With the US Open tennis tournament bringing the sport’s greatest to compete on the New York City hardcourts every year in the late summer—you can watch the live stream at Smith & Mills Rock Center—the American Grand Slam also carries with it a legacy. It was here in Flushing Meadows that Arthur Ashe became the first Black man to win the title in 1968, and Billie Jean King advocated for equal gender pay by threatening to ban the 1973 Open. And it was even the event that sparked the moniker of one of fashion’s most essential staples: the tennis bracelet.

“A tennis bracelet is one of those rare pieces that feels both timeless and of-the-moment all at once,” Leigh Batnick Plessner, chief creative officer of Brooklyn-based fine jewelry retailer Catbird, with a location in Rockefeller Center, tells The Center Magazine. “There’s something quietly confident about slipping it on with no occasion in mind, letting it sparkle against an old favorite tee just as easily as a silk dress.”It was exactly that mentality that led American Chris Evert to don a thin gold diamond bracelet designed by George Bedewi as she stepped onto the court to defend her three-year winning streak in 1978. “When I competed, I wanted to wear something that gave me confidence and empowered me both as a woman and an athlete,” the six-time US Open singles champion told The New York Times in 2023. “My diamond line bracelet did that for me. It was a nod to my personal style, too.”

But in the middle of the final match, it suddenly went missing; she asked officials to pause the game as she scoured the hardcourt, leaving fans baffled as to what was so important it was worth stopping a championship match for. Evert went on to win in straight sets, 7-5, 6-5, beating fellow American Pam Shriver. But perhaps even more notable than capturing that fourth consecutive US Open title was what she said when reporters asked her in a post-game interview what she had dropped.

“‘Oh, that was my tennis bracelet,’” the now 70-year-old recalled saying, telling the Times that “From that point on, it just seemed that the tennis bracelet began to take on a life of its own.”

While the storied origin story has some skeptics, there’s no doubt that the demure accessory has long been a coveted style, once referred to as a line bracelet or eternity band. “It was — and still is — often given as a gift to a loved one or a lover to signify endless love,” according to Vogue.

Even before Evert’s bracelet’s on-court appearance, the classy bling had been spotted in the tennis stands, most notably on actress Farrah Fawcett at a 1976 charity match. Since then, they’ve become commonplace among the tennis elite, seen on the wrists of stars from Serena Williams to Maria Sharapova. Evert herself even worked with designer Monica Rich Kosann on a tennis bracelet line in 2022, telling Vogue at the time: “My hope is that the tennis bracelets we created together become a woman’s daily armor in every facet of her life to conquer the day ahead.”

But what actually is a tennis bracelet? “A tennis bracelet is a slim, flexible line of individually set diamonds—usually in a precious metal like gold or platinum—designed to wrap comfortably around the wrist,” explains Harry Mizrahi, a jeweler and certified gemologist at Louis Martin Jewelers. “Its beauty is in its simplicity: just an uninterrupted stream of stunning stones, most commonly diamonds.”

And there’s no setting where the dazzling wristpiece doesn’t belong. While they’re, of course, primed for weddings, dinner parties, and anniversaries, Plessner says they’re also just as fitting for “the walk to work, Sunday errands, stopping for a quick espresso,” adding that “the beauty is in not saving it for special moments, but letting it become part of your daily rhythm.”

Along with its simplicity is its versatility. “I love it worn on its own, or in a jumble — with our fine gold bracelets, and perhaps a homemade beaded one added in, with sporty shorts, an old tee shirt, and ballet flats, or with a lace dress at dinner,” she says. After all, the most important factor is that the tennis bracelet exudes your personal expression.

“It carries a history, but the way people wear it now feels more like a gentle rebellion — like a nod to tradition, but with the freedom to reinterpret it in your own way,” Plessner says. “The ‘right’ tennis bracelet should feel like it’s always belonged to you — an extension of your style, not just an accessory.”

If you’ve always dreamed of wearing this understated but ever-so elegant piece, there are several shops around Rockefeller Center where you can find one that perfectly suits you.

Where to Shop for a Tennis Bracelet at Rockefeller Center

Catbird

15 West 49th Street

Stepping into Catbird’s Rockefeller Center location is an only-in-New York experience of its own, as fresh and creative as the 21-year-old brand. Designed around a snip of cherry velvet, the store draws in the city’s icons, “evocative of a New York apple, an old movie theater curtain, no right turns on red,” Plessner previously told The Center Magazine. Among its tennis bracelets, the One O’Clock Diamond Tennis Bracelet is beloved as “the purest expression of the tennis bracelet: delicate, classic, and endlessly wearable,” she says. Also a favorite: the Harlequin Rainbow Tennis Bracelet, whose look she describes as ”watercolor, gemmy candy.”

Louis Martin Jewelers

30 Rockefeller Plaza

Louis Martin Jewelers was established right here in Rockefeller Center in 1978; the family-run business specializes in vintage and antique pieces, with a jeweler and watchmaker’s shop on site for repairs and customization as well. “Our best-seller is the classic 14KT White Gold 1.00ct Diamond Tennis Bracelet—it’s timeless, versatile, and pairs with absolutely everything,” says Mizrahi. “The underdog? A graduated diamond tennis bracelet in yellow gold. The graduated design gives it a more dynamic sparkle, and yellow gold feels fresh again—it’s a piece that deserves way more love.”

Swarovski

620 Fifth Avenue

The ultimate pillar of fine crystals, Swarovski, which was founded in Austria in 1895, offers a range of price points with its tennis bracelets, starting at $139 with its Matrix design with mixed cuts. It's available in four hues: white, caramel, blue, and green. On the upper echelon, into the four-digit price tags, are its Eternity tennis bracelet with lab-grown 1.5-carat diamonds and its top-tier Galaxy with 14-karat white gold and 5-carat diamonds.

Tiffany & Co.

610 5th Avenue, Channel Gardens

Perhaps no brand is more synonymous with subtle luxury than Tiffany & Co., an iconic American jeweler since it was founded in New York City in 1837. With the tennis bracelets described as “an elegant style staple,” the collection features more than a dozen options, from fine-cut diamonds to bold sapphire, set in platinum and rose gold. The Tiffany Victoria even alternates its marquise diamonds with Akoya cultured pearls.

Tous

610 5th Avenue, Channel Gardens

Established in 1920, Barcelona-based jeweler Tous has become a global powerhouse known for its playful creativity mixed with thoughtfully sourced fine materials. Its 18-karat white gold diamond elastic bracelet from its Tous Atelier collection is no exception, enhanced with a titanium core for flexibility and comfort.