The Eternal Allure Of Evil Eye-Inspired Bracelets

With its attractive circles of blue, white and black, and long association with souvenir stands in sun-soaked Mediterranean towns, the evil eye-embellished bracelet has long been a popular holiday jewel; an effortless way to preserve fond memories and add a dash of color to any summery wrist stack.

But eye-shaped charms have been regarded as symbols of strength, protection and magic for millennia, revered by civilizations in Europe and central Asia, through to the Middle East, West Africa and Latin America. When worn close to the skin as a talisman, or hung around temples, trees, houses and even daubed on animals, the motif is believed to act as a powerful good-luck charm, able to deflect any misfortune from an ‘evil-eye curse’, which is delivered via the stare of an envious or malevolent person – a calamity so troublesome to ancient humanity that it’s mentioned in the classic writings of Plato, Virgil and Plutarch, as well as in Christian, Islamic and Jewish religious texts. Little wonder, then, that sales of the meaningful jewel began to skyrocket during the global pandemic of 2020, when our collective anxiety levels were at an all-time high. Unsurprisingly, as international unrest hasn’t abated, neither has the symbol’s popularity.

“I never leave home without wearing an evil eye[-embellished bracelet] – it’s a superstition that stems from childhood, when my mother used to sew a piece of red string into all my clothes for protection,” says Sydney Evan founder and designer Rosanne Karmes, whose multicolored charm bracelets blend the talismanic emblems with a laid-back, Californian vibe, and are worn by A-listers Rihanna and Miley Cyrus. “You'll often see me in a stack of our beaded bracelets filled with evil eyes, hamsas, horseshoes, and other symbols of luck.”

Fellow Los Angeles-based jeweler Suzanne Kalan is equally enamored by the historic motif. “I’m from Armenian heritage and it’s an absolutely iconic symbol in the Middle East. At birth, it’s traditional for all babies to be gifted a traditional evil eye-inspired token to ward off bad luck,” she says. Using her signature baguette-cut diamonds and delicate 18-karat-gold chains, Kalan crafts elegant, wear-forever evil eye-adorned bracelets, which are now a core part of her collection and worn by clients “of all ages and backgrounds”.

In contrast, Diane Kordas’ irreverent and bohemian cuffs see geometric evil eyes created by knotting rainbow-hued cords around brilliant-cut diamonds and sapphires, like grown-up (and super-luxe) friendship bracelets. “Being married to a Greek, it felt inevitable that the evil eye was going to be a part of my life,” she says. “Very often in my jewelry, I try to establish a meaningful connection to the wearer. So, it was a natural and instinctive decision to design a collection of bracelets incorporating the eye,” she explains.

For other ways to amplify goodwill and energy, look to Parisian jeweler Lauren Rubinski, who offers an evil eye-embellished bracelet constructed from braided leather, 14-karat gold and enamel beads – wear layered with a watch and a smattering of gold bangles. Alternatively, consider Hollywood jeweler Lorraine Schwartz (whose spectacular gem-studded accessories are collected by Pharrell Williams and Beyoncé) for dressier options crafted from 18-karat rose gold, round white diamonds and shimmering blue topaz. Fashioned to last far longer than a season, these are all pieces you’ll never want to take off, which, for many, is precisely the point of investing in a protective talisman. “After all,” says Kalan, “who doesn’t want more positivity in their life every day, especially when it’s so beautiful to look at?”