How far would you go for love? This is the question that defines the Cartier Love bracelet, one of the most instantly recognisable pieces of jewellery in the world today. The Love bracelet is, at its core, a design of two arcs of gold joined by two screws and secured with a specially provided screwdriver. Wearing it is an act that requires two people, and this band of gold on one’s wrist is both a physical embodiment of commitment and a bold proclamation of love.
Created in 1969 by Cartier designer Aldo Cipullo, the bracelet was inspired by a past relationship that tormented him. Driven by the urge to preserve his precious memories and keep them safe forever, he drew on a growing fascination with industrial hardware as well as his personal determination to democratise and modernise jewellery. Thus came the Love bracelet, a piece that has become one of the most famous and successful jewellery designs of the 20th century. Sported by the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Princess Caroline of Monaco, it reinvented the traditional love token for a new era.
The idea of love is expressed in the perfection of clean lines and the precise proportions of the bracelet. Cipullo found beauty in the unexpected, turning screws—both decorative and functional—into the main motif. The screws accentuate the modern flat edges and oval shape of the Love bracelet, the latter chosen to wear more comfortably on a wrist. The screws also echo the design of the Santos de Cartier watch, another icon of the maison, which has featured them on its bezel since 1904.
Now, Cartier is introducing two updates to the Love collection that make the bracelets more versatile than ever. The first: the debut of a medium size, with a thickness of 4.8mm. Sitting between the small and classic sizes, this model is perfect for stacking. The jewellery house is also introducing a new hinge system for the classic size of the Love bracelet. As opposed to the two traditional screws, this hinge mechanism will feature one functional screw closure on one end and a hinge on the other. It’s the same hinge mechanism already offered on the small and medium Love models, and which allows the bracelets to be worn or taken off by oneself. Think of it as a choice to match your lifestyle or perhaps a contemporary expression of love.
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