Tips for Putting on a Diamond Tennis Bracelet by Yourself

TPF may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others

SmokieDragon

Member
Mar 9, 2015
5,683
16,423
Starting my own thread to gain more traction.

I had a tennis bracelet with total carat weight of 3.36 carats comprising 56 6-point diamonds. I used to be able to put it on by myself to switch from one wrist to the other, after taking it off to go to the petrol station etc.

Then one fine day, the tongue bent when I was switching it from my right to left wrist. I sent it for repair. The SA put it on and it stayed on for the next few months 24/7. Then I had to remove it for All Souls Day as I didn’t want relatives seeing me with too much jewelry. Guess that? When trying to put it on by myself, with even less force than before, the tongue bent and broke this time!!

Is this normal? Do you put on your tennis bracelet by yourself and how do you do it? Any tips? I really think that something is broken and that’s why I can’t put it on by myself anymore unlike before. Now I’m thinking of re-setting into a bangle but it’s costly and this will make it my most expensive jewelry item which I don’t think sounds right.

Here’s a pic from its glory days with my other arm candy. Also a sharing a pic with the broken tongue.

23EE63D1-4A05-4F50-8305-6F3935048DC6.jpeg

B7370CF5-172A-444F-B702-14C5D9AFAB16.jpeg
 
I don't believe this should happen. I'd take it in to a jeweler that can repair it properly.


I am so sorry this happened. It doesn’t seem like a regular break. i would take it back to the original jeweler to repair if possible.

Thanks for your replies! The first repair was done by the original jeweller. I think I’ll never have the same faith in this style again. Maybe another tennis bracelet is waiting for me further down the road but for now, I’ve decided to go with the re-setting into a bangle.
 
  • Insightful
Reactions: Bag peace
So was the original clasp a box clasp, where you squeeze/depress the tongue to slide it in and out of the little box on the other side? Maybe if you are having trouble with that type of clasp you could have the jeweler replace it with another type of clasp, like a lobster clasp? It would not look as seamless, but at least you could salvage the bracelet. (Of course some people have trouble managing lobster clasps too.)

edited to add: Here is a pic of a member’s tennis bracelet with a lobster clasp
 
Last edited:
  • Thanks
Reactions: SmokieDragon
So was the original clasp a box clasp, where you squeeze/depress the tongue to slide it in and out of the little box on the other side? Maybe if you are having trouble with that type of clasp you could have the jeweler replace it with another type of clasp, like a lobster clasp? It would not look as seamless, but at least you could salvage the bracelet. (Of course some people have trouble managing lobster clasps too.)

edited to add: Here is a pic of a member’s tennis bracelet with a lobster clasp

Yes, it’s a box clasp! Yes, I did see the post by mewt and thought it was pretty cool. I notice though that my bracelet rotates a lot so a lobster clasp would show. Too bad as I’m good with lobster clasps (and spring ring clasps too!).
 
Also, you could consider getting one of those old “bracelet buddy” devices—basically a clamp on a stick to help you hold one side of the bracelet steady while grabbing the clasp on the other side:

View attachment 5393400

Ironically, I was thinking of this earlier today and wondering if it can be used for a box clasp (now I’m reminded of the name thanks to you!). Need to research this more
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cosmopolitan
Still trying to understand how your original box clasp could break repeatedly like that. Were you able to squeeze the tongue side or depress it (sometimes there is a little trigger button) before sliding it into the box on the other side? Maybe your jeweler could simply recommend a larger more stable box clasp that is easier to manage?
 
  • Like
Reactions: SmokieDragon
Still trying to understand how your original box clasp could break repeatedly like that. Were you able to squeeze the tongue side or depress it (sometimes there is a little trigger button) before sliding it into the box on the other side? Maybe your jeweler could simply recommend a larger more stable box clasp that is easier to manage?

This is basically how it looked before breaking. These are pics from the first time it bent

F8F2B652-3EA9-4FDC-AB2D-382EEC74A823.jpegB082DCF9-BACD-4347-9E90-4CEF1478CD64.jpeg

Then the bracelet went in for repair. After the repair, it stayed on my wrist for a few months. Then I took it off due to All Souls Day and when I tried to put it on again a day later, it bent slightly by a few degrees. I bent it back. Then I tried again to put it on after making sure the box clasp was still working as I had just straightened the tongue. Then this time, the bending happened again and it looked like the pictures above. I had hardly used any force. Then I held the bent part in my hand and that is when it broke off.
 
Top