It is no coincidence that the word charm is an adjective as well as a noun. A charm bracelet does, indeed, charm, with its jangling assortment of tiny trinkets, each revealing something about its wearer.
Charms are available to symbolise almost any interest, passion or place and the creation of a charm bracelet can be a lifelong quest to produce an autobiographical work of art. These unique and irreplaceable treasures are often passed down through the generations carrying with them their original owner's history and a great deal of sentimental value.
Priceless and highly collectible to quirky and humorous, charms make memorable gifts, commemorating special occasions, milestone trips or magical moments in one's life.
Charms date back many thousands of years. Some of our earliest ancestors would carry an unusual stone, for example, to keep him safe or bring him luck. The first charm bracelets were worn during the age of the Egyptian pharaohs and these were regarded as status symbols during this life, while also being believed to accompany their owners into the afterlife.
During the Middle Ages, charms and talismans were used to protect knights going into battle. They were also worn on belts to reveal their wearer's status, ancestry and occupation. Some charms were even believed to possess mystical properties and the power to bring harm to their owners' enemies.
As superstitions faded during the Renaissance, the use of charms and amulets diminished, except among the lower classes, and it wasn't until the early 20th Century that they made a comeback.
Queen Victoria's reign brought about an explosion in the popularity of charms. Worn on charm bracelets purely for their aesthetic appeal and no longer for practical/superstitious reasons, decorative charms became de rigueur among the European noble classes. Queen Victoria had a number of charms created to give as gifts to her friends and family every New Year and she is attributed with popularizing the charm bracelet as we now know it. Prior to the death of her beloved Albert, after which she wore only black clothing and black jewellery, she favoured elaborate gemstone charms and tiny lockets containing family portraits or locks of hair.
Production of charm jewellery continued throughout the 1920s and '30s, sometimes using the most precious of materials, such as platinum and diamonds. Soldiers returning home after World War II would often buy trinkets produced by craftsmen local to the area where they were fighting to give to loved ones.
Silver screen icons of the '40s and '50s, immaculately dressed and accessorised with a beautiful charm bracelet, reinforced the popularity of charms, which became much more varied and collectible and often represented special life events such as birthdays, anniversaries and annual holidays. Today, charms have never been more popular and we are spoiled for choice with the abundance of new designs on the market, as well as the delightful vintage charms of bygone eras which are being reproduced.
At Amanda Jo, we are passionate about charms and strive to offer the best possible selection and exemplary customer service. Whether you are looking to start a bracelet for a relative or are in search of that elusive charm for your friend with the unusual hobby, we have a pendant for every penchant!
All of our charms can be worn on a necklace and we have available a variety of beautiful silver and gold chains from which to choose, as well as a fitting which enables a favourite charm to be transferred between your necklace and your charm bracelet. (See 'Attaching charms'.)
We hope very much that you will enjoy browsing through our store and that these tiny treasures will captivate you in the same way they have us for many years.
OUR RANGE We are proud to be home to one of the world's largest collections of sterling silver charms, all of which can be found in our online store (accessed via the CHARMS in the right hand column). With well over two and a half thousand different charms to offer, we are hopeful that we will have exactly what you are looking for. However, if you are unable to find it, please drop us a line as we may well be able to source it for you. All of our charms are solid .925 sterling silver and many are available in gold - please enquire. A jump ring is provided with every charm which is intended for soldering by a professional jeweller. Split rings are also available if you prefer to attach your charms yourself, as are lobster clasps, link locks and charm links. All can be found for sale in the ESSENTIALS category.
WHAT IS STERLING SILVER? Sterling silver is produced by combining 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metal, usually copper. Fine silver (99.9% pure) is generally too soft for producing jewellery. Sterling silver is usually alloyed with copper to give it strength whilst preserving the ductility of the silver and a high precious metal content.
GOLD CHARMS Many of our charms are available in 9ct, 14ct or 18ct gold (yellow or rose). If you don't see a gold option for your chosen charm, please email us and we will let you know if it's available in gold. As we do not stock gold charms, but order them from our stockists per order, please allow 2-3 weeks from receipt of payment to shipping of your gold charm.
BULK ORDERS If you require a large quantity of the same charm, we can organise a special order. Orders of 20+ of the same charm qualify for a 10% discount. Please email us with your requirements. Turnaround time varies from 2-6 weeks, depending on the charm chosen - we will respond to your email with a more specific estimate of time.