Is there a thing like a cheap Cartier love bracelet, and what exactly is cheap when it comes to a love bracelet by Cartier?
Also, what makes the love bracelet so popular despite being one of the priciest luxury fashion accessories from a high-end brand?
Well, we’ll share answers to these and several other questions about Cartier’s love bracelets.
But first, some basics about the Cartier Love Bracelet.
Facts about the Cartier love bracelet?
1. The Cartier love bracelet is, without a doubt, an iconic jewelry piece that’s ever been designed. It is also one of the most popular pieces of jewelry that have been purchased and Googled all over the world. And being a piece of jewelry that’s been worn by Kylie Jenner, Jennifer Aniston, Angelina Jolie, Naomi Watts, and even Kanye West, this piece of jewelry boasts a long and a rather surprising history. So, what are some of the basic facts about the love bracelets?
2. Well, the Cartier Love bracelet boasts a rather interesting history and unlike other pieces of jewelry by Cartier, the design of this bracelet was not designed in Paris at Cartier’s headquarters, but in Cipullo’s personal workshop back in 1969. After coming up with the bracelet design and creating one for himself, he approached Cartier’s maison to create a prototype for him. It’s also worth noting that the design of this bracelet was inspired by Cipullo’s bad luck when it came to matters of the heart. Cipullo believed that love between two people was meant to be everlasting and that people in love should have their love last forever. Of course, this isn’t always the case, but after getting his heart broken again, this masterpiece that came up with at 3.00AM is what he believed to be the best representation of everlasting love.
3. The other thing that stands out from the brand and their love bracelet is the fact that the bracelet was carved into a unique oval and not round shape, and the oval shape meant that the bracelet would fit the wrist well and as close as possible. In addition to the oval shape, each end of the bracelet has a screwdriver and it’s locked in place only when the screws are tightened. Interestingly, this love bracelet was designed to be worn by men and women. Given the design of the love bracelet, this accessory has, in many occasion been referred to as the ‘modern love handcuff.’
4. After the prototype was created, Cipullo was able to sell Cartier on the bracelet idea, and the brand not only bought into the idea, but also allowed Cipullo’s name to be incorporated into the design of the bracelet – this was the first time a Cartier designer (or any other brand) allowed the jewelry designer to sign their jewelry.
5. The other interesting thing about Cartier and their love bracelet is that at one time, Cartier prohibited individual customers from buying the bracelets for themselves and they only allowed couples to buy the love bracelets. This is no longer the case. The other rumor going around about Cartier’s love bracelet is that the pieces were originally created from a sterling silver base that was plated in gold. Later on Cartier started making the bracelets from solid gold. Then in 1979, 10 years after the original design of the bracelet, Cartier came up with their first diamond-studded love bracelet. Today, the Love bracelets are made of 18k solid gold, and they have been designed to be able to withstand the forces of wear and tear. These love bracelets are made of sturdy pieces weighing between 30-38g
6. Another fact you need to know about the Cartier love bracelet is that the distinct round screws that stand out from the love bracelet and what are now the decorative elements of the bracelet were actually inspired by many visits to the hardware store, as well as the mechanical pieces that Cipullo worked within the studio.
7. And soon after Cartier launched their first love bracelet, they gifted the bracelet to some of the famous (Celebrity) couples from the time (20thcentury), including the Duke and the Duchess of Windsor, Sophia Loren and Carlo Ponti, Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw, and also Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.
8. The last thing that stands out about the brand is the fact that the Love bracelets sold earlier on didn’t have any serial numbers incorporated. But after some time and with too many counterfeits on the market, they settled on adding engraved serial numbers on each bracelets, each with a unique number that was kept on Cartier’s files for easy authentication and as proof.
9.And legend has it that some of the hospitals based in New York keep screwdrivers for the love bracelet on hand at all times for when they need to urgently remove the bracelets from their arms in case of emergencies.
What is the cheapest Cartier love bracelet?
Now that we know what the basics of the love bracelets are, let’s look at the pricing of the Cartier Love bracelet.
Well, the cheapest Cartier love bracelet, which is often made of yellow gold or pink gold will cost you about $4,500.
You could, however, enjoy a great discount by buying the love bracelet from third parry sellers where you can score a bracelet for as low as $900 – this is often for the pre-loved pieces.
There also are some pieces that cost about $1600 but these might not be as detailed as you would like them to be. But these low prices only apply to the pre-loved or pre-owned pieces rather than the new ones from Cartier’s official stores.
Why Cartier love bracelet so expensive?
The reason why the Cartier love bracelets are very expensive has to do with the fact that the jewelry is by a luxury brand, and just like any other premium luxury brands, you have to pay a lot for the high-ticket items.
There is also the fact that the Love bracelet boasts a rich history, and the fact that the workmanship for the bracelets is of exceptional quality.
The use of high-quality gold metals with a high resell value also translates to the very high price tag for the love bracelet.
And for such pieces and brands, keeping the prices very high while ensuring the highest quality products drive the demand for the bracelets, hence the prices.
Why Cartier love bracelet is so popular among young men even if it is so expensive?
The popularity of the Love bracelet comes from the fact that the bracelet is considered a status symbol for millennials. So, despite the very high prices, they remain popular today.
Should you buy yourself a Cartier love bracelet?
Well, we wouldn’t tell you not to buy the love bracelet, but we think you should only buy yourself the love bracelet if you can actually afford it, and have a good amount let behind in savings.
Conclusion
Even the cheapest Cartier Love bracelet is not really cheap, by normal standards.
But if you have about between $2,000 – $4,500 to spare, then you can buy yourself a love bracelet by Cartier.
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Stephanie is a jewelry lover when she was a teenager. Her major was fashion design when she was in college. She is a jewelry designer at SOQ Jewelry and other design companies. Now she is also a writer for our website. She writes a lot of designs&brands posts with very actionable tips.