A tennis bracelet that's too loose spins so the stones face your wrist. Too tight and it digs in every time you rest your arm on a desk. The window is narrower than most jewellery, so it's worth two minutes with a tape measure.
How to measure
- Wrap a soft tape measure — or a strip of paper you can mark and measure after — around your wrist just below the wrist bone, where the bracelet will actually sit.
- Pull it snug, not tight. It should touch the skin all the way round without compressing it.
- Note that number. That's your wrist size, not your bracelet size.
- Add 0.5 to 0.75 inches (about 1.5–2cm) for a tennis bracelet. That's the slack that lets it drape and rotate slightly rather than gripping.
Example: a 6.25" wrist wants a 7" bracelet. Most women land between 6.5" and 7.5"; most men between 7.5" and 8.5".
Tighter or looser?
Go tighter if you type all day, wear a watch on the same wrist, or hate the feeling of jewellery moving. Half an inch of slack is plenty.
Go looser if you want the bracelet to sit lower on the hand and drape visibly — three-quarters of an inch reads more relaxed and is the more common choice for a statement piece.
If you're between sizes
Size up. A slightly loose tennis bracelet still looks correct; a tight one looks like it belongs to someone else. If you genuinely can't decide, our Adjustable Bolo Tennis Bracelet uses a slider clasp and fits any wrist — $299.
Standard lengths on our 3mm Round Tennis Bracelet run 6.5" to 8" at $249. The full range is in Bracelets, and there's a matching guide for rings at Ring Sizing Guide.
Tennis Bracelet Sizing Questions
What size tennis bracelet should I get?
Measure your wrist just below the wrist bone, then add 0.5 to 0.75 inches. Most women land between 6.5 and 7.5 inches; most men between 7.5 and 8.5 inches.
How tight should a tennis bracelet fit?
It should rotate freely around the wrist but not slide over the hand. About half an inch of slack is snug and practical; three-quarters of an inch drapes more and reads as a statement piece.
What if I'm between two sizes?
Size up. A slightly loose tennis bracelet still looks right, while a tight one restricts movement and digs in when you rest your arm. An adjustable bolo style removes the decision entirely.
Can a tennis bracelet be resized?
Tennis bracelets are resized by removing or adding links, which is possible but requires a jeweller and isn't always clean on a continuous stone line. Measuring correctly first is much simpler.
