Stylish ways to show a little skin at the wrist. Comparing two bangle brands to capture the feel of summer

Summer outfits that reveal the wrist. Especially for those who tend to wear a lot of simple items, the look can end up feeling plain. That said, as the saying goes, those who are skilled with accessories are truly stylish—simple outfits are exactly where a single accessory can bring a refreshing change.

This time, we're featuring bangles we'd recommend for summer: a silver bangle from FIRST AMERICAN TRADERS, whose aging process you can really appreciate over time, and a buffalo horn bangle from L'INDOCHINEUR, prized for its colorful and distinctive shapes.

What We Look For in a Bangle

In summer, when simple outfits feel most appealing, a bangle makes for a wonderfully versatile accent at the wrist. But since it's worn on a part of the body we move constantly, there are a few things worth checking. Let's pick out some specific points to compare between these two bangles.

【Durability: A Concern for Everyday Wear】

Taking notes, drinking a beverage, carrying belongings—there are countless everyday moments where our wrists are in motion. A bangle worn through all of this needs to have solid durability.

The bangles from FIRST AMERICAN TRADERS are made from what's known as sterling silver, or silver 925—a silver alloy. Pure silver, in fact, is extremely soft and has trouble holding its shape, so it's combined with other metals to increase its strength, making it suitable for everyday jewelry items like this.

Silver ornaments originally made their way to regions inhabited by Native Americans in the 19th century, and thanks to skillful techniques such as intricate cutting and patterning, silver jewelry became popular around the world. FIRST AMERICAN TRADERS has been crafting jewelry since its founding in 1974 in Gallup, New Mexico, guided by a belief in preserving traditional Native American silver jewelry designs for future generations.

Silver 925 is known as a metal that offers both the strength needed for daily use and a beautiful shine. Silver items will gradually darken with use, but that too is part of their character. Of course, you can restore the shine with proper care, so please refer to the care instructions we'll introduce later.

On the other hand, L'INDOCHINEUR uses buffalo horn, which refers to the horn of the water buffalo.

Thanks to its excellent durability, buffalo horn has long been used in Vietnam, its country of origin, for cutlery such as spoons and forks. It was in this context that Charles COUTRIS, a Frenchman visiting Vietnam, was struck by the extraordinary skill of the local craftsmen. Wanting to spread awareness of their dedication to their craft, their artisanal techniques, and the rich natural material they work with, he founded the brand L'INDOCHINEUR.

L'INDOCHINEUR's buffalo horn accessories bring together all the skill of Vietnamese artisans. It's said that a single piece can take several months to complete.

First, the quality of the horn is assessed and sorted by intended use, then cut and pressed to increase its density. After being cut again, it goes through heating, shaping, and polishing before a single product is finally complete. Time-honored techniques are also used for the finish: resin gathered in northern Vietnam is hardened using fresh air and sunlight to create a clear lacquer, which is applied in a thin layer. This is followed by soft sanding (polishing), resulting in accessories with a brilliant shine and vivid color.

【Can the Size Be Adjusted? Tips for Putting It On】

Unlike bracelets, bangles have no clasp. To put one on, you need a certain amount of give or flexibility.

The FIRST AMERICAN TRADERS bangle can actually be adjusted by hand to fit your own wrist. Silver items may give the impression of being rigid at first glance, but it's reassuring to know they can be easily adjusted.

Apply pressure in the direction you want to open it, and adjust it to your preferred width

You can even tighten it further after putting it on your arm, so it's a great option for those who don't like their bangle shifting around.

*Please be careful not to bend the same spot repeatedly, as frequent adjustments may cause the bangle to break.

On the other hand, bangles made from buffalo horn by L'INDOCHINEUR are difficult to adjust in this way, but if you know the trick, they're easy to put on. The trick is to slide the opening over the narrowest part of your arm as you put it on. Please try this technique with your own bangle as well.

Slide it on from the narrow part of your wrist or from the side of your hand for an easy fit

【What About the Weight?】

Snake Design Bangle / 196

At first glance, L'INDOCHINEUR's bangles look like they'd be heavy, but once you put one on, you'll be surprised by how lightweight it actually is.

Large Bangle/318

This bangle is 6cm wide and weighs approximately 40g. In comparison, the FIRST AMERICAN TRADERS STERLING SILVER BANGLE WIDE SBW8, which is less than half the width of this bangle at approximately 2.5cm, weighs approximately 44g.

If a FIRST AMERICAN TRADERS bangle of the same size existed, it would weigh over 100g by comparison. This really shows just how lightweight L'INDOCHINEUR bangles are.

