Choosing Lovely Charms and Charm Bracelets

By Sarit Simayof

For those out there who are looking for the perfect gift for the special woman or girl in their life, consider charms and charm bracelets.

A grown woman will love another piece of fine jewelry, while a young girl will adore getting her first, and when you want to give her a thoughtful, sentimental gift, you can be sure that charms and charm bracelet will be a pleasure to receive.

What kind of charm bracelet do you think she is going to like? The bracelets themselves will come in gold, silver and platinum, and you just need to think about what she likes to wear and what her personality is like.

When giving the charm bracelet, be sure to purchase at least a charm or two to get the ball rolling. Make sure that the charm that you choose has some significance, enough so that she will understand the nature of the gift and be inclined to purchase more.

One of the nice things about charm bracelets is that they are so very changeable. If she is a young girl that you know, get her a new charm for her birthday or for Christmas. If she has plenty of charms, it might be time to get her another bracelet so she can wear the all. Which charms does she like best?

Charm bracelets are a wonderful tradition and chances are good that you know someone who wears one yourself. There are lots of other jewelry fashions out there, but charm bracelets go in and out of style. They are classics in the best sense of the word and they do a great deal when it comes to providing the wearer with a timeless air of elegance.

While some women prefer to wear just a few simple charms, others prefer to have a wide variety chiming on their wrists. The sound is quite sweet and pleasant, and it is all a matter of taste. Everyone will find a way to wear their charm bracelet that suits them, and you'll love how versatile they are.

If you want to please a special girl in your life, consider picking up a lovely charm bracelet. Whether she is young or old, she is likely to cherish it for the rest of her life.

Sarit Simayof is the owner and the main designer of World of Charms, the only national chain for charms in the USA. Before you purchase your first or next charm make sure you check World of Charms and their selection of one of a kind unique and beautiful charms and charm bracelets.

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History of Charm Bracelets

By Frank Vanderlugt

The custom of wearing charm bracelets dates back thousands of years, and though the materials and designs on them have changed, the concept itself has never gone out of style.

This form of jewelry initially had a religous function, and dates back to the prehistoric era. According to Elizabeth Florence, president of the Jewelry Information Center, "The first charm bracelets were probably worn by the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians and Hittites from 500 to 400 B.C. Those charms were made of lapis lazuli, rock crystal and other gems and were inscribed with small designs, such as figures of gods, man and animals. They were immediately associated with special powers."

As time passed, charms lost their protective spiritual functions and became fashion jewelry. The 1890's saw a renaissance of charms, especially in Victorian England, where elaborate and intricate jewelry was in vogue. Queen Victoria helped popularize the trend by wearing a charm bracelet of small lockets holding family portraits.

WW II caused another revival of charm bracelets in America in the 1940's and 1950's, as soldiers stationed abroad picked up charms as souvenirs in the European cities they visited and brought them home for wives and girlfriends. The fashion trend continued well into peacetime.

Charms still remain a popular jewelry item, as personalized keepsakes in an increasingly mass-produced jewelry market. Popular themes include horoscope signs, birthstone charms, travel souvenirs, and family keepsakes. Many women start collecting charms when they are children, and the charm bracelet grows along with them, reflecting hobbies and personal experience. A charm bracelet can hold a small replica of a graduation cap, wedding bells, or lockets with children's photos.

Charms are also a popular gift because of their affordable price. An intricate silver charm can be obtained for less than ten dollars, though it is possible to spend hundreds of dollars on a charm made of 18K and set with gems.

Italian charms, a genre in and of themselves, do not dangle from a chain like traditional charms. Instead, they are soldered onto flat links which snap onto an extensible bracelet. They are embellished with letters, symbols, pictures or stones, or have enamel pictures painted on them. Charms can be snapped on and off these modular bracelets to create new configurations to match different moods and outfits. They are traditionally made of stainless steel or 18k gold. Italian charms are of the same standard size and the resulting bracelet can be customized to fit every wrist; a small size holds 17 or less links, a medium 18, and a large 19 or more.

There are different companies which produce Italian charms, but all brands can be interchanged on the same bracelet. The basic "starter" bracelet of blank links costs approximately five dollars, and the charms cost fifteen dollars and up. China also manufactures Italian charms, and while these are popular (and, as with most Chinese goods, very competitively priced), some consumers report occasional oddities such as reversed images and poor fit.

Frank Vanderlugt
http://www.italian-charm.info
http://www.italian-charm-bracelet.info

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Discovering Charm Bracelets

By Dr. Mark Clayson

Charm bracelets have always been popular throughout the centuries. They were worn as amulets to ward off bad spirits or bad luck but eventually were worn for fashion. Even Queen Victoria wore charm bracelets, starting a fashion among the noble classes. The charm of these bracelets comes with the fact that they have signified important and memorable events of a person’s life, and they also served as going-home gifts that people, particularly soldiers, would bring home to their loved ones. Giggling teenagers would collect trinkets and hang them to the chain to mark special moments in their lives.

It is worn around the wrist and from the chain dangles trinkets, pendants or charms to signify something memorable. These days charm bracelets have evolved to just bracelets with dangling trinkets that may not mean something to a person other than the aesthetic and intrinsic value of the bracelet.

Kinds of Charm Bracelets

Lately, a new fashion of charm bracelets was launched by the big names in the fashion industry. These are the Italian charm bracelets. They are unique in such a way that the charms and trinkets do not dangle from the chain but are snapped into the body of the chain itself. Still popular though is the vintage charm bracelets which will never go out of style. Indeed, charm bracelets have evolved into different kinds of marketable charm bracelets. It is now offered in sterling silver charm bracelets, customized laser or picture charm bracelets, Chinese charm bracelets, sports and dance charms, pet dog or cat charms, heart charms, and gold to gold-plated charm bracelets.

Personalizing Your Charm Bracelets

In procuring one for yourself or for your loved one, you could opt to do the traditional approach and make one yourself, which is very easy to do. You can also browse the internet for charm bracelet making instructions or check out books and articles on how to make them even more unique. Making one yourself would probably be even more personal, thoughtful, considerate, and less expensive.

Purchasing Your Charm Bracelets Wisely

If you choose, however, to buy yourself or your loved one a charm bracelet, you could purchase one by utilizing the internet to look for trendy charm bracelets or going to a local store. You should do some window shopping to get the best deal and make sure you are within your price range. You could check out your local store and browse for charm bracelets which strike your fancy and make a sure hit with you or your loved one. It would not be difficult for you to find these bracelets in a local store or mall near you.

Still, purchasing one from the internet would be more convenient. The internet offers a wide range of sites selling all kinds of charm bracelets that people could buy for different prices, purpose and occasions – gifts for your bridesmaids on your wedding, heart charms for your girlfriend, dance charm bracelets for your little ballerina, pets charm bracelets for your little girl to remember her dogs and cats by, or just some good Italian charm bracelets for your own safekeeping.

Eric Hartwell oversees "The World's Best Homepage" intended to be a user-generated resource where YOUR opinion counts. Anybody can contribute and all are welcomed. Visit us to read, comment upon or share opinions on jewelry and visit his associated site for unique jewelry.

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