Figaro Bracelet Gold Stainless Steel (3mm & 5mm)

Figaro Bracelet Gold Stainless Steel (3mm & 5mm) That Stays Where You Put It

The figaro pattern is instantly recognizable on a wrist: three short links, then a longer one, over and over. On a wrist that pattern sits exactly where people look during a conversation, close up. Because the long link lies slightly flatter, the bracelet stays in place better than one with only round links. The base is stainless steel with a gold-tone finish applied in five layers of PVD.

Product details

• Material: stainless steel with a 5x PVD gold-tone finish

• Widths: 3mm and 5mm

• Sizes: 16, 18 and 20 cm

• Clasp: lobster clasp

• Delivered in a Carpe Ice jewelry box

Which Width and How Tight

The 3mm is refined and stays quiet next to a watch. The 5mm has visibly heavier links and comes into its own on the free wrist. Measure your wrist and add about 1.5 cm: a 15 cm (5.9 in) wrist sits well on 16, around 17 cm (6.7 in) take 18, and above that 20. A figaro may sit slightly looser than a dense link, because the pattern only shows when it can move; too tight pulls the long links straight and the rhythm that gives the bracelet its character disappears. Note the difference with the chain: that runs in 3mm and 6mm, the bracelet in 3mm and 5mm, so only the 3mm matches exactly as a set.

Five Layers of PVD, and Why That Matters on a Wrist

The gold color is applied with PVD, physical vapor deposition: the material is bonded to the steel at molecular level inside a vacuum chamber rather than electroplated on top, and Carpe Ice applies it in five layers. That makes the finish considerably harder and more scratch-resistant than ordinary gold plating, and on a wrist that counts, because it rubs all day along sleeves, desk edges, a laptop and a car door. On a figaro the shape adds to it: the protruding long link takes the most of all that contact. It is not solid gold, so take the bracelet off for sport and DIY, and wear it on your non-dominant wrist where you can.

Care

Take the bracelet off before the pool, the shower and the gym, and put it on once aftershave and hand cream have dried. The silver-tone version is bare steel with no layer and can stay on; this gold-tone one has a PVD layer, so take it off. Soap residue collects mainly where the short links grip into the long one and dulls the shine there; lukewarm water, mild soap and a soft toothbrush will lift it out. Otherwise a soft dry cloth is enough, and no polishing cloth.

Next to a Watch

Gold-tone steel asks for one tone through your whole look, so match the bracelet to your watch rather than to the rest of your jewelry. If you wear both on the same wrist, leave a few centimeters of room so they do not tap against each other. If you want a set, the figaro chain in the same finish is the logical addition. If you prefer to stack, choose a smooth band beside it: two patterns side by side cancel each other out.