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Tennis bracelet questions

inska

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 13, 2021
Messages
9
I'm thinking about buying a tennis bracelet and have spent alot of time reading through posts on the PS forum (so incredibly helpful, I've learned a ton!!!). I have a few questions and would also love to hear people's thoughts. Here's some background on what I want: 14k WG 7 inch bracelet (I have a 6.1 inch wrist), with diamonds around .12 in size, so in the 6 ct total range. In terms of settings, I'm really stuck here, as I've seen lots of bracelets that I like: 3 prong, 4 prong, and half-bezel. I also like pics here with 4 prong that look like 3 prong but I haven't seen this out shopping. The other wild card for me is color. I thought I was pretty flexible on color, but yesterday I tried on a few bracelets and I could not believe the color difference between F and H/I -- albeit they were stacked together on my wrist so that may be why the difference was so stark.

Here are my questions:
(1) I often see references to "PS quality diamonds" or someone references a purchase made pre-PS. What exactly does this mean? It feels like it's relevant to my purchase but I'm not sure what I'm on the lookout for.
(2) Half-bezels don't seem to get alot of love here, though some say they're more secure and less likely to snag. I'm curious to hear opinions -- is it that the 4 prong and 3 prong are so classic that you can't go wrong? The half bezel is definitely more modern than what I thought I wanted, but it was so darn sparkly (and at only about 4.5 carats, much smaller) I was really taken with it. This particular one was out of my price range, but still trying to figure out what setting I want. So much is personal taste, but since I like so many different settings, I'm trying to come up with ways to narrow it down.
(3) Re: color, I haven't priced out the cost difference on a bracelet with the same specs except color so not sure how much extra F diamonds would be, but curious if you think it's worth the extra cost. I'm wondering if the reason the color difference was so stark was because I was trying on two bracelets stacked (one F, one H/I), but normally I would only be wearing one bracelet so on its own, H/I would probably be fine.
(4) I've read a few posts on clasps and safety chains. I thought I wanted a safety chain b/c I lost a few bracelets when I was younger and it's stayed with me to the point that I'm a little nervous. That said, it seems many people feel pretty confident in the clasp they have. Is there a specific clasp that I could request that's known to be ultra secure, but it's still possible for me to put it on my wrist by myself (my one rule for jewelry is that I must be able to put it on and take it off without assistance). I've tried searching this but it's been hard to find info.
(5) I've reached out to one vendor that is frequently mentioned here. So far, they've been very responsive and great, and have shared a few videos which has been helpful. But I'm still nervous about purchasing something at this price range from afar. I don't need to purchase from a local jeweler, but curious if you have any other tips about online purchasing that I might want to consider.

Also, apologies if I haven't quite got all the lingo down. I'm trying : )
 
I'm thinking about buying a tennis bracelet and have spent alot of time reading through posts on the PS forum (so incredibly helpful, I've learned a ton!!!). I have a few questions and would also love to hear people's thoughts. Here's some background on what I want: 14k WG 7 inch bracelet (I have a 6.1 inch wrist), with diamonds around .12 in size, so in the 6 ct total range. In terms of settings, I'm really stuck here, as I've seen lots of bracelets that I like: 3 prong, 4 prong, and half-bezel. I also like pics here with 4 prong that look like 3 prong but I haven't seen this out shopping. The other wild card for me is color. I thought I was pretty flexible on color, but yesterday I tried on a few bracelets and I could not believe the color difference between F and H/I -- albeit they were stacked together on my wrist so that may be why the difference was so stark.

