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Italian Charms

When Italian charms entered the fashion scene almost two decades ago, they defined a whole new jewelry genre. Where traditional charm bracelets were dangly and jingly, the Italian charm bracelet is sleek and modular. And where many accessories could be almost cookie-cutter in their adherence to fashion trends, Italian charms – with their tremendous variety of shapes, styles, and types – allow for maximum individualization.

Italian charms (which are manufactured in China and the United States, as well as in Italy) are flat links that connect together on a stretchy band to form a bracelet or other item, like key chain, watch, or cell phone fob. They range in widths from 5mm to 18m, although 9mm is the size in which most designs are offered. Because of their standard sizing, major brands of Italian charms tend to be compatible with one another.

To begin crafting your Italian charm bracelet, you will need a starter bracelet comprising a number of blank links. An adult medium bracelet typically uses 18 links, although you can use as many as you need for a comfortable fit. A child’s bracelet may use 14 links, while some adults may feel more comfortable with 20 Italian charms.

Once you have your bracelet in hand, this is where the fun begins. You personalize your bracelet by replacing the blank links with charms. You might want to stick to a single theme – such as places you’ve traveled, or a favorite hobby – although most people enjoy incorporating a variety of charms that reflect multiple aspects of their personality, career, family, and experiences.

Charm motifs are many, including religious, sports, hobbies, flags, animals, insects, plants, flowers, food, drink, zodiac signs, professional, good luck charms, and Greek letters (which are great for sorority sisters). You’ll find all numbers and letters of the alphabet in a variety of fonts, as well as birthstones of precious and semi-precious gems.

Typically, Italian charms are made of high-quality stainless steel to which an 18k gold or gold-plated charm face has been soldered or glued. (The charm face is the part that has the actual design on it.) The most popular and frequently used charms are those that have been hand-painted with enamel, which dries to a hard, glossy finish. Decorative finishing touches may include sparkling cubic zirconias or 18k gold trim.

Laser Italian charms have been inscribed with text or an image. Although usually lacking the color of an enamel charm, the crisp quality of laser inscription allows for the addition of sayings to your Italian charm bracelet. Laser charms come in hundreds of names, sayings, and symbols, but they can be customized to allow for further individualization. A standard sized charm normally accommodates up to 23 letters, numbers, and spaces.

Photo Italian charms feature a photograph that has been sized to a charm and then topped with an acrylic coating to ensure durability. Many companies offer their photo charms with stock photos in a variety of themes, but you can also have custom photo Italian charms made of your personal photographs.

Presenting a new twist on an old favorite, major manufacturers offer dangle Italian charms. These festive charms have an extra component that swings freely from an embellished standard modular link. Although they’re normally fastened securely, dangle charms are especially delicate and require a bit of special attention to preserve their beauty.

Some Italian charms feature a single image on a larger-than-average link. Multi-link charms feature a single design split on two or more links that hook together. Super-link Italian charms are essentially the size of two standard links, creating one long, horizontal link. Super-link types differ from multi-link types in that they are a single continuous piece with no break in the design.

You can also find licensed character links for your Italian charm bracelet. These detailed charms feature pop culture icons ranging from Little Orphan Annie with her dog Sandy, to a celebratory Ziggy carrying a birthday cake aloft. Disney fans will find their favorite characters on a wide variety of Italian charms, including princesses like Belle, classic favorites like Tinkerbell, and new favorites like musical Stitch posing as Elvis. Retro favorites include characters from Archie and Beetle Bailey comics. There are even licensed characters for cartoon viewers, like SpongeBob SquarePants’ boss, Mr. Krabs, waving to his legions of fan.

Adding, removing, and replacing Italian charms might seem intimidating at first. The trick is to compress the spring-loaded links to remove or add them. This can certainly be done by hand, but tools can make the process easier and quicker. Two popular types of tools are the key-shaped tool and the flat tab-shaped stainless steel rectangle. Both have been specially crafted to avoid scratching or harming your Italian charms, unlike homemade alternatives (like a nail file or an opened paper clip) that pose a higher risk of damaging them.

Although Italian charms are durable due to their high-quality materials and craftsmanship, certain precautions should be taken to protect them from the potentially damaging effects of household cleaners, hairspray, and excessive water or soil. Prevent scratches by storing your Italian charms in a safe place when you’re not wearing them, and clean them weekly by simply wiping with a soft cloth.

Whether designed for your own use, or given as a gift that is sure to be treasured, Italian charms provide myriad possibilities for individualization. Indeed, perhaps no piece of jewelry allows for self-expression more than the Italian charm bracelet.

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