Collecting Silver Charm Jewelry

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Article Title: Collecting Silver Charm Jewelry
Author: janet ashby
Category: Jewelry, Collecting
Word Count: 424
Keywords: charm jewelry,charm bracelets,gold charm bracelets,silver charm bracelets,gold charm jewelry,silver
Author's Email Address: janetarticles@gmail.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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During the early days of Christianity men and women carried a charm shaped in the form of a fish to recognize one another. During the Dark Ages, they were used for religious identification and to designate the lineage of the bearer. In the Middle Ages, knights wore them to protect themselves during battle and the general populace also wore them. Through the Renaissance their use by the wealthier classes faded, as people became better educated and much less prone to believe in superstitions. Nevertheless the less educated poorer people continued to wear charms as a defense against evil and to give them luck.

The wearing of charms was revived in the UK by Queen Victoria who wore a gold bracelet with lockets containing pictures of her close family. This had a huge affect on the wearing of charm bracelets by the general population who started to wear them, not as amulets, but as decorative items. Glass beads, family crests and lockets became the fashion of the day. Following the end of World War 2 there was a huge upsurge of charm wearing as soldiers brought back gems and beads to their sweethearts from different countries of the world. Craftsmen in the US continued the trend and started to fashion silver charm jewelry. They have continued to be popular ever since.

Italian charm bracelets are becoming increasingly popular and are available in gold, silver or stainless steel. Unlike the tradition bracelet they lie flat and are usually cheaper than other types of charm bracelets. Base bracelets are composed of a series of interchangeable links, typically 18 for a woman's bracelet and 20 for a man's. Charms are attached to the bracelet by a jump ring or a clasp rather than dangling as in a traditional bracelet. They are very flexible and you can swap around the charms to suit the occasion. Many people prefer them to traditional bracelets as they will not snag on clothing.

Today an extensive selection of earrings, necklaces and charm bracelets are available with bracelets being the most well-liked. Gold and silver are mostly used although some people favor bracelets made from seed pearls or beads with silver or gold charms. There are numerous kinds of religious charms portraying saints and a vast array depicting objects and animals including dolphins, rabbits, cupids, ballerina shoes etc.

Whichever designs you choose you can add to your charm bracelet with symbols meaningful to your life to produce a bracelet that will be rich with memories and could be a lovely heirloom to pass down to your children.

For more about charms and charm bracelets and some good deals on silver charm jewelry visit http://charms-store.com/silver-charm-jewelry/ or http://charms-store.com/silver-charm-bracelets/
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