Here are my questions:
(1) I often see references to "PS quality diamonds" or someone references a purchase made pre-PS. What exactly does this mean? It feels like it's relevant to my purchase but I'm not sure what I'm on the lookout for.
(2) Half-bezels don't seem to get alot of love here, though some say they're more secure and less likely to snag. I'm curious to hear opinions -- is it that the 4 prong and 3 prong are so classic that you can't go wrong? The half bezel is definitely more modern than what I thought I wanted, but it was so darn sparkly (and at only about 4.5 carats, much smaller) I was really taken with it. This particular one was out of my price range, but still trying to figure out what setting I want. So much is personal taste, but since I like so many different settings, I'm trying to come up with ways to narrow it down.
(3) Re: color, I haven't priced out the cost difference on a bracelet with the same specs except color so not sure how much extra F diamonds would be, but curious if you think it's worth the extra cost. I'm wondering if the reason the color difference was so stark was because I was trying on two bracelets stacked (one F, one H/I), but normally I would only be wearing one bracelet so on its own, H/I would probably be fine.
(4) I've read a few posts on clasps and safety chains. I thought I wanted a safety chain b/c I lost a few bracelets when I was younger and it's stayed with me to the point that I'm a little nervous. That said, it seems many people feel pretty confident in the clasp they have. Is there a specific clasp that I could request that's known to be ultra secure, but it's still possible for me to put it on my wrist by myself (my one rule for jewelry is that I must be able to put it on and take it off without assistance). I've tried searching this but it's been hard to find info.
(5) I've reached out to one vendor that is frequently mentioned here. So far, they've been very responsive and great, and have shared a few videos which has been helpful. But I'm still nervous about purchasing something at this price range from afar. I don't need to purchase from a local jeweler, but curious if you have any other tips about online purchasing that I might want to consider.

Also, apologies if I haven't quite got all the lingo down. I'm trying : )

As far as being able to put the bracelet on without any assistance, I bought the "Fairy Fastener" from Amazon (sorry, don't know how to link) and it has been WONDERFUL!!! It's made all the difference in getting my bracelets on. I like this model (there are quite a few versions of fasteners offered) because it's 'teeth' are made from acrylic and not metal like some of the others; I haven't gotten any scratch marks from using it. Good luck in your search - I'm involved in the same endeavor and have discovered that a number of the online vendors are willing to shorten, but not lengthen a bracelet. I have read on PS that DeeJay Jewelers on Ebay is respected and they have good prices. Good luck and I'll be following your thread!
 
Hi! I have 2 tennis bracelets-slightly different styles. If I had to do it over again, I would get 3 prongs with bigger diamonds. Someday in the future, I will probably get a larger carat from IDJ in the 3 prong style.

I believe my 4 carat in white gold is G/H color. I would be comfortable getting the next one in H/I.

My ER is F/ VS. But for tennis bracelets and necklaces I’m totally comfortable with SI quality. You have to decide with you are comfortable with.

Pic for reference.

*edit I have purchased from Deejays on eBay and they are great. I want a 3 prong style and I don’t believe they have a bracelet in that style

FF51E2E5-3256-4812-9D6C-CCEDFED950AE.jpeg
 
Hi! I have 2 tennis bracelets-slightly different styles. If I had to do it over again, I would get 3 prongs with bigger diamonds. Someday in the future, I will probably get a larger carat from IDJ in the 3 prong style.

I believe my 4 carat in white gold is G/H color. I would be comfortable getting the next one in H/I.

My ER is F/ VS. But for tennis bracelets and necklaces I’m totally comfortable with SI quality. You have to decide with you are comfortable with.

Pic for reference.

*edit I have purchased from Deejays on eBay and they are great. I want a 3 prong style and I don’t believe they have a bracelet in that style

FF51E2E5-3256-4812-9D6C-CCEDFED950AE.jpeg
I did email DeeJay's and you are correct, no 3-prongs and a twitch over 10 ctw is as high as they go. I, too, have a 4-prong line bracelet and am looking for a 3-prong so the diamonds appear 'separated'. May I ask, looking at your stack, the yg stones appear to show up more 'individually' than those in wg; is it just the photo perspective and the two bracelets are both 4-prong or are the mountings different? Thanks.
 
I did email DeeJay's and you are correct, no 3-prongs and a twitch over 10 ctw is as high as they go. I, too, have a 4-prong line bracelet and am looking for a 3-prong so the diamonds appear 'separated'. May I ask, looking at your stack, the yg stones appear to show up more 'individually' than those in wg; is it just the photo perspective and the two bracelets are both 4-prong or are the mountings different? Thanks.

