Charm Bracelets

Charm bracelets have been worn for many ages by peoples of many cultures.

Charm Bracelet History

Charms have ancient roots. The oldest were carried as talismans or amulets of power and protection. Today, charm bracelet charms are small, decorative symbols of either meaning or sentimental value.

The popularity of charm bracelets had seen a decline in the previous few decades, but the charm bracelet was high in popularity during World War II. Wives, mothers, and girlfriends would send their boys off to war with (or later post to them) charms that represented a remembrance of home or good luck charms to keep them safe. Men at war kept these charms and added them to bracelets, then added additional bracelet charms from ports of call where they might be serving.

After the war, charm bracelets were held in favor for a time, but eventually interest dulled. Recently, however, the charm bracelet has made a strong comeback, and new charm choices abound.

Building Charm Bracelets

To build a charm bracelet, you first have to decide on the base bracelet and metal for your first (likely not your last) bracelet. Some options:

• Gold charm bracelet
• Sterling silver charm bracelet
• Stretch charm bracelets
• Corded charm bracelets
• Italian charm bracelets

Of these choices, the most popular choice for charm bracelets is probably a charm bracelet in silver. Sterling silver charm bracelets are both affordable and beautiful, as are the charms that you will collect for the bracelet. Affordability is important because additional charms will add up over time, and you still want to be able to afford your wearable hobby.

Sterling silver is the better quality and most pure silver for a silver charm bracelet, but it is a bit pricier; silver charm bracelets that are less pure (more alloys of other metals in the mix) are very attractive and are a good choice for young girls who may not realize the value of sterling silver and care for it properly.

One style that has become hugely popular is the Italian charm bracelet. Italian charms are composable bracelets and slide charms that can be mixed and matched and changed around. This is a sleek, new style with unisex appeal.

A charm bracelet might be simply a collection of those charms that appeal to the wearer, or charms with random yet sentimental meaning. Many people choose to build charm bracelets around a favorite theme. Such a theme might be a music charm bracelet for an instrumentalist, or a dance themed charm bracelet for a ballerina. Another great choice is photo charm bracelets that hold pictures of those you love, which can be changed or built sequentially.

There is a draw to charm bracelets that makes them tough to let go. Proof of this is the fact that the charm bracelet never really goes away; further proof you either know already if you are a charm bracelet keeper, or will soon find out once you have purchased your first charm. Charms are a tangible symbol and reminder to us all. Charm bracelets are like carrying around the best times and people of your life with you everyday.