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A 'bracelet' is an article of jewelry which is worn around the wrist. Bracelets can be manufactured from leather, cloth or metal, and sometimes contain rocks, wood, and/or shells. Bracelets are also used for medical and identification purposes, such as allergy bracelets and hospital patient-identification tags.

Contents

Origin

Cultural significance

Types of bracelets

Sports bracelets

Tennis bracelet

Charm bracelet

Bangles

Slap bracelets

See also

References

Origin

Although the term ''armlet'' may be technically similar, it is taken to mean an item that sits on the upper arm: an arm ring. The origin of the term 'bracelet' is from the Latin 'brachile' meaning 'of the arm', via the Old French 'barcel'.

Cultural significance

In latin America, Azabache Bracelets are worn to protect against the Mal de ojo, or evil eye. The evil eye is believed to result of excessive admiration or envious looks by others. Having newborn babies wear an azabache (a gold bracelet or necklace with a black or red coral charm in the form of a fist), is believed to protect them from the evil eye.^[1]
In Bulgaria there is a tradition called Martenitsa which sometimes involves tying a red and white string around the wrist please Baba Marta to make spring come sooner.
In some parts of India, the number and type of bangles worn by a woman denotes her marital status. ^[2]
The history of Egyptian bracelets is as old as 5000 BC. Starting with materials like bones, stones and woods to serve religious and spiritual interests. From the National Geographic Society, the Scarab Bracelet is one of the most recognized symbols of ancient Egypt. The scarab represented rebirth and regeneration. Carved scarabs were worn as jewelry and wrapped into the linen bandages of mummies. Myth told of the scarab god, Khepri, pushing the sun across the sky.
Taken in the plural, 'bracelets' is often used as slang for handcuffs.

Types of bracelets

Sports bracelets

The use of colored silicone rubber as a material for producing sports bracelets was popularized by Nike and Lance Armstrong through the Yellow Livestrong wristband in May of 2004. Their success has led to the use similar silicone bracelets as awareness bracelets and become low cost tool for various awareness, information, and charity campaigns. This can be likened to the use of awareness ribbons for similar purposes. These bracelets are also known as 'baller id bands', 'wristbands' or 'baller bands'.

Tennis bracelet

The in-line thin diamond bracelet that features a symmetrical pattern of diamonds is called a 'tennis bracelet'. According to Diamond Bug, in 1987 Chris Evert, the former World No. 1 woman tennis player and the winner of 18 Grand Slam singles titles, was playing in the U.S. Open. She was wearing an elegant, light in-line diamond bracelet, which accidentally broke and the match was interrupted to allow Chris to recover her precious diamonds. The 'tennis bracelet' incident sparked a new name for the item and sparked a huge jewelry trend. Tennis bracelets continued to be worn by various tennis stars like Serena Williams and Gabriela Sabatini.

Charm bracelet

A charm bracelet is an item of jewelry worn around the wrist. It carries personal charms: decorative pendants or trinkets which are signifiers of important things in the wearer's life. In recent history, Italian charm bracelets have become trendy. While traditional charms dangle, Italian charms feature individual pieces soldered flat onto the surface of the link. There are even some kinds of bracelets that are said to make dreams come true, depending the color of the charms and beads.

Bangles

Bracelets that are in solid form, usually some metal, are referred to as ''bangles'' or ''bangle bracelets''. They can be smooth, textured or set with stones. In India, glass bangles are common. Made from ordinary glass that is about 1/4 - 1/8 inch in width, they are worn in groups so that arm movement causes them to make a pleasant sound rather like the clinking of wind chimes.

Slap bracelets

In the late 1980s, "slap bracelets" -- flat, felt-covered metal strips that curved around one's wrist when gently hit against it -- were a popular fad.

See also

★ Bangle

★ Brace (armor)

★ Friendship bracelet

★ Charm bracelet

★ Italian charm bracelet

★ Manillas

★ Necklace

★ Spike band

★ Torc

★ Wristband

References

1. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jferrer/374886821/
2. http://www.flickr.com/photos/18956657@N00/467865014/