Bracelets Under $20

283 items

The Village Council

Your answers straight from the village experts

+ - What makes a women’s bracelet eco-friendly?

Artisans the world over utilize the natural materials at their disposal to create beautiful, sustainable jewelry. Wood, bamboo and dried gourds. Coconut shells, rattan and terra-cotta. Even natural grasses lend themselves to a jeweler's creativity while art glass beads and pendants can be made from discarded bottles. Some artisans reclaim precious silver from photographic negatives. Colorful magazine pages can become tightly-rolled beads protected by a coat of varnish. Always creative, artists craft their bracelets out of innovative, eco-conscious materials.

+ - How do I know if my bracelet is handmade?

Handmade women's bracelets each have their own unique characteristics. Color, texture, size and design all vary. Often, the technique alone will tell you, for example, hand-knotted, braided or woven bracelets. Leather bracelets with cutout motifs or embossing are usually crafted by hand.Thai jewelry by Karen silversmiths shows hand-stamped geometric or floral motifs and beads are usually made of fine silver, which is more malleable than sterling. Similarly, filigree jewelry is a meticulous handcrafted process. Most bracelets with natural, sustainable or recycled materials are handmade. Even some of the most sophisticated and modern gold and silver may be signed by the artist who made it.The most common indicator that a bracelet is handmade is the detailed and intricate design. Novica artisans demonstrate their techniques in the many videos on www.novica.com youll find the links on their product descriptions and also on the artisan bio page.

+ - What bracelet-making techniques have been passed down through generations?

Traditional bracelet-making techniques have been passed down over generations around the world. Women's bracelets in gold and silver are usually crafted with the lost wax technique. The image is sculpted in wax and enveloped in a mold materia. As molten gold or silver is poured into the mold, the wax image melts and the metal takes its place. However coiling fine strands of metal results in Andean filigree jewelry. Balinese artistry applies polished spirals and tendrils as well as tiny globes known as jawan to sleek silver jewelry. And a few contemporary artisans even weave or crochet the slender silver strands.Jade was highly prized by the Maya and still has an important place in modern Guatemalan jewelry. Amber from the rich mines in southern Mexico adorns the women's bracelets, necklaces, and earrings of the area. Macrame and beading are popular everywhere for boho style. And West Africas handmade beadwork is renowned the world over.

+ - Do any women’s bracelets have particular cultural significance?

women's bracelets carried immense cultural significance in ancient times and they still do. In Perus pre-Hispanic societies, gold represented the sun, and jewelry indicated social status and identity, as it also did among the Maya of Mexico and Central America. In India, bangles or kangans showed a woman was married and are a part of the 16 adornments customarily worn by a Hindu bride. Traditional West African beads are a sign of cultural identity. Each one has a meaning and tells a story.Today, women's bracelets are still culturally significant. In India, jewelry often depicts religious symbols and meditative mantras. Balinese bracelets may also depict dragons, thought to be the protectors of the gods, or the Hindu Barong deity, also a protection symbol. Motifs stamped into Karen hill tribe silver encourage living in harmony with nature. The hand-knotted bracelets of Guatemala symbolize friendship but evolved from a silent protest for loved ones missing during the country's armed conflict. Today, friends each tie a bracelet on the others arm and make a wish. The bracelet is worn until it wears out and falls off so the wish will come true.

+ - What are the most popular materials to make women’s bracelets?

Silver, gold, brass and copper have been popular for thousands of years and are often set with colorful gemstones. Artisans in different regions of the world take advantage of unique local resources, such as Brazilian golden grass, leather and coconut shell from Thailand, and carved bone jewelry from Bali. Intricate openwork carving, known as jali, can be seen in bangles from India. West Africa has a long tradition of beadwork, with beautiful beads made from recycled glass and even plastic becoming popular in recent years.

Featured Reviews

Wood bangle bracelets, 'India Romance' (pair)

Dr Karen

May 27, 2024

Fabulous Wood Bracelets

These are beautiful bracelets for those who like a natural and/or ethnic look. Beautiful color and design. A light weight though bold look.

Carved Bracelets

Environmental Gifts For Her

Geometric Looking

Nice Hippie Bracelets!

Romantic Gifts For Nature Lovers

Timeless Bracelets

Vintage Bracelets

Well Grouped Bracelets

Wide Bangle Bracelet

Bangle Jewelry

Bracelets

Tiger's eye beaded bracelet, 'Valley of Amber'

Margaret

Jul 23, 2018

This goes great with my 14K bangle bracelet!

This bracelet has been a wonderful addition to my thick 14k gold bangle bracelet! I have enjoyed it a lot, plus it's easy to get on and off!

Always Ready For Any Occasion

Bell Bracelet

Browns

Classic Beauty

Dainty

Gifts For Young Women

Golds

Simply Beautiful

So Exotic!

Stacking Bracelets

Gold plated brass chain bracelet, 'Golden Day in Brown'

Louise

Dec 24, 2019

Great enhancer to other bracelets

A simple bracelet, but is interesting when added to another larger bracelet. Nice quality work; easy on & off. This style comes in several other colors which can be combined to create your preferred color scheme. This makes the fifth color I have purchased in this style. The brown cording does not show up against the gold chain as much as the other colors do & I knew that before I bought it. Later I may use the chain without the cording to make some short earrings I ordered from Novica hang longer. It was easier to order this bracelet than go out looking for gold plated chain for my alteration project. The red, purple, dark blue, and lime green bracelets I have will all be used as bracelet enhancers though. This artist's work has always been impeccable.

Jewelry

Featured Artist

Vipin Handcrafted jewelry, accessories and home decor

(138)

"Once, a buyer encouraged me to design some silver jewelry. I experimented on a few designs and it turned out quite well!"

" was born and raised in Delhi where people always knew me as the 'jolly good fella' because I was a happy kid who made friends with everyone. I... read more