Diamond tennis bracelets, originally referred to as eternity bracelets or line bracelets, have been a favourite among jewellery lovers for generations. These classic pieces encircle the wrist in a sophisticated, shimmering line of diamonds, offering timeless elegance, and have become the cornerstone of many jewellery collections.

Most of us have heard that the term ‘tennis bracelet’ was coined during the 1987 U.S. Open when a young tennis champion called Chris Evert famously stopped play. She was wearing her precious gold and diamond bracelet to the court that day and played so vigorously that the clasp of her bracelet broke. In a panic, the tennis star initiated an emergency search before play could continue, and when the renegade jewel was found, the camera zoomed in for a close-up. As a result, millions of women across the globe desired one just like it and from this iconic moment on, eternity bracelets were referred to as tennis bracelets.

Although the above makes for a fascinating story, the truth is that the facts have been lost to history and no one truly knows when or how the term tennis bracelet came to be. Diamond eternity bracelets were also popular before the tennis star lost hers on the court. While Chris did indeed stop the game to retrieve her diamond bracelet, there’s a hot debate as to whether the term predates the game and could have been in use as far back as the late 70s. According to Chris’s publicist, Chris recalled losing her bracelet in 1978, when the U.S. Open moved from Forest Hills to Flushing Meadows, well before the U.S. Open of 1987. Further evidence to support this is an article by The Los Angeles Times, dated August 4, 1987, where Chris and her diamond tennis bracelet are discussed briefly. This article predates the Grand Slam by a month. Based on the above, one might even be wondering if it was a simple case of transposing the dates.

While we may never know where the term originated, it’s certainly true that Chris Evert absolutely slaying on the court and her domination as a champion tennis player, as well as the extravagant novelty of playing a sport while wearing diamonds, definitely helped perpetuate and cement the term in history.

While fine diamond jewellery is not typically considered a sport’s accessory and our jewellery designers definitely don’t encourage carelessly excessive physical activity by those wearing them, diamond tennis bracelets are often favoured by sporty, active individuals. One of the best advantages of owning a tennis bracelet is the fact that it’s extremely versatile and can be dressed up or down, paired with an evening gown or even jeans. As a result of being popular among active individuals, think Serena Williams, and those desiring to wear their diamonds every day, high-end jewellers started adding safety chains and clips to their eternity bracelets as selling points for more athletic diamond lovers.

Today tennis bracelets are available in a multitude of designs to fit any taste and lifestyle. Our carefully curated selection features a distinctive range of styles for you to choose your perfect fit.

With South Africa producing the crème de la crème of diamonds, lovers of fine jewellery flock this way to find their timeless pieces. And when it comes to the best selection of diamond tennis bracelets Cape Town sports the winning jewel.

At Mark Solomon Jewellers we have possibly the largest selection of tennis bracelet styles, and we also handset our 18ct white, yellow, rose and two-tone bracelets with perfectly calibrated diamonds in a selection of sizes and colour grades. This means we can offer the perfect bracelet at the perfect price to suit any budget. We also have a curated diamond Tennis Collection, including diamond tennis earrings and necklaces to compliment your bracelet. So ladies, whether you’re a sporty style icon, or prefer a lifestyle of leisure, look no further than Mark Solomon Jewellers in Sea Point, Cape Town.