... Prerogative Online - A magazine for women in southern West Virginia and southwest Virginia
So Charming
Story by Samantha Perry
Athough only 6 years old, Jayda Duty, has a special gift in the making for when she reaches her teen years. Her grandmother, Carolyn Bowen, of Tazewell, Va., has already purchased a charm bracelet for the youngster, and is beginning to collect the pendant and trinket-type jewelry symbolic of interests and special events in her young life.
“I haven’t let her have the bracelet,” said Bowen, a sales associate at Lemon’s Jewelry on Main Street in Tazewell. “But when she’s interested in something or we’re out together, I try to buy a little charm to go along with it. Then one day I hope to give it to her, and all that will mean something to her — it will be something personal.”
In American pop culture, charm bracelets became a popular, personalized accessory in the mid-1900s. Young girls, teens and women could purchase charms representative of their interests or hobbies — a thimble for sewing, a megaphone for cheerleading — and attach them to link bracelets designed to hold the many pendants.
Many women still have these bracelets from decades past. Darlene Bowers, owner and operator of Leslie Ann’s Boutique in Bluefield, Va., received her first charm bracelet some four decades ago when she was 13.
“I have not worn it consistently, but I’ve worn it off and on since that time,” Bowers said. However, Bowers notes she did wear this white gold bracelet constantly from the time she was 13 until she graduated high school. “It was a theme bracelet of whatever I was interested in at the time.”
During the 1970s, Bowers received her second charm bracelet, this one made of sterling silver.
“The bracelet and charm were given to me as a thank-you gift from a child who I helped when she tried out for majorette.” It now hold charms symbolic of Bowers’ adult life, such as pendants representing her children.
“My third bracelet I bought on a trip to Hong Kong, and it’s my travel bracelet,” she said. “When I went to Italy I got a charm, when I went to Las Vegas I got a charm. I call it my theme bracelet.”
Bowers also has a Chamilia bracelet, based on the current popular brand of charm jewelry that she sells at her boutique.
CHAMILIA JEWELRY, AS WELL AS ANOTHER POPULAR BRAND, PANDORA, ARE EUROPEAN CHARM BRACELETS, and feature a modernized take on this classic accessory. While both brands allow wearers to choose individual elements suited to their tastes, the charms, spacers and other elements slide onto the bracelet — a distinctive difference from the classic bracelets featuring dangling charms that were attached to the bracelet by metal links, and often jingled with the wearers’ movements.
Charms for the European bracelets have a sculptural quality in a diverse array of styles so the wearer may still personalize her own look.
Charms in Pandora’s new line include a “bead love blouse” (a three-dimensional shirt in silver featuring a gold heart on the front), a tiny perfume bottle, and a soccer ball accented with amethyst stones.
And among the animal charms in Chamilia’s new line are a rooster and whale, both of which are finely detailed, dimensional charms. Chamilia also offers a collection of Disney brand charms, including Mickey Mouse, Piglet, Tigger and Tinker Bell.
While the European styles are recognized by the method in which the charm slides onto the bracelet, traditionalists can still get some “dangle.” Chamilia offers hummingbird and flower dangle charms, among many others, in their new catalogue. The hummingbird style features a birdhouse that slides onto the bracelet with the hummingbird hanging beneath, while the flower charm has a embellished bead sculpted with petals that envelopes the bracelet, as a square, light-rose colored crystal dangles beneath.
Among the dangling charms in Pandora’s line are several styles of crosses, a compass, an anchor, a guitar and a pacifier.
Both brands also offer a variety of glass and enamel beads to add extra dimension, color and style to the bracelets.
While the European bracelet is drawing in legions of fans among women of all ages, the classic style continues to remain popular among those in all demographics.
In Tazewell, Bowen says many women continue to purchase charms for bracelets they have worn, and added to, for decades. She notes one customer in her 40s has a charm bracelet “that’s full.”
“She loves it,” Bowen said. “Some women here in Tazewell have had their bracelets for years — their mothers started them years ago. It’s special to them. They love having them. It’s something that’s timeless, really.”
This appreciation of classic charm bracelets extends beyond the traditional mountains and valleys of southern West Virginia and Southwest Virginia.
