Today’s review features the Rey leather cuff bracelet. Made by Body Vibe, the bracelet was released back in July last year and was instantly on my wish list. Inspired by the leather cuff Rey wears in The Force Awakens, this licensed version has a few added details like the Resistance symbol and silver-tone dangle charms.
The bracelet is available in one size (adjustable), and is available at ThinkGeek priced at US$29.99 each – ThinkGeek can ship internationally, which is great.
Rey leather cuff bracelet – US$29.99 each
The bracelet came packaged inside a black velvet drawstring bag, which has the Star Wars and Disney logos printed in white on the front. This is a nice presentation if giving the bracelet as a gift. The cuff-style bracelet is made from leather, with a large Resistance ‘starbird’ symbol on the front and 4 dangle charms. The bracelet is adjustable, and closes with snap domes.
The website listing notes this is made from leather – though in person I can’t really tell if it is real leather or faux leather, it feels a little more ‘plastic’ than I thought it would. I was hoping for something a little more like ‘real leather’ in person, but then it does look exactly like the promotional photos. It is constructed from 2 layers – a thin surface layer which has a wavy ripple set-in structure, and a thicker base layer. The top layer is stitched down around the edges, while the outer joined edge has been sealed in a colour-matched brown.
The bracelet is a lot stiffer than I was expecting, and holds its curved shape on its own. Mine arrived a little ‘squashed’ from being stored in the velvet bag, so it does tend to stay a little flatter, but the oval shape is fine for wearing (I wrapped mine around a drinking glass for a few days, and it opened up a little better).
The front of the bracelet features a leather patch of the Resistance ‘starbird’ symbol – the background is a very dark brown, while the starbird symbol is an orange-toned brown. The symbol is raised, giving the impression of stamped leather – the edges are very crisp and tidy. The patch is sewn onto the top rippled leather layer, so that the stitching is not seen on on the inside of the bracelet. The edge of the patch is sealed to protect the leather edge.
The patch holds down 3 strands of brown suede leather that run the length of the bracelet. There are 4 silver-tone metal charms hanging from the suede strips, 2 on each side on the patch – cutout Resistance symbol and Rey (with goggles) charms on the left, cutout BB-8 and Rey charms on the right. The charms are hung on the suede strips with silver-tone jump rings, so you can easily remove them if you want the bracelet to have a little more subtle Star Wars look.
Both Rey charms are circular, each measuring approximately 29mm across. The image is etched, and accented with black enamel. The cutout BB-8 charm measures approximately 15mm by 11mm (at the widest parts), while the cutout Resistance symbol charm measures approximately 12mm x 12mm. The BB-8 charm also features fine etched detail, accented in black. The back of each charm is blank, which is a little surprising – I was expecting the Lucasfilm copyright text somewhere, but I can’t find it.
The bracelet closes with metal snap domes, which are a dark gunmetal colour – there are 6 in total (2 bottom halves, and 4 top halves, to give a wider and shorter length for adjustment). 2 of the top half domes are visible on the outside, but the other 2 top half domes are hidden (attached underneath the textured surface layer). I find these domes very secure, but with being kind of tight, I often need assistance to snap them closed on my own wrist (much easier with 2 hands).
Closed at the wider setting, the internal circumference is approximately 18.6cm, while the shorter setting has an approximate internal circumference of 16cm. Personally, I prefer the wider setting, as it keeps the cuff end neat and tidy, and not overlapping too much.
For comparison, here is the Rey leather cuff next to the Rey stretchable charm bracelet set. As these bracelets are both made by Body Vibe, I thought the Rey charms would be exactly the same on both, but they are not – the ‘Rey with goggles’ charm is much smaller on the charm bracelet set. Comparing the 2 ‘Rey without goggles’ charms, they are the same diameter, but the one on the stretchable bracelet is thicker (it also has the Lucasfilm copyright text on the back, which does not appear on the leather cuff bracelet).
Overall, I like the bracelet as a fun addition to my collection of Rey themed fashion. I do wish the leather was more flexible, so I am hoping it may soften up a little more with time and wear. This is one of the few licensed costume-inspired Rey accessories available, alongside the Rey goggles headband and Rey backpack – great finishing touches to your ‘everyday cosplay’ Rey outfit.
