How To Stack Your Bracelets And Watches Effortlessly

Jul 22, 2023

Here’s a fun linguistic story: In Grecian times, bracelets were largely worn by men, in the fashion of leather bands that soldiers wore on their forearms as a form of armour. The distinguished ranks would often decorate theirs with silver and gold, and on occasion, with gemstones. These trinkets were known as “bracels,” from the Latin meaning “arm.” When women started to wear them, they wore more delicate versions, called little bracelets for “bracel-ets.”

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Today, jewellery has become synonymous with personal style rather than for its original armoured functionality. The ’70s saw a favourable approach to tennis bracelets, while the noughties were rife with one-off statement pieces. In recent times, we’re seeing all these styles put together and have accumulated into the careless cascade of gold twists and elemental curves that are effortlessly stacked on wrists.

Now, there is no perfect stack prototype. The benefit of stacking bracelets is that the look can be easily changed depending on the occasion. Here’s how you can choose your favourite pieces and get creative with a wrist stack only you could wear.

LAYING THE FOUNDATION

The art of stacking is a numbers game. A good rule of thumb is to build on at least three pieces, and avoid stacking more than one-third of your forearm. Start with a timepiece which would determine where you’d prefer the stack to go—whether you’re left- or right-handed.

A suitable jewellery watch would be Hermès’ latest Kelly watch that comes in five interpretations, in steel and gold versions (with or without diamonds), and features a mother-of-pearl or spangled white-lacquered dial. The fixed metal links add definition to the bangle’s hefty width, with its key feature being the miniature padlock clock. For another option in the dainty watches department, the Cape Cod is a great alternative at a sizable 31mm. Metal bracelets can be swapped for leather ones, especially in the Double Tour designs that come in a variety of colours.

Bracelet accompaniments would include an Ex-Libris bracelet and its circular charms in sterling silver and rose gold, and for a bold addition, a Chaine d’ancre bracelet just to reinforce the iconic Hermès aesthetic.

MIXING METALS

There probably exists a multitude of rules about mismatching metal tones akin to how a well-dressed man should always remember to match his shoes to his belt. A tip would be to pick bracelets that have a matching base metal colour. The rose gold composition from your Anita Ko diamond bunny bracelet would be redder (the result of a greater copper ratio) as compared to the paler silvered sheen of pink gold in Cartier’s pieces, for instance.

Having said that, some pairings do work better than the others. For example, rose gold and yellow gold often pair well together. Mixing in a yellow gold Tiffany HardWear chain wrap bracelet with a stack of yellow and rose gold Lock bracelets creates just enough distinction, aided by the vast difference in structure. And if you’re daring enough, you’ll find a place to throw in an Elsa Peretti Bone cuff, somehow.

BIG STACKS OR SMALL STACKS

The thickest bangle in your jewellery box doesn’t necessarily have to always be the starring role. It could be the thematic gold circlet, such as the Cartier Juste un Clous that could—pardon the pun—hit the nail on the head. With variations in yellow, rose and white gold, including a full diamond pavé design, this statement bangle serves well as an accent or as the hero piece. Here, a simple stack would constitute the addition of a jewellery timepiece that’s been stylised in the same vein—the mini Baignoire. Its elliptical shape keeps the stack clean and uniform, with the miniature silvered dial adding just enough functionality. At this point, without sending the single wrist stack into overdrive, you could spread it across both arms instead. Wearing multiple bracelets on both wrists is a great maximalist style to elevate the casual white-tee-skinny jeans combination. Curate the second hardware stack with select Love bracelets, whose design codes—the closed oval fi tting and iconic engraved screw-head pattern, the same ones found on the bezels of the Santos watch—would make a complementing assemblage.

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ADD GEMS AND BEADS FOR COLOUR

While monochromatic stacking bracelets are a popular choice, gemstones and beads are great for adding vibrancy to your stack. Jewellery designer Carolina Bucci is rarely seen without her maximalist stack of multicoloured Perle Forte beads, all held together on a Lurex lace cord. The modular arrangement comprises semi-precious stones, from jade to amethyst, aventurine to malachite, which add a casual-chic flair that’s suitable for daily wear.

The natural patterns found in the cross- sections of these stones are presented in a variety of forms, one example being the Vintage Alhambra bracelets by Van Cleef & Arpels. The four-leaf clover motif sits on a gold chain-link bracelet in the power of five, and are crafted in a variety of colourful natural materials, including white or grey mother-of-pearl, bright blue agate, and tiger eye. If you’re looking for a subtle approach to colour additions in your stacking bracelet look, start with just one gemstone bracelet and keep the rest in plain metal styles. Don’t forget vivid watch straps too! Each beaded Perlée watch, which includes two interchangeable leather straps, comes dressed in a variety of colours.

SIGNS AND SYMBOLS

During the Roman era, engraved bangles, and animal bracelets were particularly fashionable. They were brought back in fashion in the early 20th century when the popularity of flora and fauna designs emerged. Serpentine icons such as snakes and lizards were reimagined in wrap-around bracelets, where their scaly details and slinky features were immortalised in gold. Bulgari’s Serpenti has been a distinctive symbol of the Italian jewellery house. And there’s Cartier’s Panthère bracelet, which in essence, is anything but fancy dress garb. Even with an in-your-face Zebra bracelet by David Webb, you can use this as a strong companion to add tactility to the rest of your pieces. Wrist-stacking is not for the faint-hearted.

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Photographed by Stefan Khoo Art Direction by Daphne TsoStyling by Jeffrey YanModel: Olivia Kozak/Ave Model ManagementMakeup: Clarence LeeHair: Peter Lee/35aPhotographer’s Assistant: Mohd Alf Stylist’s Assistant: Naysa Pradhan

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