Grown-up friendship bracelets: a CF edit

I’m sure I’m not the only one that, ever summer of our youth, dutifully brought back colourful pieces of string, masquerading as friendship bracelets for our BFFs at home. They were worn solemnly as a signifier to our undying friendship, until the stroppy house master made us chop them off as they were not ‘school uniform.’ Oh the tears.

So, in defiance I wore an armful of various tatty old beads, festival passes and ‘significant bits of string’ for most of my Twenties, each embued with memories, promises and friendships.

Whilst I ditched the ‘student on her gap year’ chic long ago, I do still hanker after a friendship bracelet, and with them now back in Vogue, I’ve finally got my pick of grown-up arm candy:

I love these super luxe versions from JADA Fine Jewellery – especially the rose gold and burnt orange one.

I was also tempted by the great US bespoke jewellers, COATT.

Rebecca Coagan Scharlatt will translate a word, name or monogram into morse code for you to wear, strung simple on coloured silk or a gold chain.

Finally, I knew I’d found the one when I clicked on Astley Clarke’s online jewellery emporium: The Fiji bracelet by Monica Vinader.

There are 11 colours to choose from, each represents a different symbolism – from Love to Hope, Health, Prosperity and my choice – Courage. After giving up our jobs, moving across the country and having a baby – courage seemed rather apt. Rather serendipitously, it comes monogrammed with an ‘M’, for Monica I presume, but in my case ‘Mansi’. The navy woven silk joins the simple, sleek sterling silver band.

It arrived after 2 days, wrapped beautifully in Astley Clarke’s signature cream and navy packaging and has been firmly clamped to my arm ever since.

Monica Vinader’s Fiji bracelets are available at Astley Clarke from £83.