If you could choose a bracelet...

[Lilac]

If you had a choice between a 1.5 ctw BGD shared prong bangle (diamonds halfway around) or a 2 ctw BGD 3-prong tennis bracelet for a one year anniversary present, which would you choose? I keep going back and forth and I''m *terrible* at decisions - so I thought I would ask for some help deciding! My husband wants me to get whatever will make me happiest.

On one hand, I''m worried about the bangle spinning around because I have very small wrists - and what if it''s uncomfortable? On the other hand, when facing up, it would have a more "substantial" appearance than the 3-prong tennis bracelet because the diamonds on the bangle would be a little over 6 points each rather than 4 points and they would be closer together.

I''m very torn. I''m wondering if anyone has the bangle (or the WF one because I think they''re pretty similar) or a 2 ctw tennis bracelet and could give me some advice? They''re both so beautiful and I don''t know what to do!

 

[Porridge]

Ooh tough...I don''t have either, but I think I would go with the three prong. The bangle spinning would annoy me.

It depends what you''re looking for. I think the three prong is a more elegant and traditional look, and the bangle a little more contemporary.

 

[elrohwen]

Personally, I find tennis bracelets more comfortable to wear than bangles on a daily basis. But that''s just me! Do you have an bracelets that you wear often so you could compare what you find comfortable?

They''re both lovely designs, so I would choose whichever you would be more likely to wear on a daily basis (unless you''re intending it for more special occasion jewelry, of course).

 

[Lilac]

I want something to wear every day. I think the bangle is more of an "everyday" look, but the possible issues with the spinning make me worry about getting it. But maybe I would be uncomfortable wearing a 3-prong tennis bracelet every day because it''s fancier and dressier? I''m a 21 year old student - so I wonder if it''ll look like too much to wear a tennis bracelet every day (even if it is a tennis bracelet with a small carat weight). I KNOW one day I will want a tennis bracelet (and I know it would be very comfortable and I would LOVE it) but I just wonder if it looks like "too much" for someone my age in school/grad school every day.

So between these two issues... I don''t know what to do!

 

[Gleam]

The tennis bracelet, definitely. The bangles are lovely, but any spinning would drive me nuts.

 

[CasaBlanca]

I wonder if you should contact BGD with your wrist measurement...perhaps they have an option to offer you that would be made just for you and your teeny little wrist? If you had that spinning worry out of the way, perhaps your decision would be easier?

Also with that small of wrist, I bet you are going to have to remove more links from the tennis style one? So...would that give you a few for dangle earrings or perhaps a half a foot or so of stones for a diamond by the yard project?? (such an enabler I know...but don''t want to leave ANYTHING on the table!)

One year...how many stones in each piece? If there were 12 in the bangle...BOOM my choice as there would be one for each month...just trying to make the piece match and reflect the sentimentality of the event.

 

[elrohwen]

Date: 2/15/2010 3:42:57 PM
Author: Lilac
I want something to wear every day. I think the bangle is more of an ''everyday'' look, but the possible issues with the spinning make me worry about getting it. But maybe I would be uncomfortable wearing a 3-prong tennis bracelet every day because it''s fancier and dressier? I''m a 21 year old student - so I wonder if it''ll look like too much to wear a tennis bracelet every day (even if it is a tennis bracelet with a small carat weight). I KNOW one day I will want a tennis bracelet (and I know it would be very comfortable and I would LOVE it) but I just wonder if it looks like ''too much'' for someone my age in school/grad school every day.

So between these two issues... I don''t know what to do!

This is a valid concern. I think that bangles are more casual, but I''m with others who find the spinning annoying after a while - even if it''s small enough for my wrist. I like tennis-style because it feels like a watch which is something I''m comfortable wearing.

My feeling is that if both are similar sizes (of the stones I mean) other people will notice them equally. If someone is going to find the tennis bracelet odd on a 21 year old student, they''ll find a diamond bangle odd too, kwim? I don''t think others will pay enough attention to the bangle vs tennis bracelet aspect and will just notice you''re wearing something sparkley.