With its sense of volume that serves as a striking accent to any outfit, L'INDOCHINEUR is recommended for anyone looking for a bangle to wear casually in everyday life.

On the other hand, while FIRST AMERICAN TRADERS bangles have a basic shape, they come in three main width categories. This means everyone can choose according to their own preference—the width affects not only the fit but also the impression it gives.

Goes with any outfit. Recommended for your first silver bangle

From top: STERLING SILVER BANGLE SLIM SB9, STERLING SILVER BANGLE SB31, STERLING SILVER BANGLE SB32

Width: approx. 0.5cm–0.6cm / Weight: approx. 10g–25g

For those new to silver bangles, the approximately 0.5cm width is an easy one to start with. This bangle gives an elegant impression and looks great whether worn alone or stacked with others. Despite its slim width, the stamp work gives it a real presence on the wrist. It works effectively as a subtle accent.

A versatile choice

From top: STERLING SILVER BANGLE WIDE SBW2, STERLING SILVER BANGLE WIDE SBW4, STERLING SILVER BANGLE WIDE SBW6

Width: approx. 1cm–1.5cm / Weight: approx. 20g–25g

These three, neither too thick nor too thin, offer a versatile width. They look great worn alone, and pair nicely with thinner bangles without feeling mismatched. Since they have some thickness, you can also enjoy the detailed rope decoration.

Eye-catching presence

From top: STERLING SILVER BANGLE WIDE SBW8, STERLING SILVER BANGLE WIDE SBW14

Width: approx. 2cm–2.5cm / Weight: approx. 40g–45g

For those who love bold accessories that make a strong statement in an outfit, we recommend silver bangles wider than 2cm. Wider bangles also have the effect of making the arm look more slender, so they look especially good with short-sleeved clothing.

We also recommend stacking them with thinner bangles

[Bringing summer style through material and color]

Using gorgeous yet elegant silver, Native American carving and decoration comes in a range of styles—some finely engraved, others simply decorated. The refreshing quality of silver gives your whole outfit a cool, breezy feel.

The wider the bangle, the more the pattern and decoration stand out, so try varying the number and size of bangles depending on your outfit

Left / Bangles: STERLING SILVER BANGLE SB31, STERLING SILVER BANGLE SB32, Dress: Hard Smooth Dress, Bag: Bucket-shaped Raffia Bag

Right / Bangle: STERLING SILVER BANGLE WIDE SBW8, Necklace: Chain Necklace/564, Bag: GOAT Mesh Bag L

Even when paired with the same dress, choosing a wide bangle versus a slim one changes the overall impression. It's nice to have several on hand and switch up the combination depending on your outfit.

Skirt: Linen Tiered Skirt (BLACK), Sandals: Cross Belt Espadrille Mules BLACK, Dress: coming soon

What characterizes L'INDOCHINEUR is its vivid coloring, perfectly suited to summer. Despite the bold design, once you put it on, you can truly feel the appeal unique to natural materials—the way it settles naturally onto the wrist. The contrast between buffalo horn and colored lacquer is vividly colorful, making it perfect for summer days when colors appear especially vibrant.

Putting it into practice: Maintaining FIRST AMERICAN TRADERS pieces

FIRST AMERICAN TRADERS bangles allow you to experience the aging that's unique to silver items. We borrowed a bangle that's actually been used and loved, and tried our hand at some maintenance.

Left: a well-loved STERLING SILVER BANGLE WIDE SBW8, Right: brand new

Placed side by side, you can see that the well-worn bangle has darkened slightly compared to the new one. A bangle that's been used for a long time has its own charming character, but if you prefer a bangle that shines bright and white, we recommend giving it a cleaning whenever you notice it needs one.

For this, we use the [Silver Care Kit (Tin Type)]. It comes in a box that's convenient for carrying and storing, with an adorable package that looks almost like it holds foreign candy. The cleaning process is very simple, taking just two steps.

1. Wipe away any discoloration or dirt with a dedicated wet wipe.
2. After wiping and letting it dry, polish it using a silver cloth.

Once you've thoroughly removed the dirt with a wet wipe and carefully polished the surface, the bright white shine unique to silver bangles gradually returns.

Here are the before and after results.

Left: before care, right: after care. The silver shine has returned.

It took about 10 minutes to polish the entire piece. Comparing the two, you can see that the whole bangle has brightened in tone. Since you can easily maintain it at home while still enjoying the aging process, you can keep loving it for a long time, just the way you like it.

A summer bangle that refreshes your everyday outfit with just one addition. It's fun to think about how to pair it with a watch or bracelet you already own.

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FIRST AMERICAN TRADERS