Vhernier Calla Bracelet

Vhernier has a progressive approach to modern jewelry rooted in patience with meticulous attention to detail. The Italian brand was founded in 1984 in Valenza, a historic jewelry city, as a goldsmith’s workshop. It crafts timeless rings, earrings, bracelets and other fine pieces. 

Carlo Traglio, a former bottler and distributor for Coca-Cola, was a passionate collector of Vhernier jewelry before, in 2001, he acquired the company. Angela Camurati, Vhernier’s co-founder and design lead, insisted on two conditions: first, that the design philosophy could not change. The second condition was that the company would stay in Valenza.

Vhernier continues to be boldly different, and that is as true in their designs as their production methods. In the same town as jewelry giants BVLGARI, Fope and Damiani, Vhernier has workshops specializing in various aspects of its creations. Pieces travel from goldsmiths, to gem setters, to polishers before reaching a quality control headquarters.

Vhernier’s most iconic piece, the Calla necklace, took years of conceptualizing to perfect a cone-shaped design that has remained largely unchanged since its inception. The conical motif is adaptable and provides a consistency across necklaces, bracelets and earrings. Calla necklaces have been released in titanium, ebony and platinum, bringing this enduring favorite into the 21st century.

The exclusive Vhernier Bridge bracelet is another exemplary piece with smooth sides and precise edges which feature hidden diamonds and gemstones between sections. Each Bridge bracelet takes 45 days to create, with the company producing around eight per year.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of Vhernier rings, bracelets, earrings and more.

Today, antique and vintage bracelets are versatile and universally loved accessories that can add polish and pizzazz to any ensemble.

Bracelets were among the jewels discovered to have been buried with Pharaoh Tutankhamun when his tomb was unearthed in 1922, and wrist and arm bracelets were allegedly worn by Queen Puabi in Sumer, southern Mesopotamia. But preceding the adornments of Ancient Egypt and elsewhere, the people of prehistoric times likely wore the decorative accessory, fashioning it from shells and fish bones. When the Bronze Age allowed for more durable materials and semiprecious stones to be incorporated into jewelry, bracelets became a treasured symbol of wealth.

In the thousands of years following the debut of the world’s first bracelets, the artistry behind this common accessory has only broadened, with designers at popular jewelry houses growing more venturesome over time. David Webb looked to nature for his Animal Kingdom bracelets, and for her best-selling bracelets and more at Tiffany & Co., Elsa Peretti would frequently do the same. From bangles to tennis bracelets, the modern age offers plenty of options.

Internationally acclaimed bracelet designs have on occasion become powerful symbols of status, style and, in the case of Cartier's iconic design, love. The Cartier Love bracelet can be found on the wish list of most jewelry lovers and on the wrist of some of the world’s biggest stars. Its arrangement of mock screwheads and distinctive functionality — it was initially locked and unlocked with an accompanying vermeil screwdriver — is an enduring expression of loyalty, unity and romance. (Do you know how to spot a fake Cartier Love bracelet?)

While the Love bracelet has played a role in the skyrocketing popularity of cuff-style bracelets, they are far from the only glamorous option for collectors. Make a statement with an Art Deco design, a style that sees all kinds of iterations fitted with studded cuffs, one-of-a-kind shapes and dazzling insets. A chunky vintage gold bracelet in the Retro style will prove eye-catching and elevate any outfit.

One of the best things about bracelets, however, is that you never have to choose just one. Style icon Jacqueline Kennedy stacked her Croisillon bracelets — designed by Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co. — with such frequency that the ornate bangles were eventually dubbed “Jackie bracelets” by reporters. Contemporary silver pieces can easily complement each other, rendering a layering of luxury almost a necessity.

Find a diverse collection of bracelets that you can sort by style, stone cut and more on 1stDibs.