by Susan Hibberd

Created on: June 28, 2008

Charm bracelets are one of the classics in jewelry. Every girl should have one!

Charm bracelets are often given as christening presents to little girls, and have charms added to them over the years.

A woman can often chart her whole life through the charms on her bracelet. She will have one or two that have been given to her at her birth, one for her Christening, one for her First Communion, one or more for birthdays, one for graduation, one for her engagement, for her wedding, and one each for her children.

These charms should reflect the occasion for which they are purchased. They might be bought by the girl herself, or as a gift.

Unlike most jewelry, the charms on a charm bracelet don't need to match the color of the chain. You can hang gold, silver, rose gold, platinum, pearl, gems or even non-precious metals onto a charm bracelet and they all work together in a glorious patchwork of textures, shapes and sizes.

Choosing a charm for a young girl can be a very easy task. A prayer book for her First Communion, or a good luck symbol for her birthday. As a young lady grows, and her collection expands, new charms are needed so that they are not repeated.

To choose an unusual and creative charm for a bracelet makes it a really special gift. Some ideas you could consider are:

-a stone from a special location wrapped in gold or silver wire
-a tiny photograph in a silver frame
-a real pearl captured in a silver cage
-chips of shell, engraved with a beach scene as a holiday momento
-baby hair plaited like a Victorian keepsake
-you child's first tooth cast in gold or silver
-a leaf or petal from your wedding bouquet captured in resin
-a coin with the date or the lady's birth year on it
-a tiny bell
-an antique glass bead
-vintage earrings
-a piece of wood from the door of your first home
-part of her first car
-a tiny part of a toy set eg Polly Pocket
-a piece of broken jewelry from a relative that can't be worn any other way

The best charms, and those which will be most popular, are those with special meaning. Choose something that is of sentimental value and consider how you can preserve it or mount it so that it can be hung from the bracelet.

Every charm will be treasured, and increase the value of the bracelet to the owner. Choose carefully, and your charm could become her favourite!

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