Arm Cuffs: How to Wear an Upper-Arm Cuff, and the Designer Pieces to Buy

By Coveti Editorial. Read our editorial and AI policy.

The short answer: an arm cuff is an open band worn on the upper arm, and it is the piece of jewellery made for a bare shoulder, a sleeveless dress and swimwear. The clearest example this season is the hand-hammered Taller Marmo Alta Marea Arm Cuff, which the house styles with its one-shoulder Countach Dress. More wrist and arm pieces sit in our designer cuffs edit. Taller Marmo is the Milan and Dubai house founded in 2013 by Riccardo Audisio and Yago Goicoechea, best known for turning the kaftan into eveningwear. Everything it makes, jewellery included, is made in Italy.

The arm cuff has history in ancient Egyptian and Greek jewellery, and it returned in the 1970s with disco and resort dressing. It is searched about 13,000 times a month worldwide in our DataForSEO data, with a further 1,700 searches for gold arm cuffs specifically.

At a glance

How we compiled this: material, detail and origin are transcribed from each Taller Marmo product page on 15 November 2026. Sizes are the sizes Coveti lists for each piece. Where the house does not publish a value, the cell says so.

Where to place an arm cuff

Slide it up to the narrowest point of the upper arm, just above the bicep and below the shoulder. Open cuffs like the Alta Marea can be eased gently wider to pass the elbow, then pressed in slightly to sit. Do this slowly and by hand, as the house advises, and avoid bending the brass back and forth.

Our picks

1. Alta Marea Arm Cuff in Gold

A wide upper-arm cuff in pleated brass, shaped and hammered by hand in Italy. The open design can be gently adjusted. Also in a silver tone.

2. Alta Marea Bracelet in Gold

The wrist version: a wide open bracelet with the same pleated surface, for a long-sleeved kaftan pushed back.

3. Gold cuffs from other houses

For the wrist, the Alaia Spiral Cuff, the Versace Greca Cuff Bracelet and the Brandon Maxwell Trove Cuff are all in stock.

What to wear with an arm cuff

One-shoulder dresses. Put the cuff on the bare arm. Taller Marmo does exactly this on the Countach Dress, which comes in ruby, black and royal blue, and on the one-shoulder Grand Astor Gown.

Slip dresses. Fine straps leave both arms bare. One cuff is enough.

Swimwear. The house uses the arm cuff for resort and swim looks. Try it with the Lido Bikini.

Keep the rest quiet. With an arm cuff, wear small earrings and no bracelet on the same arm.

Arm cuffs around the world

India and the United States. The two largest markets in our data, each near 2,800 searches a month. In India the arm cuff connects to the bajuband, the traditional armlet worn at weddings.

United Kingdom. About 1,800 searches a month, rising with summer holidays and festival season.

Gulf. A gold arm cuff over a sleeveless gown suits winter weddings and private evening events.

Arm cuff vs armlet vs bracelet

Arm cuff. A wide, open band worn on the upper arm, usually rigid metal that is pressed gently to fit.

Armlet. A closed band, often decorative and narrower, sometimes with a chain.

Cuff bracelet. The same open shape worn at the wrist. Taller Marmo makes both: the Alta Marea Arm Cuff and the Alta Marea Bracelet share the same pleated surface.

How to size an arm cuff

Measure the upper arm at the point you want the cuff to sit, just above the bicep. An open cuff should pass the elbow with a gentle widening and then sit with a little pressure, never tight enough to mark the skin. If it slides, press the ends in slightly by hand. If it pinches, ease them out. Small, slow adjustments keep brass from fatigue.

Arm cuffs by occasion

Black tie. A gold cuff on the bare arm of a one-shoulder gown, with small earrings.

Weddings. On a sleeveless guest dress, worn on the arm away from your partner so it shows in photographs.

Resort. Over a swimsuit at the beach club, then with a slip dress for dinner.

Festival and summer parties. With a cami and wide trousers, one cuff on each arm for a bolder look.

Gold tone and silver tone

Gold warms ruby, black, ivory and tanned skin. Silver suits royal blue, grey and cool winter whites. The Alta Marea Arm Cuff comes in both, so match it to the dress first and your other jewellery second.

Frequently asked questions

Which arm do you wear an arm cuff on?

Either. With a one-shoulder dress, wear it on the bare arm. Otherwise choose the arm you do not wear a watch on.

Do arm cuffs stay up?

Yes, if they sit at the narrowest point above the bicep and are pressed in slightly to fit.

Is the Taller Marmo arm cuff adjustable?

Yes. The house describes an open design that can be gently adjusted with care.

What is the Alta Marea Arm Cuff made of?

Brass, shaped and hammered by hand in Italy.

Can you wear an arm cuff with sleeves?

Over a sheer sleeve, yes, it can hold the fabric and add shape. Over a thick sleeve it slips, so keep it for bare arms.

How do you stop an arm cuff from sliding down?

Wear it at the narrowest point above the bicep and press the open ends in slightly for grip.

See also our guides to Taller Marmo jewellery, gold choker necklaces and statement earrings.

Curated by the Coveti Studio.