Venus Williams has never been one to leave her diamonds in the locker room. Throughout her career, jewelry has been part of her on-court style, in a way that is as considered as the clothes she wears to compete.
“I was always wearing something bling-y: diamonds on my ears and on my hands,” Williams told Fashionista. For Williams, jewelry and sport have never occupied separate wardrobes. The pieces she loves are there to be worn, whether there’s a racket in her hand or not.
Desert diamond tennis bracelet
There could hardly be a more fitting diamond piece for Williams than a tennis bracelet (opens in a new window). In a new video with A Diamond Is Forever, Williams wears the single-line design, from Sergio Hudson’s new fine jewelry collection, as she reflects on wearing jewelry on the court and how it has become another way to express her individuality. The unique array of Desert diamonds gives the classic tennis bracelet, already so closely tied to her sport, a unique and modern update.
X carats of natural diamonds in shades of X trace the wrist, creating a richer, earthier take on the familiar design. Williams says wearing Desert diamonds reminds her that there is “something beautiful about being uniquely you”, noting that each gem has its own character. It also fits neatly into Williams’ jewelry box, where classic diamond pieces and plenty of sparkle tend to win out.
Watch the video (opens in a new window) to hear Williams reflect on individuality, her own journey and what wearing Desert diamonds means to her.
One of Williams’ most personal pieces is a sentimental pavé ring with a distinctive oval dome, which she has worn repeatedly during tennis matches. Williams calls it her “Match Ring,” and it became a familiar part of her on-court jewelry.
The Match Ring became such a signature for Williams that it eventually inspired a jewelry collaboration. “The collection was inspired by a ring that I have worn so often in my matches,” Williams told WWD of Diamond Match, created with New York jeweler Reinstein Ross. Her reasoning for playing in diamonds is wonderfully straightforward: “I sweat for a living, and I still want to feel fabulous.”
Diamond hoop earrings
For Williams, choosing earrings comes down to how they feel as much as how they look. She told Robb Report that anything she wears while playing cannot be too heavy, a consideration that helps explain her longstanding preference for hoops.
They are a style she keeps returning to. When Williams created her Diamond Match collection, the Doubles Pavé Dome Hoops were among the pieces she was most excited to wear, further proof that the hoop has earned a permanent place in her jewelry rotation.
Diamond engagement ring
Williams’ engagement ring was designed with her life in mind. Her now-husband, actor Andrea Preti, worked with Italian jeweler Maria Marchegiani on the piece. After plenty of speculation around the cut, Williams confirmed in an interview with The Knot that it is, in fact, a round brilliant, with round diamonds continuing along the band. Williams also helped fine-tune its structured, low-profile setting so it would feel comfortable even with a racket in hand.
That practicality makes the ring especially personal. It was created to mark her relationship with Preti, while taking into account something very specific to Williams: she wanted to be able to wear it during the part of her life that has been seminal to her for decades.
Venus Williams’ jewelry box: decoded
Williams offers a masterclass in making diamonds work with you. For sportswomen in particular, her approach is a reminder that personal style doesn’t have to disappear when performance matters. She considers weight, fit and movement, then finds a way to keep the jewelry she loves in play.
There’s a lesson beyond the court, too. Find the diamonds you instinctively reach for and make them part of how you dress. Williams has done exactly that with pavé rings and hoops, wearing the same styles often enough for them to become signatures.
Get the look
Rethink the tennis bracelet through color
Take a cue from Williams and look beyond white diamonds. Le Vian’s Desert Diamonds Tennis Bracelet sets 4¼ carats of natural diamonds in a graduated sweep of earthy shades, finished in 14K strawberry gold. The single-line setting keeps the connection to Williams’s bracelet clear, while the shifting diamond colors give the classic an elevated and highly personal character.
Put your own spin on pavé
Williams’ Match Ring makes a case for pavé with presence. The Archetypes’ Cognac Diamond Signet Ring, by Lucy Delius, takes a similarly bold approach, covering its domed profile in randomly set cognac diamonds around a brilliant-cut center gem. Victorian-set pavé and an antique finish give the 14kt yellow gold ring extra depth, while the warm diamonds bring the Desert diamond-palette into focus.
Warm up the diamond hoop
Williams has made diamond hoops a recurring part of her on-court jewelry. Le Vian’s Desert Diamonds Chocolate Ombré Inside-Out Hoops take that familiar silhouette into warmer territory, with natural diamonds graduating through earthy shades in 14K Honey Gold.
Sources
- https://fashionista.com/2023/11/venus-williams-fashion-style-interview ↩︎
- https://fashionista.com/2023/11/venus-williams-fashion-style-interview ↩︎
- https://wwd.com/pop-culture/celebrity-news/venus-williams-reinstein-ross-jewelry-collection-1235918443/ ↩︎
- https://wwd.com/pop-culture/celebrity-news/venus-williams-reinstein-ross-jewelry-collection-1235918443/ ↩︎
- https://robbreport.com/style/jewelry/venus-williams-reinstein-ross-diamond-match-collection-1235413911/ ↩︎
- https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/venus-williams-teamed-reinstein-ross-120000830.html ↩︎
- https://mariamarchegiani.com/blogs/news/venus-williams-e-andrea-preti-un-sogno-che-diventa-arte ↩︎
- www.reeds.com/le-vianr-desert-diamonds-4-1-4ctw-14k-strawberry-goldr-tennis-bracelet-plu20608451.html?srsltid=AfmBOopXeFSsSPQRVVcMtvBIlxrkW4Y5b44WYlqExvRO2GpnHnFBfJtf ↩︎
- https://lucydelius.com/en-us/products/cognac-diamond-signet-ring?_pos=1&_sid=0b05c1225&_ss=r ↩︎
- https://www.levian.com/product-detail/4/TTZB-4/14K-Honey-Gold-Earrings-Chocolate-ombr%C3%A9-diamonds-2-7-8-cts.-TTZB-4 ↩︎