Both are 4 prong but I love how the 3 carat YG is set. I wish I knew what that style setting was called...I haven't researched it too much though.
 
Very excited for you as you decide on your tennis bracelet! I was in the same shoes in December. I ended up purchasing the traditional in line 4 prong 14k WG ~8 ct from IDJ. I liked that they had the F / SI as it matches my e ring and the price was very reasonable. I am super happy with the bracelet and it has great bling!
It has the slide in closure plus an additional safety clasp. Note that I did have the length shortened to 6.75” so that it didn’t hang too low on my hand. I have a 6” wrist. Good luck with your decision - keep us posted!!6E13C62B-07AA-4974-BFB9-A571939DAB32.jpeg
 
Very excited for you as you decide on your tennis bracelet! I was in the same shoes in December. I ended up purchasing the traditional in line 4 prong 14k WG ~8 ct from IDJ. I liked that they had the F / SI as it matches my e ring and the price was very reasonable. I am super happy with the bracelet and it has great bling!
It has the slide in closure plus an additional safety clasp. Note that I did have the length shortened to 6.75” so that it didn’t hang too low on my hand. I have a 6” wrist. Good luck with your decision - keep us posted!!6E13C62B-07AA-4974-BFB9-A571939DAB32.jpeg

That is lovely scrabble98! When I first started, I was thinking about 4 ct but have heeded the DSS warnings and am now at around 6 ct. But your 8 ct looks great. As does the photo lulu_ma shared. They're all so pretty!
 
That is lovely scrabble98! When I first started, I was thinking about 4 ct but have heeded the DSS warnings and am now at around 6 ct. But your 8 ct looks great. As does the photo lulu_ma shared. They're all so pretty!

Full disclosure - DSS sunk in very quickly for me! LOL. I initially purchased the 6 ct and decided I wanted just a little bit more weight and size. So I exchanged for the 8 ct (43 stones just shy of 19 pts each). The 6ct was beautiful by the way. It’s not a huge visual difference but I can tell by the weight of the bracelet. Since I don’t plan to stack the TB, I convinced myself it was ok to go bigger!! Below photo is of the 6 ct. E2735D53-C12F-4B37-A73B-3EC3DA6976DE.jpeg
 
Check this thread out if you haven't already. Might be helpful.

 
Thank you, LLJsmom. That's actually one of the threads where I saw reference to "PS quality diamonds" and wasn't sure what it meant. I couldn't tell if it was kind of a general statement, meaning, before I decided to spend every waking hour on this forum reading through various posts and researching options (like me, lol) or if it's a reference to a particular set of specs.
 
Mine is closer to the size at which you are looking. It is 5.67ctw, F/G color and VS clarity and it is from HPD. I really like the look of 4 prongs with a round-ish look, which is what I got. I do not dig 4 prong that gives you an illusion of square stones but I do not like the look of 3 prongs either, thus my choice of this setting. I think it is also a perfect size and DSS is not as present.IMG_3299.jpgIMG_3250.jpg
 

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daisygrl - this bracelet is perfection! Love the four prong with round look!!

Mine is closer to the size at which you are looking. It is 5.67ctw, F/G color and VS clarity and it is from HPD. I really like the look of 4 prongs with a round-ish look, which is what I got. I do not dig 4 prong that gives you an illusion of square stones but I do not like the look of 3 prongs either, thus my choice of this setting. I think it is also a perfect size and DSS is not as present.IMG_3299.jpgIMG_3250.jpg
 
Very excited for you as you decide on your tennis bracelet! I was in the same shoes in December. I ended up purchasing the traditional in line 4 prong 14k WG ~8 ct from IDJ. I liked that they had the F / SI as it matches my e ring and the price was very reasonable. I am super happy with the bracelet and it has great bling!
It has the slide in closure plus an additional safety clasp. Note that I did have the length shortened to 6.75” so that it didn’t hang too low on my hand. I have a 6” wrist. Good luck with your decision - keep us posted!!6E13C62B-07AA-4974-BFB9-A571939DAB32.jpeg
Your bracelet is gorgeous! 4 prong settings are one of my two favorites! I am glad to hear you got yours at 6.75" because my wrist is also 6" and I was thinking I'd like 6.75" if I get a new one!

