Bracelets Full of Charm

If you thought charm bracelets were just for middle school girls, then think again! Charm bracelets are back again and in a major way. They are now available from high end expensive kinds to low end inexpensive department store varieties. They are regaining popularity mostly due to the fun nature that they have and give off. Also, this trend is attractive because they can be personalized-each one is different! They also make amazing gifts for any woman in your life. One year for Mother's Day I bought my mother a charm bracelet. I started her off with a single charm. Now, every Christmas or every birthday I add a new charm to the bracelet I bought. She loves the bracelet I got her in sterling silver. She can easily add any new charm she wants and interchange the ones I have given her.

I think charm bracelets are super neat because you can make them look however you want by choosing your charms. The bracelet can make a statement about you or just be an interesting feature on your wrist. You can get a sterling silver charm bracelet and keep all the charms a uniform sterling silver or you could add colored charms. They are available in other metals too like bronze and gold-though the most common material is sterling. Either way, charm bracelets are a whole lot of fun for the young and for the young at heart. Even grandmas are into wearing charm bracelets from their grandkids. Just because young girls and grandmothers alike can wear this trend, doesn't mean that it can't be sophisticated too. It all depends on how you wear your bracelet. Take your cues from the celebrities who don charm bracelets. Pair them with a couple more sterling bangles, a signature ring, fabulous shades and you'll be styling in no time

If it were me, I would purchase a sterling silver chain with a single charm attached like a heart and then you can start adding on from there. It is really easy to find this type of bracelet from expensive stores like Tiffany's to pretty much any major department store. If you start with all of the charms on the bracelet then it's just not as much fun! So if you are searching for the perfect gift for your mom, grandma, sister, or friend then you should consider this trend as a happy option. You customize them for that person and have add-on charms lined up as gifts for the next major holiday!

By Joanna Stack

Bracelets Are An Inexpensive Way To Impress The Right People

Bracelets are an inexpensive way to impress the right people.

We have Friendship bracelets, Family bracelets, donation bracelets, sex bracelets and many more. With companies like Lance Armstrong and Nike jumping in there, is going to be a lot more coming.

What are bracelets?

Bracelets are ornaments worn around wrists or upper arm. These are often called armlets when worn above elbow.

Bracelets have been used since a very long time but the style has definitely changed considerably.

Indian civilization has recorded wearing bracelets since 6th century..

Bracelets can be made using a variety of articles.

· Cloth
· Metal
· Rocks
· Wood
· Shells
· Stainless steel is commonly used.
· Nike and Lance Armstrong Companies use silicon now.

Also they are used for medical and identification purposes.

Here is how—

Patients with allergies, diabetes or who has a previous history of heart illness wear bracelets. Identifying these patients can be tough under emergencies and these bracelets can be extremely useful in saving a patients life sometimes.

Bracelets are more famous than wristbands and bangles and necklaces.

They can be made at home and commercially they are available for cheap.

Friendship bracelets are more famous among children and teens. They are given as a symbol of friendship. Usually embroidery threads or wool are used. By tradition they are not to removed voluntarily as any intentional removal will mean end of friendship.

They have to fall off naturally.

Another type of bracelets that are becoming popular are sex bracelets.

Various types are coming in everyday and they convey different messages from romance to sex.

Ankle bracelets have been and are used in courts for prisoners. They have been used on ankles of certain criminals on probation especially in the Pima county Superior court.

By Susan Smith

Bracelets Through The Ages

The earliest bracelets date back to around 2500 BC and were those worn by the Sumerians in southern Mesopotamia. Bracelets, necklaces, anklets, finger rings and ear rings made the women of Sumer into show windows of their husband's prosperity. Bracelets were found in the tombs of Ur where it was customary to bury royalty with their jewellery and unfortunately their poor servants.

By about 2000 BC, in Ancient Egypt, bracelets emerged as major pieces of jewellery. Bracelets were found in the ruins from the Vesuvias eruption in Pompeii in 79 AD. It was during the age of the Egyptian Pharaohs that charm bracelets were first seen although charms themselves dated back as far as the Neolithic era when men would gather unusual bits of wood or pieces of stone which would be carried about their person in order to ward off their enemies. So these charms were considered ‘lucky charms’ and powerful protectors against evil. It wasn’t until the time of the Pharaohs though that these charms were incorporated into elaborate pieces of jewellery such as wrist and neck bracelets which were not only deemed to offer protection but were also a sign of how prosperous the person had been in life and after death would be an indicator to the Gods of this persons proper status in the after life.

In Grecian times bracelets were popular with men and soldiers wore defensive bands of leather, often decorated with gold, silver and or gemstones, on their forearms. They were known as ‘Bracels,’ from the Latin Brachium, meaning, ‘arm.’ When women caught on that these Bracels would look great on them, they started wearing smaller versions, called little Bracels...or ‘Bracel-ets.’

