Evil Eye Bracelets: Meaning, Styles and How to Wear Them

An evil eye bracelet is a bracelet set with an eye-shaped charm that is worn as a protective talisman, and the fine jewellery versions are made in gold with diamonds and coloured stones. You can see the full run of them on the Jennifer Meyer page, and the quickest way to compare styles is to browse our evil eye jewellery alongside pieces such as the Mini Diamond Open Evil Eye Bracelet.

The short answer to “which evil eye bracelet should I buy?” is that a single mini eye on a fine chain is the easiest to wear every day, a medium eye is the more visible statement, and a tennis bracelet with evil eye accents is the one to choose for occasions. Pick a diamond centre for sparkle, turquoise for colour, and emerald when you want a deeper green.

What does an evil eye bracelet mean?

The evil eye is a protective motif found in many cultures. The idea behind it is simple: the symbol looks back at the world and is meant to guard the person who wears it. People wear it for luck, for protection and, increasingly, because it is a graphic and recognisable design that looks good on a wrist.

Because it appears in so many places, there is no single way to wear it and no one correct meaning to attach to it. Some wearers treat it as a talisman they would never take off. Others simply like the shape. Both are perfectly reasonable, and a bracelet is a good place to wear one because the eye faces outward on the wrist and is easy to glance at.

Jennifer Meyer treats the evil eye as a house signature. The brand makes it in gold, diamonds and stones, and Coveti stocks 78 pieces in the evil eye line across rings, necklaces, earrings and bracelets. If you are building a set, our companion guide to evil eye necklaces looks at the same motif on a chain.

Fine jewellery versus cord evil eye bracelets

Most evil eye bracelets sold online are cord bracelets, with a glass bead, sometimes an enamelled charm, on a knotted string. They are inexpensive, colourful and cheerful, and there is nothing wrong with them. They are also made to be replaced.

A fine jewellery evil eye bracelet is a different object. It is made of 18 carat gold, set with natural diamonds and genuine stones, and built to be worn for years without being swapped out. The gold is solid, the clasp is a lobster clasp,. You can wear it daily, take it on holiday and hand it down.

The practical differences are these:

• Cord bracelets fray, fade and stretch, and need replacing every season.
• Fine gold bracelets keep their shape and can be worn daily.
• Cord bracelets cost very little, and fine gold ones start at around $1,940 at Coveti.
• Gold is a lasting material, whereas cord and glass are not.

If you want an evil eye bracelet as a first piece of fine jewellery, the entry point is the Mini Open Evil Eye with Diamond Center Bracelet at around $1,940. It measures 5mm by 10.20mm, sits on a 6.5 inch chain, and does exactly what the cord version does in a more permanent material.

Mini, medium and large: choosing a size

Jennifer Meyer makes the evil eye bracelet in several scales, and the size changes the look more than anything else.

The mini eyes are around 10mm long. They are delicate enough to wear every day and disappear under a shirt cuff. The Mini Diamond Open Evil Eye Bracelet carries 0.12 carats of diamond at around $2,090. For a dash of colour, the Mini Diamond Open Evil Eye with Emerald Center Bracelet costs the same.

The medium eyes are 18mm long and noticeably bolder. The Medium Diamond Open Evil Eye Bracelet is made in 14 carat gold and has 0.57 carats of diamond, at around $5,030. The bracelet measures 6.5 to 7 inches with a lobster clasp that has a sizing option, which makes it more forgiving on wrists that fall between sizes.

The 70s versions are a separate family inspired by the brand’s 70s collection. The Mini 70’s Evil Eye Bracelet is around $2,820, and the larger 70’s Evil Eye Bracelet has a 24.90mm charm and costs around $5,760. The shape is rounder and a little more retro than the open eye.

A good rule: go mini if the bracelet will be worn daily, go medium if it is the only bracelet you will wear, and go to the 70s style if you prefer a softer outline.

Open eye versus inlay: which style do you want?

There are two distinct looks in the bracelet range. The open eye is cut in gold with a stone in the centre, so the eye is an outline. The inlay eye has polished stone set flush in the gold, so the eye is a solid disc of colour.

The open versions are lighter and more modern. The Open Evil Eye Bracelet with Diamond Center has a 14.81mm eye and costs around $4,440, and the Open Evil Eye Bracelet with Turquoise Center is around $3,410.

The inlay versions are richer and more graphic. The Turquoise Inlay Evil Eye Bracelet is around $4,000, with a 10.76mm eye on a 6.5 inch chain. The Lapis Inlay Evil Eye Bracelet is the same price and gives a deep blue. Add diamonds around the stone, as on the Turquoise Inlay Evil Eye Bracelet with Diamonds, and the price moves to around $5,180. If inlay interests you in general, our guide to stone inlay jewellery explains how it is made and cared for.

Stone colours: sapphire, turquoise and emerald centres

The centre stone is where you decide what the bracelet says about you. Here is how each colour tends to behave.

Diamond is the neutral. It goes with every metal tone and every outfit, and it keeps the eye reading as pure sparkle. If you are unsure, diamond is the answer.

Turquoise is the warm, sunny one. It looks lovely against a tan, and it works with denim and white linen. Our guide to turquoise jewellery covers why this stone is so popular in gold. Turquoise is a softer stone, so it benefits from a little care.

