Did you know that bangles have a long history that can be traced back to 2500 BC? In the Mohenjo-Daro settlement, located in today's Pakistan, archaeologists uncovered a statue that featured a teenage girl who wore stacked bangles on one arm. That Dancing Girl statue is regarded as the earliest example of the modern-day bangle, and these accessories were also found in tombs of ancient Egyptian tombs. Story has it they wore bangles inscribed with prayers for protection, and gold ones were favoured as status symbols too.
Gold bangles have also played an important role in Indian culture and people have worn them for millennia. Brides wear chooda or gold bangles at weddings as a symbol of love, loyalty and marital bliss. At the celebrity-filled wedding of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant , which reportedly cost over US$600 million (S$806 million), the bride wore armfuls of gold bangles, albeit flanked by many other bangles studded with precious gems.
It's safe to say this shiny circle of gold never lost its sparkle. After all, there is something to be said about the timeless elegance of its unpretentious design. In contemporary times, examples of iconic gold bangles include Cartier's Love bracelet.
Inspired by the concept of chastity belts, it remains one the brand's bestsellers since its creation in 1969. Meawhile, Tiffany & Co’s celebrated Bone Cuff, designed by Elsa Peretti, has been part of pop culture since the 1970s, while Bvglari’s Serpenti design from 1948 was famous.