Love bracelet (Cartier)

A recent edition of the Love bracelet (screwdriver not pictured).

The Love Bracelet (styled L⊝Ve, with the horizontal line inside the letter "O" alluding to the bracelet's locking mechanism) is a piece of jewelry designed in 1969 by Aldo Cipullo for Cartier SA.[1][2] Early versions of the Love Bracelet featured gold plating while more recent designs are created from solid gold. Prices for the bracelets differ depending on the item's materials and some can exceed $35,000. As of 2015 the Love Bracelet is still in production and Cartier has expanded the line to include products based on the original bracelet's design, including cufflinks, rings, earrings, necklaces, and watches. In 2006 the line was considered to be the "most successful collection in Cartier's history."[3]

The bracelet has received some criticism over its design, which some have compared to medieval chastity belts.[4][5] Love Bracelets have also posed issues with airline security personnel and a Transportation Security Administration agent stated in 2015 that the bracelets were "the biggest problem item" due to the need for airline passengers to remove all metal items when passing through Airport security metal detectors and because a tool is needed to remove the bracelets.[6]

In the 1990s Cartier filed a lawsuit against multiple jewelry stores in Manhattan and Puerto Rico, alleging that the stores were selling counterfeit Love Bracelets.[7][8]

The locking mechanism

Unlike traditional bracelets, which are either wide enough to slip them over the hand onto the wrist or can readily be opened in order to put them on, the Love bracelet is designed to be opened only by using a special screwdriver that is supplied with every bracelet.[9] The screwdriver is also available in the form of a necklace, allowing the bracelet to be "locked" onto one person, while the "key" is kept around the neck of another, as a symbol for their commitment to their relationship.

Variations

Cartier has offered the Love bracelet in 18k yellow gold, 18k "pink" (rose) gold, 18k white gold, and in platinum. Some bracelets are offered with diamonds in place of or in rotation with the screw-motif. Ceramic details and special colored precious gems have been offered as well. Pave diamond versions were made available in 2009. Cuff versions that do not close or lock are also available.

In June 2006, Cartier introduced the Love charity bracelet, a version consisting of a silk cord and a golden ring bearing the word LOVE. Cartier donates $150 from the sale of each bracelet to a variety of charities, each backed by a celebrity. The 2009 version of the charity bracelet was promoted by actress Eva Mendes.[10]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Enduring Love: The Lasting Value of the Cartier Love Bracelet". Vogue. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  2. ↑ "Who Wears the Cartier Love Bracelet?". Town & Country Magazine. 2015-09-10. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  3. ↑ Ballentine, Sandra (2006-08-27). "Prisoner of Love". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  4. ↑ "Manacled! Why ARE so many women paying £4,000 for this look-at-me bracelet... which you can only take off with a screwdriver?". Mail Online. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  5. ↑ "Would you spend £4,000 on a bracelet that you need a SCREWDRIVER to remove?". Daily Express. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  6. ↑ Georgia Diebelius, Georgia (24 November 2015). "What not to wear to the airport: The items of clothing most likely to spark a security delay revealed". Daily Mail. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  7. ↑ "Cartier suing neighbor stores for fake bracelets. (alleged counterfeit Cartier Love Bracelet)". Women's Wear Daily (subscription required). July 26, 1993. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  8. ↑ "CARTIER SUES LANDAU HYMAN". Women's Wear Daily (subscription required). July 6, 1998. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  9. ↑ "Cartier Love Bracelet". 2009-11-22. Retrieved 2009-11-22.
  10. ↑ "Cartier launches charity bracelet". 2009-06-12. Retrieved 2009-11-22.

External links

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