Celebrities love their jewellery, we see them photographed with their beloved pieces almost every day. However, there is one piece of jewellery that they seem to love the most. That is the Cartier Love bracelet. Although the bracelet was created over 50 years ago, it is still as on-trend as it was back then. If people see their favourite celebrity wearing a statement piece of jewellery, they may be further inclined to go and make the purchase themselves. After all, who does not want a matching bracelet with the royals?
The story of the Cartier Love bracelet
The story of the Cartier Love bracelet begins just over 50 years ago, in 1959 when Aldo Cipullo emigrated to New York. Aldo quickly became famous within the New York social scene because of his involvement with huge jewellery brands like Tiffany & Co. Then, the real inspiration struck. Aldo found himself in the middle of a heated breakup with his former love interest, and at 3 am, he came up with the idea of creating a piece of jewellery that symbolises the idea of everlasting love. He wanted a bracelet that could not easily be taken on or off. Aldo believed that love is special and should be seen as a permanent thing, and that is exactly what the Love bracelet has come to represent.
The design of the Love bracelet
The key to the bracelet’s popularity lies solely in the design of the accessory. It is rumoured to have been inspired by a chastity belt, which explains the fact that you cannot get this bracelet off without using the screwdriver which comes in the original packaging. The design is extremely simple, some may say too simple, as it is just a plain oval band. The band itself features screwhead motifs, which give a clever nod to Cartier’s Santos watch.
Why is the Love bracelet so popular?
Although Cartier should attribute much of the Love bracelet’s success to the fact that so many celebrities have been spotted out wearing it, there are many other reasons as to why this bracelet has seen unprecedented success. The romantic element which surrounds the bracelet lures couples into buying the bracelet, perhaps for an anniversary gift to show unconditional and unwavering love to each other. When the bracelet was first launched, Cartier gifted the item to many high-profile celebrity couples at the time; Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, and Ali McGraw and Steve McQueen.
The celebrity Cartier club
Modern-day celebrities have been spotted all over the world sporting the famous Cartier Love bracelet. Just some of the extremely famous wrists include Kylie Jenner, Cameron Diaz, Pippa Middleton, and Meghan Markle. Today the Love bracelet acts in the same way as the Hermès Birkin or the Louis Vuitton luggage – items that transcend the idea of personal style and fall into the category of much-needed accessories. In fact, very famously Meghan Markle and Prince Harry wore matching Cartier Love bracelets when they did a TV segment as part of Time’s annual list of the top 100 most influential people in the world. After this was shown, individuals went crazy for this accessory once again.
How celebrities choose to style the Love bracelet
The Love bracelet has the kind of charm which means that it really does go with every single outfit. So long as you choose the right metal colour for you out of the three; yellow gold, rose gold, or white gold. If you get the bracelet in a colour to match your other everyday jewellery, then you will have no problem getting everyday wear out of it. Otherwise, if you have a minimal or even neutral wardrobe then this bracelet will complement that perfectly.
Cartier’s entire Love collection today
Cartier saw the public’s (and celebrities’) response to the bracelet and has now created an entire Love collection to go with the original Love bracelet. Some would argue that other pieces in the Love collection are even more popular than the original bracelet, like the ring for example. The Love collection now extends all the way to necklaces, rings, earrings, and timepieces. The Love collection has also inspired a new wave of Cartier collections, most famously named the Juste un Clou (which literally means ‘just one nail’) collection.
How much is a Cartier Love bracelet?
If you want to buy a new Cartier Love bracelet then even the most basic bracelet would set you back around £6,000. If you wanted to get a Love bracelet with more embellishments to it, you are looking at around £10,000. Maybe you already own an entry-level Love bracelet and are looking to sell that to upgrade your Cartier collection. Or maybe you just want to keep adding to your jewellery collection until your wardrobe is completely full.
Is the Love bracelet a good investment piece?
As has been previously mentioned, Cartier bracelets have basically never been out of style over the last 50 years. That gives a good indication that the Love bracelet will probably remain a trendy item for the next few years. Accessories always make for a great choice for investment, especially if you are looking for an item that you will be able to pass down the generations. The Love bracelet is definitely an accessory that will want to be passed from person to person as they each begin to truly understand the meaning of everlasting love.
Celebrities are continuously being spotted wearing the coveted Cartier bracelet
Throughout the time Aldo Cipullo spent with Cartier, the Love bracelet is his most successful jewellery design. It says a lot about a piece of jewellery when it can be worn, and still wanted, over 50 years later. With the addition of similar collections, like the Juste un Clou pieces, Cartier is truly a jewellery brand to be reckoned with. It seems that everybody is wearing the Love bracelet, celebrities and non-celebrities, which makes the item an extremely coveted one.
