Bracelets and bangles – vintage jewellery for your arm

bangles

What do you call jewellery you wear on your arm or wrist? There does seem to be a wide variety of terms: bracelet, bangle, torque, arm ring, slave bracelet, chain, charm bracelet, bangle bracelet, cuff ?

Here is how I think they go:

Bracelet:Flexible perhaps links or some type of flexible material. Worn round the wrist

Bangle:Fixed and rigid metal . Worn round wrist. Can hinge open or just slip over hand

Armlet/ Armilla / Armill: Worn on the upper arm in classical times

Cuff:  A wide bangle may be tapered to fit arm shape being wider at top and narrower at wrist

Slave Bracelet: bracelets and rings worn together joined by a chain

Slave Bangle: Narrow Bangles worn on the upper arm

Torque / torc: Celtic style upper arm ring, having two open ends with decorative finials

Charm Bracelet: Any bracelet with a number of decorative charms suspended from it

Charm Bangle : any bangle with a number of decorative charms suspended from it

Can you think of any more for me to add here?

Did you know that Victorian ladies often worn their bracelets in pairs? One went round each wrist.