Charmed, I'm Sure
Your favorite childhood charm jewelry is suddenly cool again, from vintage gold and silver bracelets to modern, handmade and beaded necklaces.
I’ve loved charm jewelry since I was a little girl, including a small silver bracelet decked out with south-of-the-border charms like a sombrero and a huarache sandal that was a souvenir from a family vacation to Mexico, and a vintage travel bracelet passed down from my Grammy that’s adorned with an array of small flag charms from all the countries she visited throughout her life (plus a small silver wolf charm as a nod to our last name). I always delighted in the way the charms daintily dangled from my wrist and the jingle-jangle sound they made anytime I moved my arm (much to the annoyance of everyone around me).
Turns out adolescent me and adult me aren’t all that different, because I’m still crushing big time on charm bracelets and necklaces, which seem to be having a resurgence in popularity. But charm jewelry has been around since the Stone Age, when bones, shells, and pieces of wood were strung together. It was also worn in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and during the Victorian Era thanks to Queen Victoria, who popularized gold charms and lockets.
In the 1950s and 60s, charm bracelets were often gifted to young girls, which were then worn into adulthood—charms marking different life events and occasions were added along the way. For example, I'm obsessed with these vintage cake charms from that era that open to reveal a small painted candle. Wouldn’t these make such a sweet birthday gift for a friend or loved one?
Speaking of birthday gifts, my current charm necklace crush is thanks to my friend Amanda Zurita, who has been making the coolest charm necklaces all summer. She surprised me with one for my birthday last month, and I literally cried when I opened the package—such a special, personalized gift. The necklace is a mix of vintage and modern charms that Amanda has collected, including a champagne bottle and coupe, paired with whimsical clay charms that she makes and then paints, like a plate of oysters, a croissant, a stick of butter, and even a cigarette butt (who knew that could be so charming?!).
If you want to get your mitts on your own Amanda Zurita original, she’s taking five charm necklace orders per week throughout the month of August every Thursday starting at 10 am PST. Follow @acarolena on Instagram and get ready to order! Charm necklaces are first come, first served each week. Her initial charm necklace drop sold out in less than 10 minutes, so mark your calendar for Thursday, 8/22 and 8/29 to try your luck at snagging one!
I’ve gathered some equally charming ready-to-buy options below, from modern, handmade necklaces to classic, vintage bracelets, including a few heirloom-worthy designer pieces and rare finds…
xx, Tessa