I'm just starting out with making and forming cuffs, but here's what works for me. I don't have a mandrel yet, so use a pipe. I hammer a curve just on the ends and try to leave the middle part flat or semi-flat. I also round out/slightly taper all of the ends. That works for up to 2". Make sure that when finished hammering, the entire bracelet is still even. If it is a bit uneven, it'll feel 'weird' when wearing it.
I also had to get used to wearing wide cuff bracelets. At first it felt strange, but now I regularly wear one that is 1.5" wide. The blanks I make are 1.5"x6".
P.S. I'm saving up for an oval bracelet mandrel :) I love my round ring mandrel.