Tiffany & Co., considered by many to be the heart and soul of upscale jewelry, has an extensive charm selection, for bracelets and necklaces, on its website. The charm bracelets range in price from under $100, for sterling silver styles, to those in gold and platinum that sell for several thousands of dollars and come complete with four to six charms.
Tiffany & Co. also sells a wide variety of charms (including the signature Tiffany blue box) to personalize the bracelets. A novel and fun feature of the jewelry store’s website is the “Customize Your Own” section. This web page features an empty bracelet and an array of Tiffany charms. Users can click on the charms of their choice and “drag” them onto the bracelet to see how their customized bracelet will look.
While the European and classic charm bracelets are among the hottest styles at present, a third type — the Italian charm bracelet — emerged several years ago and remains popular with many women. The Italian charm bracelet has flat charms that snap onto the bracelet. The modular charms then hook together to form the bracelet.
PURCHASING A CHARM BRACELET IS AN INVESTMENT. Buyers can expect to pay at least $50 for a bracelet, with charms costing about $20 or more. Those purchasing higher-end jewelry can expect to spend much more.
But even those purchasing low to moderately priced bracelets can expect to shell out a hefty price to cover the cost of a bracelet with charms. “By the time you fill one up, you’ve invested a lot of money,” Bowers said. “But it’s going to hold its value because of the way the prices of gold and silver are going up. These bracelets are an investment — one you can invest in a little at a time.”
The monetary investment is one reason why many of today’s grandmothers are starting charm bracelets for their granddaughters at a young age.
“It (the price) adds up, even if you purchase only one charm a year,” Bowen said. But, if mothers or grandmothers start the charm bracelet with the child is born, they can purchase one charm annually and have 16 charms by the time their daughter or granddaughter turns “Sweet 16.”
And, chances are, the bracelet will still be popular at that time.
The trendiness of charm bracelets as a fashion accessory may increase and wane through the years, but they continue to hold a special place in jewelry boxes of many women throughout the two Virginias.
Bowers, who is “in her 50s,” says most women in her age group adore charm bracelets, and may own one or more.
“They’ve always maintained some popularity around here,” Bowen said. The trend “may fade just a little, but it always seems to come back around and get popular again.” P
Athough only 6 years old, Jayda Duty, has a special gift in the making for when she reaches her teen years. Her grandmother, Carolyn Bowen, of Tazewell, Va., has already purchased a charm bracelet for the youngster, and is beginning to collect the pendant and trinket-type jewelry symbolic of interests and special events in her young life.“I haven’t let her have the bracelet,” said Bowen, a sales associate at Lemon’s Jewelry on Main Street in Tazewell. “But when she’s interested in something or we’re out together, I try to buy a little charm to go along with it. Then one day I hope to give it to her, and all that will mean something to her — it will be something personal.”
In American pop culture, charm bracelets became a popular, personalized accessory in the mid-1900s. Young girls, teens and women could purchase charms representative of their interests or hobbies — a thimble for sewing, a megaphone for cheerleading — and attach them to link bracelets designed to hold the many pendants.
Many women still have these bracelets from decades past. Darlene Bowers, owner and operator of Leslie Ann’s Boutique in Bluefield, Va., received her first charm bracelet some four decades ago when she was 13.
“I have not worn it consistently, but I’ve worn it off and on since that time,” Bowers said. However, Bowers notes she did wear this white gold bracelet constantly from the time she was 13 until she graduated high school. “It was a theme bracelet of whatever I was interested in at the time.”
During the 1970s, Bowers received her second charm bracelet, this one made of sterling silver.
“The bracelet and charm were given to me as a thank-you gift from a child who I helped when she tried out for majorette.” It now hold charms symbolic of Bowers’ adult life, such as pendants representing her children.
“My third bracelet I bought on a trip to Hong Kong, and it’s my travel bracelet,” she said. “When I went to Italy I got a charm, when I went to Las Vegas I got a charm. I call it my theme bracelet.”
Bowers also has a Chamilia bracelet, based on the current popular brand of charm jewelry that she sells at her boutique.