The history of bracelets stretches forward through the Middle Ages of medieval Europe through the Baroque period of the 18th century, and on right through to the present.

Throughout time, bracelets have been made from many different materials such as leather, iron, copper, beads, bone and teeth as well as precious metals and gemstone. Throughout the ages bracelets have always been popular and the styles seem to have varied according to dress styles. In cultures where people wore sleeveless or short sleeved attire such as the Romans and ancient Greeks, the wearing of bracelets both on the upper and lower arm became popular with both men and women. The wearing of upper arm bracelets is still popular today with modern fashionable skimpy clothing lending itself well to the wearing of more jewellery.

Today, bracelets are worn by both men and women in a variety of materials such as traditional precious metals like gold silver and platinum. Modern plastics and acrylics are now much used to make trendy, unusual bracelets as well as metals like titanium and zirconium which have become popular because they are hard wearing, very light and hypoallergenic. Whatever your tastes and whatever your budget, there is an enormous choice of bracelets and bangles to suit everyone.

Written by John Lewis

Bracelets From Then To Now

Bracelet popularity dates back to the Roman times and continues today.

Roman bracelets shared many of the design patterns of necklaces and earrings from that era. The ever popular ball earrings from that era were nicely matched with a ball style bracelet. Engraved bangles and snake bracelets were very popular during Roman times.

Bracelets made of twisted coil with lion head ends were common place, as were the two part bracelets ending with a pair of lion heads. The Heracles knot bracelet is recognized as a Roman era piece.

The Roman’s were very creative in the designing of their jewelry. However they still borrowed from Greek motifs. Palmettos, fleeing dogs and acanthus leaves, all of Greek origin, were often seen in the designing of Roman jewelry.

Stones and glass were often used in Roman bracelets. . Gem stones were commonly found set in eyes. Open bands were cut to represent a row of ivy and entwined with pearls.

Many of the leaf and berry bracelets were heavily adorned with decorative glass. The wealthier women could be seen wearing bracelets layered in bezel set emeralds.

During the Gerogiian times bracelets remained popular. Paris jewelers were known for their gold bracelets set with pearl edging. After the 1820s coral became the “in” fashion statement, so bracelets and other jewelry were heavily set with coral.

During the Gerogiian time it was very fashionable to wear many bracelets at once, including wide ribbon gold mesh bracelets, and silk ribbon bracelets. Gem and Diamond bracelets were designed in geometric patterns. Gold was heavily used during this era.

The Victorian era brought changes to the fashions of women, including jewelry styles. Earrings grew long and dangled, bracelets became rigid and were normally worn in pairs. The buckle bracelet became very fashionable.

The jewelry of the Victorian era expressed sentiment, and bracelets were no exception. Bracelets would contain lockets or charms with pictures or hair of a loved one, and engravings were common

Early Victorian jewelry enjoyed some mystic with hidden meanings being popular. The acrostic bracelets where the first letter of each gemstone spelled a word of friendship were very popular. For example a bracelet set with Lapis, Opal, Vermeil [hessonite garnet] and Emerald would spell Love.

The Art Nouveau period once again saw changes to fashion and jewelry. Chameleons and serpents entwined themselves around bracelets. The mystical Egyptian scarab was found on bracelets and rings.

Other popular creatures included dragonflies, butterflies, bees, peacocks, swans, and even bats. This was a very figural period attached to nature. If jewelry did not depict creatures it depicted flower blossoms or flower buds.

From 1910 to 1939 women’s fashions saw sleeveless or short sleeve dresses appear. The result was flexible bracelets and bangles worn on the upper arm. These arm bracelets were often adorned with gemstones or diamonds.

From 1940 to 1949 US designers were greatly influenced by the designs from the French house of Van Cleef & Arpels. Bracelets with ribbon of hexagon lines centered on fine gemstones fastened with heavy clasps became very vogue.

From 1950 to 1960 daytime saw simpler lines for not only gold bracelets but necklaces as well. Gold mesh or twisted wire bracelets were very popular.

From 1960 to 1970 bracelets became more flexible and were often set with gems. Bangles on the other hand became more rigid and were often seen set with random diamond placements.

From 1970 to 1979 bracelets were flexible and often set with tiny baguettes. Delicate and dainty bracelets were vogue.

From the 1980s to now bracelet fashions have been mixed and varied. Bracelet styles have become more of an individual fashion statement than a trend.

Gold has always remained popular as have gems, however sterling silver has become very popular and recognized for its versatility and wearability at affordable pricing. In the last few years we’ve also seen an increase in demand for titanium bracelets.

Today a women’s fashion statement is about her! What she likes, what she feels good in. So your bracelet wardrobe can be what ever you want. Wear a dainty gem set gold bracelet or an armful of clunky bracelets, which is very vogue this season.

Your fashion statement is about who you are, so feel free to be you!

By Sher Matsen