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If This. Then That: Bracelets – Cartier Love Bracelet → Adele Dejak Bikuli Bracelet

Certain pieces move past fashion and settle into permanence.

If you understand why the Love Bracelet became a classic, you will see that same permanence in Adele Dejak’s Bikuli.

IF YOU LIKE

If This. Then That: Bracelets – Cartier Love Bracelet → Adele Dejak Bikuli Bracelet If This Then That Cartier

CARTIER

18kt yellow gold, screw motif, locks onto the wrist. Designed by Aldo Cipullo in 1969. Runs about $6,900.
In 1969, Aldo Cipullo designed the Love Bracelet for Cartier in New York. Conceived as a modern symbol of commitment, the oval cuff fastens with visible screws and locks onto the wrist. Crafted in 18kt yellow gold, it reframed fine jewelry as something to be worn continuously rather than reserved for occasion. Over five decades later, the Love Bracelet remains one of Cartier’s most recognizable designs. Its industrial motif and clean lines marked a shift toward minimalist luxury, positioning the piece as both personal object and cultural signifier.
Image via Cartier Website

YOU WILL LOVE

If This. Then That: Bracelets – Cartier Love Bracelet → Adele Dejak Bikuli Bracelet Adele Dejak Bikuli Bracelet

ADELE DEJAK

Recycled brass, polished sculptural cuff, handcrafted in Nairobi. Comes in brass or gold plated. About $120.
Adele Dejak handcrafts the Bikuli Bracelet in Nairobi using recycled brass sourced locally in Kenya. Each cuff is shaped, polished, and finished in her studio by a team of artisans, emphasizing material reuse and small scale production. The piece is available in brass or gold plated finishes. Like its fine jewelry counterpart, the Bikuli is designed as a bold, everyday cuff. Its sculptural form carries weight and presence, reading as both adornment and object. Worn by Beyoncé in “My Power” and Black Is King, the bracelet has become one of the brand’s bestsellers.
Image via Adele Dejak Website

Adele Dejak is based in Nairobi and builds each piece from recycled brass sourced locally in Kenya. The Bikuli Bracelet is shaped, polished, and finished by hand in her studio, working with a team of artisans. No mass production. Small batch runs defined by material availability and studio capacity.

The form is bold and sculptural, designed to carry weight and presence on the wrist. Each piece reflects subtle variations that come from hand finishing rather than machine replication. Production is limited by what the studio can responsibly source and make.

Adele Dejak Bikuli Bracelet
Adele Dejak Bikuli Bracelet 2

Both bracelets treat jewelry as object rather than ornament. Both rely on weight, form, and negative space instead of surface embellishment. Both are designed to sit with permanence, shaping the body quietly but intentionally.

The difference is scale and system.

Cartier operates within the structure of global luxury production, standardized materials, and international distribution. Adele Dejak works from a Nairobi studio, producing in small batches with recycled brass and a local team of artisans. One is industrial permanence. The other is handcrafted continuity.

Related: If This Then That: Bags – Hermès → Pierre Laborde

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