CHAMILIA JEWELRY, AS WELL AS ANOTHER POPULAR BRAND, PANDORA, ARE EUROPEAN CHARM BRACELETS, and feature a modernized take on this classic accessory. While both brands allow wearers to choose individual elements suited to their tastes, the charms, spacers and other elements slide onto the bracelet — a distinctive difference from the classic bracelets featuring dangling charms that were attached to the bracelet by metal links, and often jingled with the wearers’ movements.
Charms for the European bracelets have a sculptural quality in a diverse array of styles so the wearer may still personalize her own look.
Charms in Pandora’s new line include a “bead love blouse” (a three-dimensional shirt in silver featuring a gold heart on the front), a tiny perfume bottle, and a soccer ball accented with amethyst stones.
And among the animal charms in Chamilia’s new line are a rooster and whale, both of which are finely detailed, dimensional charms. Chamilia also offers a collection of Disney brand charms, including Mickey Mouse, Piglet, Tigger and Tinker Bell.
While the European styles are recognized by the method in which the charm slides onto the bracelet, traditionalists can still get some “dangle.” Chamilia offers hummingbird and flower dangle charms, among many others, in their new catalogue. The hummingbird style features a birdhouse that slides onto the bracelet with the hummingbird hanging beneath, while the flower charm has a embellished bead sculpted with petals that envelopes the bracelet, as a square, light-rose colored crystal dangles beneath.
Among the dangling charms in Pandora’s line are several styles of crosses, a compass, an anchor, a guitar and a pacifier.
Both brands also offer a variety of glass and enamel beads to add extra dimension, color and style to the bracelets.
While the European bracelet is drawing in legions of fans among women of all ages, the classic style continues to remain popular among those in all demographics.
In Tazewell, Bowen says many women continue to purchase charms for bracelets they have worn, and added to, for decades. She notes one customer in her 40s has a charm bracelet “that’s full.”
“She loves it,” Bowen said. “Some women here in Tazewell have had their bracelets for years — their mothers started them years ago. It’s special to them. They love having them. It’s something that’s timeless, really.”
This appreciation of classic charm bracelets extends beyond the traditional mountains and valleys of southern West Virginia and Southwest Virginia.
Tiffany & Co., considered by many to be the heart and soul of upscale jewelry, has an extensive charm selection, for bracelets and necklaces, on its website. The charm bracelets range in price from under $100, for sterling silver styles, to those in gold and platinum that sell for several thousands of dollars and come complete with four to six charms.
Tiffany & Co. also sells a wide variety of charms (including the signature Tiffany blue box) to personalize the bracelets. A novel and fun feature of the jewelry store’s website is the “Customize Your Own” section. This web page features an empty bracelet and an array of Tiffany charms. Users can click on the charms of their choice and “drag” them onto the bracelet to see how their customized bracelet will look.
While the European and classic charm bracelets are among the hottest styles at present, a third type — the Italian charm bracelet — emerged several years ago and remains popular with many women. The Italian charm bracelet has flat charms that snap onto the bracelet. The modular charms then hook together to form the bracelet.
PURCHASING A CHARM BRACELET IS AN INVESTMENT. Buyers can expect to pay at least $50 for a bracelet, with charms costing about $20 or more. Those purchasing higher-end jewelry can expect to spend much more.
But even those purchasing low to moderately priced bracelets can expect to shell out a hefty price to cover the cost of a bracelet with charms. “By the time you fill one up, you’ve invested a lot of money,” Bowers said. “But it’s going to hold its value because of the way the prices of gold and silver are going up. These bracelets are an investment — one you can invest in a little at a time.”
The monetary investment is one reason why many of today’s grandmothers are starting charm bracelets for their granddaughters at a young age.
“It (the price) adds up, even if you purchase only one charm a year,” Bowen said. But, if mothers or grandmothers start the charm bracelet with the child is born, they can purchase one charm annually and have 16 charms by the time their daughter or granddaughter turns “Sweet 16.”
And, chances are, the bracelet will still be popular at that time.
The trendiness of charm bracelets as a fashion accessory may increase and wane through the years, but they continue to hold a special place in jewelry boxes of many women throughout the two Virginias.
Bowers, who is “in her 50s,” says most women in her age group adore charm bracelets, and may own one or more.
“They’ve always maintained some popularity around here,” Bowen said. The trend “may fade just a little, but it always seems to come back around and get popular again.” P
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