Cartier Love and Juste un Clou bracelet sizing

Few pieces of jewellery depend on fit as much as Cartier's Love and Juste un Clou bracelets. Both are rigid. Neither can be resized. A bracelet that is too small will not close comfortably; one that is too large slides over the hand. This guide explains how Cartier sizes them, how to measure at home and how each design should sit.

How Cartier numbers its bracelets

Cartier gives both bracelets a size in centimetres, from size 14 upward, and publishes a chart that maps your wrist measurement to the right size for each collection. The size is engraved on the inside of the bracelet alongside the Cartier signature, the metal mark and a serial number. You will find it on the inner face, usually near the screws on a Love and near the head on a Juste un Clou.

Measuring your wrist

You need a soft tape measure, or a strip of paper and a ruler.

1. Wrap the tape around the thickest part of your wrist, usually the wrist joint, as Cartier recommends.
2. Hold it snug but not tight. It should lie flat against the skin.
3. Note the measurement in centimetres. If you use paper, mark where it overlaps and measure it flat.
4. Measure twice, at different times of day. Wrists are slightly larger in the evening and in warm weather.

From wrist to bracelet

Cartier's chart converts your wrist measurement into a size for each collection. Its own advice is to add about one centimetre, or go one size up, for a looser fit, and to choose the larger size if you are between two. Many specialists suggest thinking in these terms:

• A closer fit sits higher on the wrist and moves very little.
• A looser fit drops towards the hand and moves when you move.

There is no correct answer; it depends on how you like to wear it and whether you will stack it with a watch or other bracelets. Cartier recommends measuring your wrist itself rather than another bracelet, and notes that your two wrists may differ slightly.

Love: classic and small models

The Love bracelet, designed by Aldo Cipullo in 1969, is an oval closed by two screws. It is made in a classic width and a narrower small model, with versions in each set with diamonds. The two share the same numbering, but a small model has less metal and can feel slightly looser at the same size. Because the oval sits close to the wrist, many people choose the closer fit for a Love.

Cartier has refined the screw system over the decades, so the fastening on an early bracelet differs from a recent one. We check that the fastening matches the bracelet's version when we authenticate it; our Love bracelet authentication guide explains how.

Juste un Clou: classic and small models

The Juste un Clou, Cartier's bracelet in the form of a bent nail, also began with Cipullo in the 1970s and was reintroduced by Cartier in 2012. It opens at a hinge and closes with a concealed clasp. Like the Love it comes in a classic width and a small model. Because it is open-ended and wraps around the wrist rather than forming a closed oval, the same number can feel a little different from a Love. We have a Juste un Clou bracelet, small model in 18k yellow gold, size 16 in the shop now. On Cartier's chart a size 16 generally suits a wrist of around 14 to 15 cm, depending on the fit you prefer.

Wearing them together

Many owners stack a Love and a Juste un Clou on the same wrist, or wear either beside a watch. If you plan to stack, choose sizes that let the pieces sit at slightly different heights, so they rest against each other rather than grinding. Gold is a soft metal and will mark with wear; light scratches are part of a bracelet's life and can be refreshed by a jeweller.

Before you buy

If you are unsure of a size, our client team can help you compare it with your own measurements before you buy, and every piece arrives with our 14-day returns. See more in our Cartier Love model guide, our Juste un Clou guide and current pieces on our Cartier page.