Mine is closer to the size at which you are looking. It is 5.67ctw, F/G color and VS clarity and it is from HPD. I really like the look of 4 prongs with a round-ish look, which is what I got. I do not dig 4 prong that gives you an illusion of square stones but I do not like the look of 3 prongs either, thus my choice of this setting. I think it is also a perfect size and DSS is not as present.IMG_3299.jpgIMG_3250.jpg

This is just gorgeous, too! This is a beautiful 4 prong setting! How many stones or how many points is each stone?
 
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I'm thinking about buying a tennis bracelet and have spent alot of time reading through posts on the PS forum (so incredibly helpful, I've learned a ton!!!). I have a few questions and would also love to hear people's thoughts. Here's some background on what I want: 14k WG 7 inch bracelet (I have a 6.1 inch wrist), with diamonds around .12 in size, so in the 6 ct total range. In terms of settings, I'm really stuck here, as I've seen lots of bracelets that I like: 3 prong, 4 prong, and half-bezel. I also like pics here with 4 prong that look like 3 prong but I haven't seen this out shopping. The other wild card for me is color. I thought I was pretty flexible on color, but yesterday I tried on a few bracelets and I could not believe the color difference between F and H/I -- albeit they were stacked together on my wrist so that may be why the difference was so stark.

Here are my questions:
(1) I often see references to "PS quality diamonds" or someone references a purchase made pre-PS. What exactly does this mean? It feels like it's relevant to my purchase but I'm not sure what I'm on the lookout for.
(2) Half-bezels don't seem to get alot of love here, though some say they're more secure and less likely to snag. I'm curious to hear opinions -- is it that the 4 prong and 3 prong are so classic that you can't go wrong? The half bezel is definitely more modern than what I thought I wanted, but it was so darn sparkly (and at only about 4.5 carats, much smaller) I was really taken with it. This particular one was out of my price range, but still trying to figure out what setting I want. So much is personal taste, but since I like so many different settings, I'm trying to come up with ways to narrow it down.
(3) Re: color, I haven't priced out the cost difference on a bracelet with the same specs except color so not sure how much extra F diamonds would be, but curious if you think it's worth the extra cost. I'm wondering if the reason the color difference was so stark was because I was trying on two bracelets stacked (one F, one H/I), but normally I would only be wearing one bracelet so on its own, H/I would probably be fine.
(4) I've read a few posts on clasps and safety chains. I thought I wanted a safety chain b/c I lost a few bracelets when I was younger and it's stayed with me to the point that I'm a little nervous. That said, it seems many people feel pretty confident in the clasp they have. Is there a specific clasp that I could request that's known to be ultra secure, but it's still possible for me to put it on my wrist by myself (my one rule for jewelry is that I must be able to put it on and take it off without assistance). I've tried searching this but it's been hard to find info.
(5) I've reached out to one vendor that is frequently mentioned here. So far, they've been very responsive and great, and have shared a few videos which has been helpful. But I'm still nervous about purchasing something at this price range from afar. I don't need to purchase from a local jeweler, but curious if you have any other tips about online purchasing that I might want to consider.

Also, apologies if I haven't quite got all the lingo down. I'm trying : )

Will try to answer your questions!

1) "PS quality" is a term people use when buying from ID Jewelry. It means that you want well cut diamonds. The cost is usually lower there because they are not using ideal cut stones and the clarity is usually SI unless you request otherwise. I would personally not use the term "PS quality" if I was talking to IDJ. I would tell them I wanted F color excellent cut melee, VS clarity (or whatever), and the bracelet setting metal, style, and length. You don't need that term at superideal vendors like Whiteflash, etc.

