The custom of wearing charm bracelets extends back many thousands of years

Even though the elements and designs on them have evolved, the concept itself hasn’t gone out of style.

This form of jewelry initially had a religous purpose, and dates back to the ancient era. According to Elizabeth Florence, president of the Jewellery 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 manufactured from lapis lazuli, rock crystal and other gems and were inscribed with small designs, including figures of gods, man and animals. They were promptly related to special powers.”

Over time, charms lost their protective religious characteristics and became fashion jewelry. The 1890′s saw a rebirth of charms, particularly in Victorian England, where sophisticated and complex jewelry was in trend. Queen Victoria helped popularize the trend by putting on a charm bracelet of small lockets holding relatives pictures.

WW II caused another revival of charm bracelets in the usa in the 1940′s and 1950′s, as troops stationed abroad obtained charms as souvenirs in the European cities they visited and brought them home for spouses and girlfriends. The fashion trend continued well into peacetime.

cheap pandora cheaps still remain a popular jewelry item, as personalized keepsakes in an progressively mass-produced jewelry market. Preferred themes include astrology signs, birthstone charms, vacation souvenirs, and family keepsakes. Many women start collecting charms when they’re children, and the charm bracelet grows along with them, highlighting pastimes and personal experience. A charm bracelet can hold a small replica of a graduation cap, wedding bells, or lockets with children’s photos.

Charms may also be a popular gift because of their cost-effective price. An intricate silver charm can be acquired for under ten dollars, although it is possible to pay big money on a charm made of 18K and set with gemstones.

Italian charms, a genre in and of on their own, do not dangle from a chain like traditional charms. As an alternative, they are soldered onto flat links which snap onto an extensible bracelet. They’re embellished with characters, symbols, photos or stones, or have enamel pictures painted upon them. Charms can be snapped off and on these modular bracelets to generate new layouts to match different moods and clothing. They’re typically made of stainless steel or 18k gold. Italian charms are of the same standard size and the resulting bracelet can be tailored to fit every wrist; a small size holds 17 or less links, a medium eighteen, and a large nineteen or more.

There are different companies which produce charms, but all brands can be interchanged on a single bracelet. The fundamental “starter” bracelet of empty links costs roughly $ 5, and the charms cost $ 15 or more. China also manufactures Italian charms, and while these are well known (and, as with most Chinese goods, very competitively priced), some customers report occasional oddities including reversed images and poor fit.