 

[lyra]

An oval shaped bangle would not spin. How about asking for a quote on that? I have a few oval bangles. I''d choose the bangle because the stones would be larger and more noticeable. For later, you can get a larger ctw tennis bracelet.

 

[qtiekiki]

I have a couple bangles, though not the shared prong ones, and I LOVE them. I think they are more casual for everyday wear, and also more youthful looking. The size of the bangle will make a big difference on the spinning. Both of my bangles are oval, and my wrist is 5.75 in. The bangle that is 6.5in does not spin, but the one that is 7.5in spins around all the time. Would you be able to get the bangle custom sized for you?

I don''t think you can really go wrong with either a bangle or a tennis bracelet.

 

[tyty333]

My bangle did not hold up to everyday wear. To many dinks and divots caused it to look bad in a short period of
time

. I guess I''m just to rough on jewelry. I''d take the tennis braclet.

 

[somethingshiny]

I prefer a bangle for everyday wear. I like being able to slide it up to wash my hands, cook, etc.

Ditto to finding out if you can contact BGD with your measurements and see what they have to say.

 

[radiantquest]

I say tennis. I wear a tennis everyday and I see many women who do. As long as it isnt gaudy which I am doubting it would be, it is a classic look. I get compliments all the time.

I have had bangles and they irritate me.

 

[NovemberBride]

BGD may have a different response, but back when Brian and Lesley were at Whiteflash I inquired about having the bangle made in a smaller size because I have small wrists and was concerned about spinning and the fact that the bangle might slide right off my wrist. At the time it was not something they were willing to do. If the bangle is going to be too big, I would definitely go tennis bracelet. Also, I think 2 carats is a great size for everyday wear if that''s what you want.

 

[Rachel9]

Same response here, even perfect size oval bangles show scratches easily, I''d go tennis.

 

[kama_s]

You really can't go wrong with either. Lucky girl, what a lovely gift from the hubby.

I have the shared prong bangle (I've posted pics of it somewhere on SMTR) and I have no issues with respect to comfort. It doesn't turn much, but like someone else mentioned earlier, it's oval in shape and not too big on my wrist. Personally (and this is just my crazy wacky opinion), I feel the bangle has a younger feel to it. I kinda associate tennis bracelets with a more established person (hence I'm waiting to get mine when I turn 30, or potentially as a push present!). The bangle is also great with accessorizing up or down, you can wear it with a casual sweater and jeans, or a pretty dinner dress.

 

[canuk-gal]

Date: 2/15/2010 8:24:56 PM
Author: kama_s
You really can''t go wrong with either. Lucky girl, what a lovely gift from the hubby.

I have the shared prong bangle (I''ve posted pics of it somewhere on SMTR) and I have no issues with respect to comfort. It doesn''t turn much, but like someone else mentioned earlier, it''s oval in shape and not too big on my wrist. Personally (and this is just my crazy wacky opinion), I feel the bangle has a younger feel to it. I kinda associate tennis bracelets with a more established person (hence I''m waiting to get mine when I turn 30, or potentially as a push present!). The bangle is also great with accessorizing up or down, you can wear it with a casual sweater and jeans, or a pretty dinner dress.

HI:

I vote bangle too. I have a eternity style bangle--over 3ctw--and it is really cool looking. BUT I am careful with it--as I''ve had it remade (the original Adwar mount broke as it was not wide/substantial enough) by hand.

cheers--Sharon

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 2/15/2010 7:10:09 PM
Author: radiantquest
I say tennis. I wear a tennis everyday and I see many women who do. As long as it isnt gaudy which I am doubting it would be, it is a classic look. I get compliments all the time.

I have had bangles and they irritate me.

Ditto to everything RQ said. Definitely the tennis bracelet!

