There are different types of bracelets as well as styles and materials. The term bracelet usually refers to a flexible piece of jewellery, one that drapes softly around the wrist. A well fitting bracelet should be loose enough to be comfortable and not put pressure on your wrist yet snug enough so it does not slide too far down onto your hand.

A bangle is a slender, rigid circlet that seems to float along the wrist as the wearer moves her arm. Bangles are usually narrow and are often worn in pairs or trios. Some women like to collect bangles and mass them together to form a glimmering entity that creates its own music as they clink together. A bangle may be an endless circle or it may be hinged to make it easier to put on.

A cuff is a wide, rigid bracelet that may take the form of a circlet with a hinged opening, or it may embrace only three quarters of the wrist, leaving an opening to allow it to be put on. If you've chosen a wide cuff bracelet, there's a trick to getting it on your wrist. Don't try to put it on from the top of your wrist. Instead, turn your arm 90 degrees so the thumb is facing up. Now place the open end of the bracelet on the narrow part of your wrist and gently ease it on and around your wrist. To remove the cuff, reverse the process.

Mesh bracelets and chain link bracelets as well as free-form floral bracelets are among the many other types of bracelet designs. They range in diameter from narrow to wide and may lie flat against the wrist or have a circular design. They may be fashioned from a flexible, circular mesh that terminates in decorated ends.

Sometimes a 'terminal' is a place to catch a train but when we speak of a bracelet's terminals, we have in mind the details that finish off the open ends of the piece. A bracelet with a flexible shank may be open at the ends, allowing it to be slipped on and off easily, yet still be secure on your wrist. The terminals are a principal design element of the bracelet. In addition to the artistic working of the metal, they may be set with colored gems, usually cabochons. These tips are so pretty, you may want to wear the bracelet with the open end on the upper part of your wrist, to show them off. The other choice is to turn the open ends to the inner part of the wrist, and just let them flash a bit of color as you move your arm this way and that. These terminals may overlap a bit, crossing over each other. Crossover design bracelets sometimes continue all the way around your wrist to form another coil, creating a double or triple bracelet look. The flexibility of the mesh used to create the circlet makes it possible to slip the bracelet on and off.

Bracelet designers have devised a variety of ways to open the bracelet to put it on and then close it securely around your wrist. There may be a clasp or a spring ring; the bracelet may be hinged or have a hidden device that allows you to put the bracelet on and take it off. Whatever method the designer has chosen, the device should be unobtrusive and in harmony with the bracelet. Most bangle bracelets have internal clasps, often a tongue and groove device that is beautifully hidden from view. Flexible bracelets may close with an over-lapping clasp that is integrated into the overall design of the piece. A secure closure is important since bracelets are subject to more wear and tear than any other piece of jewellery.