Why Bracelet Comfort Is About More Than Getting the Right Size

The most challenging part of my work is not designing a bracelet or getting it right with measurements. It's to prevent it from getting annoying throughout a day. 

A correct measurement is only the beginning

A bracelet can be made to the exact measurements stated on a product page. The photographs can represent it accurately. The materials and construction can be exactly as described.

And yet, it might not be the right bracelet for the person who buys it.

Someone who spends hours typing, may experience a closure differently from someone whose work involves constant movement.

Someone who rests their forearm on a hard desk may be particularly sensitive to hardware underneath the wrist (that would be me!)

Someone who needs to remove and put on a bracelet frequently may wished it was easier.

And some people face all the above in a daily basis because that's their life. 

(my life looks similar to this.)

A product is worn in real life, not in a product photograph.

A bracelet can be beautifully made and still not fit the life you're going to wear it in.

The wrist is part of a moving body

I'm  getting annoyed very easily by my own bracelets so I can feel you. Truth is, not all bracelets can support a daily wear. Chunky cuffs, thick leathers, dangling charms or multiple motifs, are great for a night out or a dinner, but they can feel heavy after several hours. 

For this type of bracelets, I usually choose the snaps closure: it's the quickest way to take a bracelet on and off.

And when we talk about the bracelets we wear for companionship, for their symbolism to us, for their meaning, when a bracelet is meant to stay on our wrist day in and day out and not as fashion accessories or finishing touches of our outfits, a lot of things other than size matter.

I often spend a lot of time on my computer. There's nothing more annoying than a clasp pressing the underside of my wrist when I'm moving the mouse around, or the embossed clasp on my skin when I type for hours. 

This is the fastest way to take off the bracelet I promised I'd never take off.

For the adjustable bracelets with the snap buttons, I put them slightly off to the sides, letting the wrist sit on leather, and not on a clasp. It's a tiny detail that you will not notice when you look at the pictures, probably not even you get the bracelet on your hands. You will just feel it. 

This is the "level one" answer to the "how not to make my bracelet annoying" question. 

For many, many people, this works. 

And many, many other people (myself included), want more than that.

Because we have bracelets that we don't want to take off at all

(or we need to adjust frequently)

"What's one of the things we wear on our wrists for hours at a time, often day after day?", I asked myself one day. 

A watch.

And why don't we take it off?

Because we don't have to.

Well. Sort of. People do remove watches, of course, and watchbands don't necessarily solve every comfort problem. What I'm keeping from watch construction is the fastening system: multiple adjustable positions, a secure fit, and a way to put the piece on or take it off without dealing with a conventional clasp.

There's no clasp or buttons to protrude and press against the skin when you work on a desk.

It has several openings for adjusting as one needs throughout the day to fit their day: work, exercise, sleep, moods.

(You noticed that I didn't include "showering" and "swimming" 😏- you should take it off when water enters the scene.)

The tiny stud button does the same job of the prong on a buckle - and it's put slightly off the side, so your wrist sits against leather and not on it.

The loop keeps the edge tucked. 

The Watchband Style Construction Offers More Flexibility

(when flexibility is what you need the most)

It gives more adjusting options than what the double snaps can offer. This means the bracelet can adapt and change with you easier as your wrist changes - whether we talk about a pregnancy or any weight gain/loss journey, or even simply an upper body workout day.

This construction is a great solution when you're ordering without measuring your wrist accurately (I know that some people do this, no matter how many times I'll ask a precise measurement 🙄- here's why measuring is important and how to do it right)

And it's a safe choice when you're choosing a gift (for example from my Ready to Ship Gifts collection - which is mostly OOAK designs) and you don't know the recipient's wrist size (asking would ruin the surprise!)

Sometimes, the right solution is a different construction

Sharing with me is as important as everything else.

If there's anything that might worries you, a job restriction, a particular sensitivity, any little detail might change my whole approach towards your bracelet. 

Don't hesitate to ask a question or share your concerns. 

I can imagine situations, I can use my experiences from past orders and conversations with my customers, but every life is a different life and every bracelet is different because of the life it's going to fit in. 

I had a customer who wanted one of my ring holder bracelets, but their working environment had strict policies on jewelry. None of my existing designs was just right. They reached out and we talked, and we came up with solutions: the ring holder they loved most from my collection, but with the watchband style closure of a different design, and the width of another one. 

Three different designs and styles worked together to create something that fit a particular life.

Another one wanted a bracelet but their work was too... active, they were afraid it would get caught and unsnap. That particular design didn't have a watchband style construction, and then it had. To make it fit their life. All it took was a "hey, could you make this...?"

A bracelet is the right bracelet when it's right for you

Sometimes the answer is a different closure. Sometimes it's a different width, a different arrangement of components, or a combination of elements from designs you already love.

You don't always have to settle for a bracelet that looks right but doesn't quite work for you. Tell me how you plan to wear it, what concerns you, or what your daily life asks of it. We can start there.

For now, I'm updating my full collection by adding the watchband style as an option to choose from a dropdown menu - if you don't see it there, it's either because I'm not there yet, or the particular design can't support it. 

But if it matters to you, let me know. I am sure we can figure it out together.

P.S. You can always use the "request a custom piece" form in the Customers Collaborations Page to suggest your ideas, or reach out to me directly via email or social media.