Copper Relief Dragon Scale Bracelet

Dragon scales are laid one over the next, the tips pointing one way, the relief low enough that a finger finds something like roof tiles. The bracelet is brass throughout, and the silver and gold options refer to plating, not to silver or gold metal, which is worth saying up front so nobody compares the price to silver. The rows of scales run from one side of the wrist to the other, with the join hidden on the clasp side. The tips face outward and feel like a row of shallow spines, not sharp but rough. The scales are pressed deep, so only oblique light shows the height.

The 21mm and 19mm figures are the width of the band. The wide one has weight to it, the narrow one is neater. Two millimetres make a real difference on the wrist: 21mm suits a thicker wrist, while 19mm does not look clumsy on a slim one. Of the three options the gold version comes only in 21mm, so there is no narrower gold. The 19mm is the better one to stack, and with two on, the wide one goes outside. Measure the wrist behind the bone, not across the palm. The 19mm band is slim enough not to fight a shirt cuff.

The dragon-scale pattern goes back to bronzes and later appeared on belt hooks, harness and scabbards, where overlapping scales were meant to signal protection. On a bracelet the tips all point one way, and the parts that rub most are the cuff and the desk, which are the first to shine. How round the tips are depends on the mould; a worn mould leaves them blunt, and blunt tips snag clothes less. The more rows of overlap, the more supple the band. The depth varies little from scale to scale, so it takes side light to read.

Plated brass: the colour is applied, and in time the rubbed places show copper underneath, especially the inner wrist where it meets a desk. This is not a defect, and every plated piece does it. To keep the colour longer, take it off for heavy work and for washing your hands, and do not toss it in with a keyring. In a sweaty summer, one wipe a week buys time. The gold plate runs yellow and the silver plate white, and the scale shadows read differently in each.

At 21mm the band is not light, and in summer sweat it will leave a mark on the wrist. The clasp is a working one, so leave a finger's slack: too tight and it cuts a groove, too loose and it turns to the back of the hand. With this much metal, typing knocks the desk, which people in offices should note. Plating formulas differ between makers, and a piece worn against skin wants a steady source; sensitive skin should test it for half a day. When the clasp holes do not line up, do not force them. Lay the bracelet flat when you take it off rather than balling it up.