2) I actually am strongly considering a full bezel setting for my bracelet. I just like the way they look better than the half bezels. I ordered a Berricle one to try out and really love it other than I'd step up in diamond size. Forgive my pajamas. :lol: I like the full bezels because they need fewer stones that a straight line bracelet, yet the stones look closer than the 3 prong style. I am not opposed to the idea of half bezel, but I haven't seen one I really like yet. Daisygrl's setting looks like my other favorite, but it looks a little more dressy than the bezels, and I need a more casual one if I am to ever wear it!

bezelbracelet.jpg

3) Color. My old tennis bracelet pre-PS is probably more like H-I color when I compare it to the stones in the bracelet above which would be colorless. I plan to get my new bracelet from Whiteflash, and their standard bracelets use F-G color, VS clarity, which is what I want. I do think the color is important after comparing this one with my old one.

4) Safety. Almost every bracelet setting I have seen has the regular clasp and a side safety clasp. You could certainly have the jeweler add a chain if you want, or just insure it.

5) I don't love purchasing anything I can't return. If I have WF special order a full bezel setting for me, I am sure it will be no return. However, I know the diamonds they use so that won't be any issue. I couldn't order a bracelet from another jeweler with SI clarity unless there was a return option. I'd want to check out the diamonds and be sure the cut and clarity were acceptable to me. So find out the return policy if going with a jeweler who won't be using ideal cut and VS clarity diamonds.

I hope I addressed some of your questions! Good luck with your search!
 
Your bracelet is gorgeous! 4 prong settings are one of my two favorites! I am glad to hear you got yours at 6.75" because my wrist is also 6" and I was thinking I'd like 6.75" if I get a new one!



This is just gorgeous, too! This is a beautiful 4 prong setting! How many stones or how many points is each stone?

Thank you. It is about 10.5 points each, and 54 stones in 7" long bracelet. Mine is shortened to 6.5" so I had 4 stones taken out.
 
Thank you diamondseeker2006! That was fantastic — really appreciate your responses! And agree re: color. I hadn’t noticed it so much when I was looking a month or so ago, but really noticed it when I had two different ones stacked.
 
Mine is not PS quality as such, however that is fine by me as I only had a limited budget for such a bracelet.

It is 5cttw in 14K WG, H/I and SI2 stones, and they are very sparkly.

I opted for full bezel set as I don't like prongs, and had worn a similar bracelet with simulants for years. I still wear the Berricle one most of the time so that I don't have to baby it.

Here is mine next to my 1.94ct MRB bangle which is probably my favourite combination.
772043

DK :))
 
Thank you, LLJsmom. That's actually one of the threads where I saw reference to "PS quality diamonds" and wasn't sure what it meant. I couldn't tell if it was kind of a general statement, meaning, before I decided to spend every waking hour on this forum reading through various posts and researching options (like me, lol) or if it's a reference to a particular set of specs.

Definitely a reference to learning to appreciate top cut above all else. Although your first idea is also true!! :)
 
Based on the great responses (and photos shared!), I reached out to HPD today. I thought HPD stood for High Performance Diamonds, but now I'm thinking I've got it wrong. I went to the High Performance Diamonds website and sent an email to the info address and it was returned, and then I tried to call the # of the home page and the call didn't go through (I tried like 5 different times, so I don't think it was my phone). Can anyone tell me if HPD is High Performance Diamonds or something else?
 
Based on the great responses (and photos shared!), I reached out to HPD today. I thought HPD stood for High Performance Diamonds, but now I'm thinking I've got it wrong. I went to the High Performance Diamonds website and sent an email to the info address and it was returned, and then I tried to call the # of the home page and the call didn't go through (I tried like 5 different times, so I don't think it was my phone). Can anyone tell me if HPD is High Performance Diamonds or something else?

Perfectly Cut Diamonds | High Performance Diamonds (hpdiamonds.com)

The part in parenthesis is their website.
 
Thank you MissGotRocks! Hmmm! That is the website I went to. Not sure why the phone number and email don't work.
 
