Blog: How Charming! Downtown has Bracelets that Bedazzle

A few years ago, a close friend bought me a beautiful charm bracelet for Christmas.  The silver bracelet had several glass beads and sterling spacers, each specially selected just for me. It was an amazingly thoughtful gift and the start of a piece of jewelry that continues to grow with beads and charms that remind me of special times and special friends. 

Charm bracelets are quite popular these days – from Pandora and Chamilia to Trollbeads and Brighton - but these bracelets are not a new phenomenon. In fact, this is the latest wave of popularity for jewelry that has been trending for literally thousands of years. In the prehistoric period, jewelry charms would be worn for good luck.  The charms were made from shells, animal bones or wood.  Charm bracelets became popular again in 600 – 400 BC and worn by the Babylonians. Over a thousand years later, Queen Victoria wore charm bracelets, starting a popular fashion trend that became synonymous with the Victorian age.

Today, the bracelets contain charms that represent hobbies, birthstones, occasions, or even a favorite color.   The charms can be made of silver, gold, glass, semi-precious stones or crystal. A bracelet is the “holder” of the charms. “Our biggest ‘starter’ includes one of numerous bracelet options,” says Sandy Scott, owner of , which sells Chamilia beads. “We offer sterling silver bracelets, a flexible bangle and leather or even wrap style bracelets.”

The charms are a great gift for someone celebrating a birthday, holiday, or just because. “We have had customers celebrate the end of going through chemotherapy or surgery by getting a bead to mark the end of each treatment,” says Lynn Aaron, owner of , which sells Pandora jewelry. “There are endless possibilities to telling a story with beads.”

The charms appear to be most frequently found on bracelets, but charms are also now appearing on necklaces, lariats, rings and earrings. “There are mini beads to add to charm hoop earrings, and many of the regular beads can be added to the earrings to completely change their look,” says Nikki Ratti, owner of , which sells Trollbeads and Brighton charm jewelry.

Is it a fad?  None of these boutique owners seem to think so.  In fact, all three ladies don’t see the charm craze slowing down anytime soon. While the stores see a surge in sales around Christmas, Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day, the shop owners agree that “Any day is a great day for bead giving.”  

Each of the jewelry lines comes out with new beads, colors and designs to keep the collection fresh and ever-changing. “Trollbeads introduces new beads twice each year, with limited edition beads added as well," adds Ratti.

“The great thing about these bracelets is that they are completely customized,” says Aaron. “No two pieces are the same.”  Another benefit to these bracelets?  You can keep adding and changing beads and charms for an ever-changing look. And what does that mean for you? Your sweetie will always have something to get you – which means no last minute trips to the housewares section of Target! Yippee!

So the next time you are looking for that special gift for that special friend, consider taking a trip downtown to check out the ample and amazing beads available at Artworks & Apparel, Hickory Stick and Olde Liberty Shoppe. You’ll be glad you did.  See you around downtown!