Hermès Kelly Diamond Pave Alligator Leather Pattern 18 Karat Gold Cuff Bracelet
View Similar Items
Hermès Kelly Diamond Pave Alligator Leather Pattern 18 Karat Gold Cuff Bracelet
About the Item
Hermès
For Hermès, what began as a maker of leather equestrian goods for European noblemen would eventually grow into one of the most storied fashion labels in the world. In 1837, German-born French entrepreneur Thierry Hermès opened a saddle and harness purveyor in Paris. Gradually, the house extended into accessories and luggage for its riders, and today, in paying homage to its origins, the family-run luxury brand resurfaces horse motifs in everything from clothing and modernist jewelry to pillows and handbags.
The first top-handled bag ever produced by Hermès was the Haut à courroies, which made its debut in 1892. A tall bag secured with a folded leather flap (fastened with bridle-inspired straps), it was designed to transport riding boots and a harness.
As the world made the switch from horse to automobile, the bag adapted, becoming a multifunctional travel satchel instead of a designated saddlebag. Today, 120 years later, the HAC remains in Hermès’s line — and its distinctive flap and clasping straps have laid the groundwork for some of the house’s other iconic bags.
In the 1930s, Robert Dumas (son-in-law to Émile-Maurice Hermès, Thierry’s grandson) designed a smaller, trapezoidal take on the flap bag with a handle and two side straps. Later, actress Grace Kelly, then engaged to Prince Rainier of Monaco, is said to have used one of these bags to conceal her pregnancy during the 1950s. Because she was photographed constantly, the coverage catapulted her handbag to international popularity.
In 1977, Hermès officially renamed the model for her, and the Kelly bag was born. Each Kelly bag takes between 18 and 25 hours to produce, and its 680 hand stitches owe solely to one Hermès artisan.
Robert Dumas was also responsible for another one of the brand’s most iconic offerings: the launch of its first silk scarf on the occasion of Hermès’s 100th anniversary in 1937. Based on a woodblock designed by Dumas and printed on Chinese silk, the accessory was an immediate hit.
Today, vintage Hermès scarves, typically adorned in rich colors and elaborate patterns, serve many functions, just as they did back then. Well-heeled women wear it on their heads, around their necks and, in a genius piece of cross-promotion, tied to the straps of their Hermès bags. Kelly even once used one as a sling for her broken arm.
In 1981, Robert Dumas’s son Jean-Louis Dumas, then Hermès chairman, found himself sitting next to French actress and musician Jane Birkin on a plane, where she was complaining about finding a suitable carryall for the necessary accoutrements of motherhood. After the two travelers were properly introduced, Birkin helped design Jean-Louis’s most famous contribution to the Hermès canon: the Birkin bag, a roomy, square catchall with the HAC’s trademark leather flap top and the addition of a lock and key.
Owing to the brand’s legendary commitment to deft, handcrafted construction, the Birkin is an investment that is coveted by collectors everywhere.
While the Kelly and Birkin may be standouts, gracing the arms of everyone from royal heiresses to hip-hop stars in the past few decades, the handbags are but a small part of Hermès’s fashion offerings.
Since the 1920s, the brand has produced some of the most desirable leather goods in the world. There’s the Constance bag, a favorite of Jacqueline Kennedy, the recently relaunched 1970s-era Evelyne and, on the vintage market, a slew of designs dating back to the 1920s.
Good design never goes out of style. Find a variety of vintage Hermès handbags, day dresses, shoes and more on 1stDibs.
- Hermes Diamond / Spinel Kelly Cuff Bracelet 18k Gold 6 Interchangeable StrapsBy HermèsLocated in Miami, FLMightychic offers a unique Hermes Kelly Cuff Bracelet set with 5 interchangeable crocodile straps. Kindly read details: The diamond Kelly cu...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Cuff Bracelets
MaterialsDiamond, Rose Gold, 18k Gold
- Pave Round Diamond Tail Cuff Bracelet 18 Karat Rose GoldLocated in Beverly Hills, CAAn amusing cuff with snake tails featuring 2.58 carats of VS quality round cut diamonds pave set in 18K rose gold. A sleek and stylish cuff. Fits wrists up to 7.50 inchesCategory
21st Century and Contemporary American Cuff Bracelets
MaterialsDiamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
- Kieselstein-Cord Large 18 Karat Gold Alligator Cuff BraceletBy KIESELSTEIN-CORDLocated in New York, NYFine 18K gold alligator cuff bracelet by Kieselstein-Cord, circa 1980s. At approx. 187 grams, we believe this to be the largest size made available of t...Category
Late 20th Century American Contemporary Bangles
Materials18k Gold, Gold
- 18 Karat White Gold Pave Diamond Multi Shape Cuff BraceletLocated in Scottsdale, AZDesigner: custom Material: 18K white gold Diamond: 67 round brilliant cut = 2.51cttw Color: F / G Clarity: VS2 Dimensions: bracelet will fit up to a 6-inch wrist Weight: 10.24 gramsCategory
21st Century and Contemporary Cuff Bracelets
MaterialsDiamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
- 18 Karat Gold Rose Gold Diamonds Pave Fashion Open Cuff Bangle BraceletBy Oshi JewelsLocated in Bangkok, TH18Karat Gold Rose Gold Diamonds Pave Fashion Open Cuff Bangle Bracelet This 18K solid Rose Gold is an open cuff bangle. A strong distinctive architectural piece of jewel...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Art Nouveau Cuff Bracelets
MaterialsDiamond, Gold, Rose Gold
$8,694 Sale Price20% OffFree Shipping - Tri-Color Vintage Signed 18 Karat Gold Diamond Patterned Cuff BraceletLocated in North Miami, FLThis stunning and unusual 18K stamped and signed vintage bracelet is a melange of rose gold, white gold and yellow gold with an overlapping fleur de lis pattern...Category
Vintage 1960s Modern Cuff Bracelets
Materials18k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
The Hermès Passe-Guide Bag Might Not Be as Well Known as the Birkin or Kelly, But It’s Every Bit as Chic
Find out why this under-the-radar piece is so exceptional.
How to Spot a Fake Hermès Birkin Bag
The iconic Birkin bag is much coveted — and often copied. Find out how to tell the real deal from a convincing fake. Of course, you don't have to worry about this on 1stDibs, where every seller is highly vetted.