One traditional piece of jewelry is the charm bracelet. These items were prized by women in the past as a way to commemorate special events, people or places. Often a woman would have dozens if not hundreds of charms attached to a single bracelet. There were gold and sterling silver charms available. If you love the look of these items but need advice on buying and caring for them, here is what you need to know.
Originally there was only one type of charm available. This was a small metal object that would be added to a bracelet or necklace. Special bracelets were available that had larger links that made it easier to attach the charms securely. Now, many people are buying beads that are decorated to have special significance and which act like charms.
You may want to consider this type of bracelet if you are concerned about durability or if you do not like to have things dangling from your wrist. The down side is that beads usually take up more space and are often heavier than the traditional type of silver charm. If you want pure metal versions they can be harder to find and can also be quite costly.
If you know which kind of charm you want, you can then begin your search. Once you start looking it will be easy for you to be overwhelmed by the wide range of options that are available. One way to make the selection process easier is to think about what event or item you want to commemorate. Some popular choices include the birth of a child, a significant milestone in your relationship or even a trip or other fun event.
If you know that you want sterling silver, make sure that it is the real metal. Many white metals can have the same look as sterling but not have the same weight, beauty or value. Some can even discolor your skin when you wear them for an extended period of time. Obviously this is not desirable so you should look for markings on the charm items that you are planning to purchase.
Part of the selection process involves not only looking at the charm itself but also what is holding it onto the bracelet. If you are not using the beads, you will find that your charm will be held on by a bale that is attached to a link. If you are wearing heavy charms it is important to make sure that the bale and the links are durable enough to support the weight.
There are many places to find these items. If you are looking for ones that are not beads, you may be more limited simply because many stores are tending to sell the bead charms instead. You may end up looking through a catalog or browsing a limited selection of items.
Caring for your bracelet is as important as picking them out. As this can be a significant financial investment, you will want to make sure that the piece is kept as beautiful as possible for as long as possible. Cleaning them with a soft cloth and checking for stretching or scratching doesn't have to take a long time but it can be well worth your while.
Originally there was only one type of charm available. This was a small metal object that would be added to a bracelet or necklace. Special bracelets were available that had larger links that made it easier to attach the charms securely. Now, many people are buying beads that are decorated to have special significance and which act like charms.
You may want to consider this type of bracelet if you are concerned about durability or if you do not like to have things dangling from your wrist. The down side is that beads usually take up more space and are often heavier than the traditional type of silver charm. If you want pure metal versions they can be harder to find and can also be quite costly.
If you know which kind of charm you want, you can then begin your search. Once you start looking it will be easy for you to be overwhelmed by the wide range of options that are available. One way to make the selection process easier is to think about what event or item you want to commemorate. Some popular choices include the birth of a child, a significant milestone in your relationship or even a trip or other fun event.
If you know that you want sterling silver, make sure that it is the real metal. Many white metals can have the same look as sterling but not have the same weight, beauty or value. Some can even discolor your skin when you wear them for an extended period of time. Obviously this is not desirable so you should look for markings on the charm items that you are planning to purchase.
Part of the selection process involves not only looking at the charm itself but also what is holding it onto the bracelet. If you are not using the beads, you will find that your charm will be held on by a bale that is attached to a link. If you are wearing heavy charms it is important to make sure that the bale and the links are durable enough to support the weight.
There are many places to find these items. If you are looking for ones that are not beads, you may be more limited simply because many stores are tending to sell the bead charms instead. You may end up looking through a catalog or browsing a limited selection of items.
Caring for your bracelet is as important as picking them out. As this can be a significant financial investment, you will want to make sure that the piece is kept as beautiful as possible for as long as possible. Cleaning them with a soft cloth and checking for stretching or scratching doesn't have to take a long time but it can be well worth your while.
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