GoldPaq

One of the most popular pieces of gold jewelry for many years ? probably more years than you can guess or imagine ? has been the gold charm bracelet. A timeless jewelry design that is more personal than most any other jewelry piece, the charm bracelet is for serious and casual jewelry collectors alike one of the most enjoyable jewelry pieces in their collection. The history of charm bracelets is just as fascinating as the bracelets themselves.

Although the carrying of charms to ward off evil and ensure good luck can be traced back to the Neolithic Era, the Egyptians were the first civilization to record the wearing of charm bracelets. The charms the Egyptians wore were surprisingly similar in theme to those worn by people today; some of the charms worn by the Egyptians were indicators of the wearers’ station in life. Others, like the earliest charms, were intended to protect the wearer from harm. The most significant charms worn by the Egyptians were those that were intended to identify the wearer in the afterlife; these charms were meant to assure that in the afterlife, the wearer would be returned to the same station in life that he or she enjoyed before death.

While charm bracelets took awhile to catch on in the western world, charms did not. Romans who practiced Christianity wore charms underneath their clothing that they would use to identify themselves to other Christians, a sign of fealty that permitted them entry into secret Christian worship services and other activities. Knights and kings during the Middle Ages wore charms to signify their family ties, religious beliefs, political stance, and their station and/or profession.

As the educated classes in Europe began to dismiss the wearing of charms as foolish superstition, the wearing of these charms to ward off evil or bring good luck was mostly by poorer, less-educated classes.

It took a queen - Queen Victoria, to be exact - to bring charms back into vogue for everyone, the wealthy included. At the turn of the 20th century, Queen Victoria’s penchant for charm bracelets made charms fashionable again, particularly when worn on bracelets as the Queen did. However, unlike in previous times, the charms were not limited to religious or political icons. Charms were now valued for their beauty as gold jewelry, and the charms became more and more intricate. Lockets were popular, as were family crests, gemstone designs, beaded charms, and charms with movable parts.

Charm bracelets had another wave of popularity during the World War II era. Charms became a popular item for soldiers returning from exotic and distant lands to bring to their wives and sweethearts at home. As a result of this phenomenon, charms became a popular tourist souvenir item, and charms from different towns, states, and countries are among the most collectible from this era.

In the 1950s and 1960s, charm bracelets became a must-have item for teenage girls and young women. Charms were often given as gifts to teenage girls and young women to commemorate special events in their lives, such as 16th birthdays, first communions, and graduations, or to represent special interests of the girls, like cheerleading, music, or animals.

Charm bracelets have enjoyed another resurgence in popularity in the past several years. Gold has been joined by silver and platinum as common precious metals for charm bracelets. The style of charm bracelets has also evolved to include designs that include semi-bangle bracelets and the flat, elastic Italian-styled charm bracelets, which use flat, snap on charms rather than the traditional three-dimensional, dangling charms. Many high-end jewelry designers, such as Tiffany, Louis Vuitton, and Juicy Couture, have introduced charm jewelry designs.

Collecting vintage and antique charms and charm bracelets is also a growing trend. Charm collectors comb antique stores, flea markets, used jewelry stores, and even garage sales looking for these people selling old jewelry and antique charms. While vintage gold charms, whether in yellow, white, or rose gold, are still the most prized, collectors also look for unique or interesting charms in base metals, which are typically much less expensive.

If you are interested in collecting charms for wear on bracelets, keep these tips in mind:

• Do not mix metals on your charm bracelet. Silver and gold tarnish each other, and silver and base metals can scratch gold.
• Unless you have experience in jewelry making, do not attempt to add charms to your bracelet yourself.
• Weak rings or rings that are not properly welded/soldered can result in charms being lost from your bracelet.
• Do not wear your charm bracelet when doing strenuous activities. Charms are often delicate and can be easily damaged.
• Have fun! Mix different styles of charms, old with new, small with large. Charms are meant to be charming!

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