis bracelet will make the perfect piece of jewelry. 

Are emerald tennis bracelets in style?

YES! Interior and fashion designers alike are in agreement that emerald is one of the top color trends for the upcoming year. Etsy even named Emerald its color of the year for 2022. High-end retailers are offering emerald tennis bracelets in a variety of different styles, often mixing emeralds with princess cut or round cut diamonds. Think of the emerald tennis bracelet as an upgraded classic - the color elevates it to feel more modern, but you'll never be out of style with a tennis bracelet on your arm. 

What type of metal is best?

Emerald tennis bracelets can be made with almost any precious metal. When a stone has a bluish hue, it is often paired with yellow gold to look greener. Yellow-hued emeralds can be paired with white gold or platinum to give the stone a cooler appearance. A more recent trend is pairing emeralds with rose gold - this fresh combination is a gorgeous stand out from the typical gold tennis bracelet. Take a look at your jewelry collection - is most of your jewelry in a specific color gold? If so, then that's the best choice for your bracelet to match your collection. We do not offer sterling silver or gold plated/gold-filled jewelry because it is less durable and tarnishes over time. A high-quality emerald tennis bracelet is always a good choice no matter which metal you choose. 

Emerald quality

So we've convinced you how gorgeous an emerald tennis bracelet will look on your wrist - now, how do you decide which bracelet to buy? Stone quality is an important consideration when purchasing an emerald. You can use the 4 C's of Diamond Quality (color, clarity, cut, and carat) and apply them to emeralds to make sure you are purchasing a high-quality stone. Use this emerald bracelet buying guide as a tool to help you find the perfect bracelet for your wishlist. 

The 4 C's of Emerald Quality 

• Color is the most critical factor when purchasing a natural emerald. Stones are graded based on hue, tonal grade, and saturation. Tonal grade determines the degree of lightness or darkness found in the emerald, ranging from Very Light to Very Dark. In general, stones in the Medium to Very Dark range are the most coveted. Hue involves the type of green color in the emerald, ranging from yellowish-green to bluish-green. An intense bluish-green is the most valuable of the hues. Lastly, saturation determines the intensity and strength of the emerald's color. This can range from a dull green to a very pure and vivid green. 
• Clarity is what the gemstone looks like inside. It is normal and expected for emeralds to have inclusions, unlike other gemstones. Too many inclusions will reduce the clarity and strength of the stone, reducing its overall quality. Most stones in the industry are treated with oils and resins to enhance clarity, which improves the stone's overall quality. If an "emerald" does not have any inclusions at all, it is likely a synthetic stone. 
• Cut is the shape of the emerald. Emeralds can be cut into any of the popular diamond shapes, including round, asscher, princess cut, and emerald cut (named after the emerald itself). The cabochon cut is unfaceted and opaque, and the least expensive emerald option. 
• Carat is the weight of the stone. Emeralds are available in a wide variety of carats, and just like diamonds, the price increases exponentially as the carat size increases. Our genuine emeralds are about 1.9mm. We hand select the natural emeralds for every piece to make sure they match. To make sure your bracelet includes the best stones, the size might vary slightly between 1.85mm-1.95mm. 

Bracelet size

We get this question a lot: what size should my tennis bracelet be? If you've got an existing bracelet that fits well, measure it! Otherwise, use something like a string or a tape measurer to determine the length needed. It's all about individual comfort. If you tend to like your bracelets on the looser side, we recommend adding .5 inches. If you want your bracelet to be snug, only add .25 inches. One thing that's important to note- we can remove emeralds from the tennis bracelet, but we can't add them, so when in doubt, go bigger. 

Stone shape

Our tennis bracelets have a variety of stone shapes. The most popular is the round cut, and the baguette cut is also a beautiful choice! Our custom emerald tennis bracelet with letters is a unique, personalized gift. This emerald and diamond tennis bracelet pairs two of our most loved gemstones for the best of both worlds. If you have your heart set on a specific stone shape, we are happy to work with you to create the custom tennis bracelet of your dreams. 

Bracelet setting

We offer 4-prong setting tennis bracelets and create bezel-set and channel set bracelets. Tennis bracelets are one of the most challenging pieces for a jeweler to create. Many jewelers won't make them because of the level of craftsmanship required. When purchasing a pronged tennis bracelet, you want to make sure limited metal is used, so the gemstones pop. You can also gauge craftmanship by the amount of space in between each stone. The less space, the better made it is.

How to accessorize with jewelry

Your emerald tennis bracelet is the perfect piece for mixing, matching, and stacking. When creating a stack, we love mixing chain types and textures. Try out mixing a tennis bracelet, a bangle, a chain bracelet, and even throw in a watch! Stacks can be worn on the right or left wrist - we recommend the opposite arm of your dominant hand. 

Try out this stack, and don't be afraid to mix metal types: 

• Natural emerald tennis bracelet
• Diamond bangle - we love the small diamonds set in rows of stones for extra sparkle! 
• Paperclip link chain

You also can't go wrong with mixing your emerald tennis bracelet with more emerald jewelry. We are having a serious emerald moment and piling on all the green. We especially love this emerald choker layered with this emerald bezel necklace or this emerald by the yard necklace. 

Emeralds go beautifully with diamonds and are an especially great accent to a bold diamond ring or diamond stud earrings. We also love a classic gold hoop. If you want to get extra creative, try a new setting for your engagement ring that pairs bold emeralds with the timeless beauty of your diamond center stone. An emerald wedding band is also a gorgeous option. 

Check out the rest of our emerald jewelry here.