Thank you MissGotRocks! Hmmm! That is the website I went to. Not sure why the phone number and email don't work.

No, I don't know either but the website does have a chat option. Maybe try that?
 
Thank you MissGotRocks! Hmmm! That is the website I went to. Not sure why the phone number and email don't work.

You can also google them and via yelp, you will find their phone number. They are going through a new web site change but as MissGotRocks suggested - the website does have a chat option you could try.
 
Based on the great responses (and photos shared!), I reached out to HPD today. I thought HPD stood for High Performance Diamonds, but now I'm thinking I've got it wrong. I went to the High Performance Diamonds website and sent an email to the info address and it was returned, and then I tried to call the # of the home page and the call didn't go through (I tried like 5 different times, so I don't think it was my phone). Can anyone tell me if HPD is High Performance Diamonds or something else?

@inska HPD posted on Facebook and Instagram as recently as March 5th, so that it also an option for contact...
 
Mine is not PS quality as such, however that is fine by me as I only had a limited budget for such a bracelet.

It is 5cttw in 14K WG, H/I and SI2 stones, and they are very sparkly.

I opted for full bezel set as I don't like prongs, and had worn a similar bracelet with simulants for years. I still wear the Berricle one most of the time so that I don't have to baby it.

Here is mine next to my 1.94ct MRB bangle which is probably my favourite combination.
772043

DK :))

Just beautiful!
 
Good luck on your search! Tennis bracelet are a classic staple and I am thrilled to own one! I am thrilled to be the new recipient of a stunning 7.8 carat ACA tennis bracelet that was so graciously passed along to me by @m-2-b She did all the hard work and designed an amazing bracelet! So I say go for the top specs that are important to you, such as color, quality and size of diamonds. The setting is always a leap of faith. Choose what your eye leans towards.
I am soo happy with my bracelet because I know I'm thrilled with the specs that are important to me. So my advice is go for it with the top specs that are important to you! And have fun, you will have an amazing tennis bracelet one day! Here are some pics of mine so you can see a 3 prong. I recently got my studs in 3 prong martini and my wedding set is a 4 prong. I REALLY like the 3 prong because it just feels glorious to see each diamond sparkling l!821019821018
 
Based on the great responses (and photos shared!), I reached out to HPD today. I thought HPD stood for High Performance Diamonds, but now I'm thinking I've got it wrong. I went to the High Performance Diamonds website and sent an email to the info address and it was returned, and then I tried to call the # of the home page and the call didn't go through (I tried like 5 different times, so I don't think it was my phone). Can anyone tell me if HPD is High Performance Diamonds or something else?

I bought diamond studs from them and am waiting for their inventory to come in because I want to upgrade in color (they were amazing and I wanted top everything in the category but don't have top dollar budget LOL so we went with I color stones and I want to upgrade my earrings in color to a G or F color).

They are in the midst of upgrading their website so that's why you likely had an issue. Hope it's OK to post, you can email the sales manager, Melissa. She's my contact there: melissahpdiamonds.com Her name is Melissa Sharp and is incredibly responsive and informative. (Adding that I didn't realize they sold tennis bracelets!) :-)
 
I wanted to post an update and get some opinions. I'm still looking at a 6 ct (.12 stones) from IDJ in 14k white gold. In rereading PS posts, I came across a 4 prong setting I really like (BR-1370). IDJ's 4 prongs look a bit square to me. IDJ has a 3 prong that I like better but I'm worried about it looking too triangular. The only store near me that has 3 prongs that I could try on were 4 ct and definitely looked triangular; IDJ said their settings are better quality and will look rounder. I've seen other 3 prongs on PS (like the one that @bling_dream19 shared, which is spectacular!) that don't look too triangular but they are larger than what I would be buying.

Curious what people think about trying to get IDJ to use the BR-1370 setting, which I mentioned a few times but they didn't seem too thrilled about it. Or buy the 3-prong and see if I like it IRL. Or just generally if you have a preference for 3 prong versus 4 prong. Thoughts?
 
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