 

[sbde]

my vote is for the tennis bracelet!! i have a 2 ctw 3 prong bracelet from WF and love how beautiful and delicate it is. the spinning of the bangle would drive me nuts too, particularly because i have tiny wrists as well.

good luck with your decision!

 

[sbde]

you can find a picture of my bracelet if you scroll down this thread:

linky


hope this helps!

 

[Lilac]

Thanks so much to everyone who responded so far for their input - I really appreciate it! I still can''t decide what to do... one minute I decide I definitely want the bangle and the next I really want the tennis bracelet! And I don''t want to rush into anything because I really want to be absolutely sure so I don''t make a mistake! My husband is being wonderful in all of this... I keep apologizing for driving him nuts but he''s really being great about it and just wants me to be happy with whatever he gets me.

Porridge: I think I prefer the more elegant and traditional look over the contemporary one, but then I go and see pictures of Mara''s 1.5ctw shared prong bangle and I change my mind again.

elrohwen: I definitely agree that tennis bracelets are more comfortable to wear every day. The only issue with the "comfort" of a tennis bracelet is more a mental thing than a physical thing - I don''t want anyone to look at me and think negative things because I have a "tennis bracelet" (even if it IS a small one). Although you do have a point about people looking at both the same way if the diamonds are similar in size...

Gleam: Spinning would drive me nuts too. I hate decisions!

CasaBlanca: My husband said he''s going to call Lesley tomorrow at BGD to discuss all this with her. Even though the present itself isn''t a surprise, he still wants to handle it all so he can give it to me as a gift (and so I don''t have to ask all the questions - because I feel kind of bad bothering Lesley with so many questions!) I love the idea of looking for a sentimental thing in one of the bracelets to help make the decision - I love that kind of stuff! But the bangle has 24 diamonds and the tennis bracelet has more than that. But it would have been a great idea!

lyra: Thanks for the perspective on the oval bangle vs. round bangle and the spinning. DH is going to ask how oval the bangle really is - and if it would prevent the spinning on a wrist of my size.

qtiekiki: If the bangle can be customized to 6.5 inches then it''s definitely going to fit a lot better on me. If it can''t be that small... then maybe my decision will be a little easier because any bigger would spin way too much.

tyty333: I didn''t even consider ruining the bottom half of the bangle from banging it. Thanks for bringing this up - it''s something for me to think about.

somethingshiny: I also think I prefer the concept of a bangle for everyday wear - my only issue is if it''s actually comfortable enough for me to wear every day once I already have it

radiantquest: I don''t think the 2 ctw tennis would be gaudy - I guess it''s more of an issue I have in my own mind that I worry people might talk about me. I guess maybe I just need to get over it!

NovemberBride: Thanks for the input! If they say it can''t be made smaller, then it will help me make the decision. I''m pretty certain the 7 inch or 7.5 inch bangle would be too big, so if it can''t be any smaller I think it''ll have to be a tennis bracelet.

Rachel9: Thanks for the advice!

kama_s: I''ve seen your shared prong bangle and I LOVE it! It''s one of the few on PS that I''ve seen pictures of (other than Mara''s, jcrow''s, and Sundial''s). Seeing those pictures makes the decision so much harder because the bangles look so great on you and it makes me want to get it for myself despite all my reservations! I also agree about bangles being great dressed up or down. Yet another reason why this choice is so difficult

canuk-gal: I think if I could get an eternity bangle it would be easier... it''s the spinning to the plain white gold side that holds me back. Your bangle is beautiful!

Irishgrrrl: Thanks for your vote on what to get! I appreciate it.

sbde: Any chance you have any pictures of your 2 ctw 3-prong bracelet? I can''t seem to find any pictures anywhere of it on someone''s wrist and I wish I knew what it would look like! It sounds beautiful and I think it would look beautiful but I wish I could see some pictures!

Thanks so much again to everyone who responded! Still trying to make the choice...

 

[Lilac]

Date: 2/15/2010 8:56:35 PM
Author: sbde
you can find a picture of my bracelet if you scroll down this thread:

linky

hope this helps!

