A Historical Timeline of Charms & Charm Bracelets

The little trinket instantly adds glam to your plain chains creating a new jewelry design from an existing one; yes, we are talking about charms! The sweet chime of these small ornaments grabs the attention of your spectators. Though, now a fashion accessory, in the past, they signified an important event in the wearer’s life or a belief the wearer deeply revered. The history of charms can be traced back to 400 BC. During those days, the early man used bones, wood, stone, and shells to make jewelry. 

Here is a brief historical timeline of charms & charm bracelets - 

2. Charms in Egypt - The pharaohs (rulers) in Egypt wore bracelets with charm, they believed would stay with them in the afterlife. The charm was the symbol of royalty and defined the god a king had faith in. The royals wore elaborate patterns in precious metals studded with glittering gemstones. 

3. Served as Identity of Christians - In the roman empire, the Christians wore a fish-shaped silver charm as a religious symbol. Before the cross got popular in the community, fish represented their gods. On the other hand, Jewish people carried charms with Jewish laws inscribed on them to keep their principles close to themselves all the time. In the medieval period, the soldiers tucked charms below their armor to save themselves from unpleasant consequences on the battlefield. The sums up charms were a staple of the knight in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It consisted of a wooden head and a metallic body. The superstitious knight would rub the head of the charm before facing any danger for a positive outcome. 

4. Queen Victoria: The proud ambassador - It was the magnificent queen victoria who cemented the charm bracelets as a timeless fashion accessory. She not only worn charm bracelets herself but also gifted them to her loved ones on New year's eve. Her most popular charm bracelet was the one with ‘a mourning charm’ she wore after the death of Prince Albert. She wore it as a remembrance of her beloved husband. The charm had his photo on it. By then, the silver charm containing the images, hair and other compact belongings of loved ones become a new rage. 

5. Hike in Bracelet Sale During the Great Depression - The Great Depression brought suffering in the form of economic catastrophe, still people held onto jewelry. While the elite individuals enjoyed wearing charm bracelets studded with jewels, the people hit by financial instability used broken jewelry pieces and hand-carved designs to create their own charms. Despite the drop in the stock market, people continued buying charm bracelets. 

6. World War II - At the time of world war 2, the small bracelet acted as a cheap and easy-to-carry trinket for the lady love of soldiers. They could send the bracelets to wives and girlfriends waiting for their return at home. It helped the women to feel an emotional connection with their beloved husband at the time of their absence. 

7. The Girl’s Choice for the ’50s & 60’s- During the ’50s & ’60s, young girls used charms as a keepsake of an accomplishment, important events and people in their life. Teenage girls who loved the music used bracelets as a form of personal expression. Each time something big happened to their life, they would add a charm to the bracelet signifying the event. Getting nostalgic? Get yourself a sterling silver charm similar to the ones your mothers used to wear from our selection. 

8.Italian Bracelets - The bracelet design became a worldwide phenomenon in the ’90s. Italian bracelets have an elastic string covered with square-shaped boxes sitting next to each other. They were resizable and a great DIY. People could custom the link in their bracelet to personalize it according to their own wise.