History of the Cartier Juste Un Clou Bracelet

Just turning 50 last year, in 2021, the nail bracelet from Cartier was released in 1971, as an androgynous, modern piece that the brand hoped would appeal to younger audiences. That’s exactly what happened, with designer Aldo Cipullo’s bracelet gaining a quick cult following.

While the bracelets from the 1970s might be more easily found in your mother or grandmother’s jewelry box today, you might be familiar with the rerelease of the Juste Un Clou bracelet. In 2012, the simple standalone bracelet with the simple French name was rereleased, alongside an entire jewelry collection under the Juste Un Cloud name, with rings and bangles in rose gold, white gold and yellow gold, as well as diamonds accents for some pieces. Of course, every piece in the collection looked like “just a nail.” In 2017, the collection grew even further, to include earrings, cufflinks, a necklace and tie pins (the necklace was famously worn by Meghan Markle in 2022).

You can still buy the bangle new, from Cartier, though you can also find the vintage, 1970s edition with a little luck and searching. Be careful, though — as is the case with all wildly popular and simple pieces, this bracelet has its fair share of copycats.