Second Skin Bangles
You’ll Never Take Off
Photographed & Directed By: Jennifer Livingston
Styled By: Haidee Findlay-Levin
Bare wrists had a good run. Diamond bangles are piling up again, worn in multiples and made to live in.
Stacked in multiples, bangles are an expressive statement that can be graceful, boho chic, or stylish chaos. They’ve been a wardrobe essential for decades, so why all the fuss about them now? It’s this year’s signature accessory: it’s genderless, fashionable, and versatile, and one is never enough.
Jewelry houses and countless designers are putting their own spin on them. Today’s stylish options signify friendship, love, milestones, and status. New signature designs, including Tiffany & Co.’s Lock, Pomellato’s Together, and Louis Vuitton’s Empreinte, are as recognizable as a status handbag: You can identify it from across the room.
There’s a Bangle for That
From Robinson Pelham’s skinny, feminine styles with tiny diamonds to Tabayer’s sculptural models paved with diamonds and Roberto Coin’s bold gold cuffs with sparkling geometric motifs, there’s a bangle to satisfy every person’s style and mood.
Men are embracing bangles, too, and it’s about time. Many are trading in their beaded bracelets for gold versions with a touch of diamonds, which are far more distinctive and timeless. Orlando Bloom is known to wear the Tiffany Lock bangle, while Timothée Chalamet and Rami Malek have been seen wearing Cartier’s Love bangle.
One of the jewelry industry’s best-dressed designers, Nikos Koulis, who wears a uniform of neutrals by The Row and Loro Piana, recently unveiled his first series of men’s bangles. These sculptural designs in brushed gold or titanium with diamonds are sleek and luxurious, and he says clients often buy them right off his wrist.
“The bangle marks milestones, time, and relationships.”
The Best Stacks Tell a Story
For Victoria Lampley, owner of The Stax jewelry advisory, “the bangle marks milestones, time, and relationships.” Her stack includes matching Tiffany & Co. friendship styles that she received from her mother on her 18th birthday (they never come off) and one she shares with her own daughter.
“I’m more of a maximalist in terms of jewelry,” says Lampley, pointing to the late Iris Apfel’s signature armfuls of bold bangles as a great example of personal expression. While Lampley prefers to wear them stacked, she says a single bangle can look beautiful.
“I get wrist envy when I see a woman with beautiful, skinny, bird-like wrists that are perfect for the bangle.” She lists Pippa Small, Beck Jewels, Octavia Elizabeth, and Rosa de la Cruz as her favorite diamond bangles.”
The Wrist Wants More
Another great thing about this bracelet style is that they don’t require much thought; just slip one on anytime. Still, some of the simplest looks are, in fact, nuanced. “Scale and comfort are key to a bangle that you can live in,” says Anne Russell, Executive Vice President of Hamilton Jewelers. It should fit snug but easily move on the wrist, she says.
“The bangle is like a blazer; it can pull your look together and appear really elegant,” she adds. Hamilton’s most popular designs are a stretch diamond style, Fred’s bangles with diamond clasps, and Walters Faith’s Fluted diamond and gold bracelets. Russell suggests pairing a wider bangle with your signature timepiece or on the opposite wrist to balance your look.
Don’t be shy about piling them on. Go on and mix old favorites with new designs to refresh your wrist game.
Why Take It Off?
There’s something sexy about slipping on a bangle and never taking it off. Now that fashion designers are bringing sexy back, the slinky and sparkling diamond bangle fits right in.
Cartier’s iconic 70s-era Love Bracelet—worn by style icons from Jennifer Aniston and Tina Turner to Tom Ford and Kendall Jenner—is an instantly recognizable status bangle (we love it with diamonds). It literally locks onto the wrist with screws and requires a special screwdriver to open it.
In a show of commitment, famous couples like Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw, and Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton wore matching Love Bracelets; the romances didn’t last, but the style endured.
The bangle’s symbolism was established long before designer Aldo Cipullo dreamt up the Love Bracelet in Cartier’s New York studio as a symbol of love and promise. In ancient times, the bangles denoted power, wealth, and devotion. They were worn by Ancient Egyptian women as early as 2000 BCE and by both men and women in ancient Greece, Rome, and China. In Hinduism, women still wear them as part of the marriage ceremony to reflect their commitment.
One More Won’t Hurt
Whether you prefer minimalist cuffs, pavé-set sparkle, or bold gold statements, these are timeless investments you’ll wear every day.
Retrouvai Magna Bracelet with Carre Cut Diamonds, $20,880, retrouvai.com
ASHLEY ZHANG JEWELRY PETITE DIAMOND STAR ETERNITY BANGLE, $7,350, ASHLEYZHANGJEWELRY.COM
David Yurman Wisteria Bangle Bracelet in 18K Yellow Gold, $12,500, saksfifthavenue.com.
Tiffany & Co. Tiffany Lock Bangle, $45,000, tiffany.com
HEART THE STONES Diamond and 18K Gold Spindle Bracelet, $15,845, heartthestones.com
BUCCELLATI CLASSICA MACRI 18K YELLOW GOLD AND DIAMOND BANGLE BRACELET, $14,000, londonjewelers.com
Robinson Pelham ATLAS TORQUE BANGLE, $3,344, robinsonpelham.com
David Yurman Sculpted Cable Flex Two Row Bracelet, $15,845, davidyurman.com
Tabayer OERA BRACELET paved with diamonds, $16,000, tabayer.com
Harwell Godfrey DOUBLE BAGUETTE STUD BANGLE, $37,995, harwellgodfrey.com
HOWL BERNE BANGLE, $11,200, handleonlywithlove.com
David Yurman Buckle Cablespira® Bracelet, $4,200, davidyurman.com
Porter Lyons Pyramid Heka Bracelet, $11,000, porterlyons.com
Yvonne Léon Bracelet Jonc Coeur Full Diamants Pm Or Blanc, Price Upon Request, yvonneleon.com
Photographer/Director: Jennifer Livingston
Stylist: Haidee Findlay-Levin
Hair: Junya Nakashima
Makeup: Charlotte Day
Manicurist: Mamie Onishi
Model: Zoe Pena
Creative Director: Lizzy Oppenheimer
Creative Production: Petty Cash Production
Director of Photography: Matthew Schroeder
Photo Assistants: Hans Olson, Eric Tanaka
Digital Tech: Chris Rice
Fashion Assistant: Jasmine Fontaina