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 Whether you choose the classic bangle, a bold gold cuff, or a bracelet set with stones, the surface treatment of the metal is an important part of the overall look. The gold may be bright and shiny, polished to gleam and reflect like a mirror or it may have a softer look with a subtle pattern or texture to the surface. This is achieved in a variety of ways. Working with a texturing machine or by hand, the surface is etched, brushed or cross-hatched until it takes on a rich and more detailed look. One of the techniques is diamond-cutting, the use of a very sharp blade that makes minute cuts in the surface. A simple rasp or file may be used to texture the gold, producing a softer look. These details are an important part of the style of a bracelet and will influence the way it contrasts or coordinates with your clothes.
 Gemstones enhance the design as well as the appeal of a bracelet. Small diamonds may be pavé set along the surface of a delicate bangle; they may be set in collets or bezels and then spaced along an open-work lattice design, or they may be prong set and strung together along the length of the bracelet to form a tennis bracelet.
Choose your bracelet in the metal that best sets off your wardrobe and your lifestyle. The cool and sophisticated look of 'white on white', diamonds set in white gold or platinum is very appealing to some while the warmer look of yellow gold creates a quite different feeling. The choice of diamond shapes, too, can change the feeling of a bracelet. Baguettes, square cuts and larger rectangular cuts are very elegant; round or brilliant cuts are warmer and have a bolder in the larger sizes. Your personality and personal taste, your sense of style, can be expressed in your choice of bracelets.
 Because bracelets are subject to more wear and tear, take time occasionally to look at the settings of the stones in your bracelets to see that they are secure. As with all fine jewelry, remove your bracelets when you're planning to do dishes or to wash your hands. Soap and cleansers aren't friendly to jewelry; they dull the stones and the metal. And scraping up against dishes or pots and pans certainly won't do the surface of the metal any good. Take that extra minute to take off your bracelets, and your rings, and you'll be rewarded with pretty, sparkling jewels.
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