Emerald is the deeper, cooler green. The 3 Mini Diamond and Emerald Open Evil Eye Bracelet has three small eyes with 0.27 carats of diamond and 0.09 carats of emerald, at around $4,290. It looks richer than it sounds, and it suits winter clothes as well as summer ones.

Blue sapphire appears as a centre stone on the Jennifer Meyer evil eye ring, such as the Diamond Mini Open Evil Eye Ring with Sapphire Center at around $1,650, and not on the bracelets at present. If a sapphire centre is the colour you have in mind, a ring is the way to get it.

Evil eye bracelet styles compared

Tennis bracelet versus chain bracelet: which is better?

The two structures behave differently on the wrist. A chain bracelet holds the eye as a charm, so the eye is the star and the rest is quiet. A tennis bracelet is a continuous line of stones, so the eye becomes an accent inside a sparkling band.

Choose the chain style for everyday wear. It is lighter, it moves, and it costs far less. Choose the tennis style for dinners and celebrations. The Bezel Tennis Bracelet With 3 Mini Open Evil Eye Accents is around $11,350, and the 4 Prong Diamond Tennis Bracelet with Mini Open Evil Eye Accents carries 1.86 carats of diamond at around $16,200. For colour, the Bezel Tennis Bracelet with Mini Turquoise Inlay Evil Eye Accent is around $13,260.

Tennis pieces are worth reading about before you buy. Our tennis bracelets category shows the full range, and the tennis bracelets guide explains settings, carat weight and how a bracelet should sit.

How to stack evil eye bracelets

An evil eye bracelet is a natural centrepiece for a stack, because it gives the wrist a clear focal point. The trick is to keep everything around it quieter.

Start with the eye bracelet, then add one plain element. A plain link bracelet such as the Medium Edith Link Bracelet at around $4,510 works well, because the open links are a calm contrast to the solid eye. Then add a thin diamond line, such as a classic 4 Prong Diamond Tennis Bracelet at around $14,000, if you want the stack to read as formal.

A few ground rules keep a stack looking deliberate:

• Wear only one eye per wrist, unless the bracelet already has several.
• Keep the metal consistent. Coveti stocks the colour shown in each photograph, overwhelmingly 18K yellow gold.
• Vary the widths, so a thin bracelet sits beside a thicker one.
• Leave a little of the wrist visible, because a stack looks better with space around it.

Most of the Jennifer Meyer evil eye bracelets measure 6.5 inches, so if you have a larger wrist, look at the 6.5 to 7 inch pieces such as the Open Evil Eye Bracelet with Diamond Center. The Medium Diamond Open Evil Eye Bracelet also has a sizing option on its clasp.

Caring for an evil eye bracelet

Gold and diamond bracelets are tough, and they ask for very little. Wipe them with a soft cloth after wearing, store them separately so the stones do not scratch each other, and remove them for heavy exercise and cleaning. Stone inlay and turquoise are softer than diamond, so keep them away from perfume, hair spray and knocks. That is general good practice, not a special instruction.

About the maker

Jennifer Meyer founded her line in 2005 in Los Angeles, and every piece is designed by her and handcrafted by master artisans there. The brand’s stated aim is jewellery that feels personal, enduring and wearable, which is a fair description of a bracelet you put on once and keep on. Natural and ethically sourced stones are used throughout. For the wider bracelet range, including tennis, link and cuff styles, see our Jennifer Meyer bracelets guide.

Across all Jennifer Meyer bracelets, Coveti prices run from around $1,280 to $40,530, with a median near $6,790. The evil eye bracelets sit comfortably in the lower half of that range, which makes them one of the most accessible ways into the brand.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does an evil eye bracelet symbolise?

An evil eye bracelet symbolises protection. The evil eye is a protective motif found across many cultures, and wearers choose it for luck, as a talisman, and for its graphic shape. There is no single correct meaning, so you can wear it for any of those reasons.

Which hand should you wear an evil eye bracelet on?

There is no rule, so wear it on whichever wrist feels natural. Some people pick the wrist opposite their watch, and others simply choose the side where the eye is easiest to glance at. A lobster clasp is easiest to fasten on the left wrist if you are right-handed.

Are gold evil eye bracelets better than cord ones?

They are better if you want something permanent. A gold bracelet keeps its shape and can be worn daily. Cord bracelets are cheaper and cheerful but wear out. Fine gold versions start at around $1,940 at Coveti.

What size evil eye bracelet should I buy?

Choose the mini size for daily wear and the medium size for a bolder look. Most Jennifer Meyer evil eye bracelets measure 6.5 inches, while the Medium Diamond Open Evil Eye Bracelet and the open diamond-centre style measure 6.5 to 7 inches, which suits slightly larger wrists.

Which stone is best in an evil eye bracelet?

Diamond is the most versatile, turquoise adds colour and emerald adds depth. Choose diamond if the bracelet will be worn with everything. Turquoise and lapis inlay are softer stones, so they need more care, but they give the most colour for the price.

Can you wear an evil eye bracelet with other bracelets?

Yes, and it works best as the centrepiece of a stack. Pair it with a plain link bracelet, and a thin tennis bracelet, keep the metal tone consistent, and wear only one eye per wrist unless the bracelet already has several.