I think we were posting at the same time... thanks for the link to the picture! It helps to see it on a wrist. It looks beautiful and the stones definitely don''t look small in the picture - how does it look in real life? Does it sparkle a lot? I worry about the diamonds looking very small in a 2 ctw bracelet, but in pictures they seem to be pretty substantial (at least for what I''m looking for now).

Thanks again for the picture!

 

[LabRatPhD]

I vote tennis bracelet. It will be a classic staple!

 

[sbde]

lilac - glad the picture helped you. the bracelet has ridiculous sparkle - the pic i posted was taken on a cloudy day so you can't see the shine. i was worried myself about the diamonds looking to small but i will admit i've actually worn it only to take it OFF when i reached my destination because it looked too blingy to me

. i think it's actually a great ctw - easily dressed up and easily dressed down with jeans and a cute shirt

 

[jcrow]

i have the shared prong bracelet from wf [i''m sure it''s similar to bgd''s] and have very small wrists. i''d choose the shared prong bracelet over the tennis style.

 

[CasaBlanca]

"I love the idea of looking for a sentimental thing in one of the bracelets to help make the decision - I love that kind of stuff! But the bangle has 24 diamonds and the tennis bracelet has more than that. But it would have been a great idea!"

Wait you are giving up too easy!!!

Well if you love it...then perhaps you are aware that an anniversary is about TWO people. Two lives commemorating the twelve months...so bare with me...Lets take the 12 months and multiply it by 2 we get...ah...it would be 24...ok it is stretch...but in a pinch you can still count the 24 as sentimental.

Look woman, if you go with my plan, at this rate... next anniversary you get 48 stones! Now, how bad can that be?

 

[Lilac]

Date: 2/15/2010 10:07:22 PM
Author: CasaBlanca
''I love the idea of looking for a sentimental thing in one of the bracelets to help make the decision - I love that kind of stuff! But the bangle has 24 diamonds and the tennis bracelet has more than that. But it would have been a great idea!''

Wait you are giving up too easy!!!

Well if you love it...then perhaps you are aware that an anniversary is about TWO people. Two lives commemorating the twelve months...so bare with me...Lets take the 12 months and multiply it by 2 we get...ah...it would be 24...ok it is stretch...but in a pinch you can still count the 24 as sentimental.

Look woman, if you go with my plan, at this rate... next anniversary you get 48 stones! Now, how bad can that be?

Hahaha I love it!!! I read this to DH just now and he found it pretty funny... but I can''t say he loves the idea as much as I do

I think he started to get that look of panic in his eyes when he realized what that might mean for a 3 year anniversary... or a 5 year.... or 10 year...!

 

[Lilac]

sbde - One more question - Thanks so much for the link to the picture with your bracelet! It''s great to see it on the wrist of someone and to hear from someone who has a bracelet that''s 2 ctw. Do you find that you like the 3-prong look? Do you see a lot of metal in the bracelet? How many diamonds are in your bracelet? Do you happen to have any more pictures of your bracelet? Sorry to bother you - I''m so indecisive!

I keep coming back to this question because I really think I would like the tennis bracelet more because I won''t have to worry about spinning and won''t have to worry about it not being comfortable, but the diamonds in the bangle would be a little over 6 points and the ones in the tennis bracelet would be around 4 points. I keep wondering if it will make a big difference (enough that I should get the bangle now and wait a couple years for a tennis bracelet with bigger diamonds than 4 points)?

The bangle is also about $200 less than the bracelet (which is still around $300 more than we wanted to spend originally! So going to the price of the bangle is a stretch, but going to the tennis bracelet is even MORE of a stretch - which is why I think I need to know I''ll love it and wear it for years...)

In the end I''ll probably leave it up to my husband unless I come to a very clear decision. Which is what I should have done to begin with because he''s usually really good at picking out jewelry for me - the times I end up regretting purchases are when I pick it out and then second guess myself!