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Charms are also known as amulets and pendants. They are as popular today as they have been throughout recorded history. Ancient Egyptians wore bracelets with charms or amulets. They were used to protect against bad luck and evil forces. They began with religious symbols and became a part of everyday dressing.

Charms/jewelry were made of almost any material of value to people in their time. Many were made of precious metal. Others were made with gemstones inlaid in them or mounted with precious metals in the form of necklaces, crowns, staffs, and bracelets. Queen Victoria gets the credit for popularizing jewelry charms throughout Europe by wearing lockets or charms on her royal bracelets

America became enchante with Charms around the time frame of World War II. Soldiers returning from duty station brought with them various types of charms or pendants. Today popular charms are maded from Gold and Sterling silver. Other materials are still used in the making of charms.

Sterling Silver Charms today represent as many things as there are interests and personalities. Some charms or pendants represent the religious leanings of the wearer. They also represent the interest of the wearer such a musical instrument for a music lover, a pair of sneakers for a jogger, or ballet slippers for a ballerina. Imagination is the only limit for what a charm can represent. Silver charms are also used to commerate life events such as births, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, or graduations.
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Tags: silver jewelry

The Gallets, citizens of Geneva since 1466, have a long history of being goldsmiths and watchmakers. Initially, they began by manufacturing gold cases for pocket watches for men and necklace watches for women. As they were in close contact with watch manufacturers, they quickly learnt the technology and the trade of producing watches. Geneva was considered to be the center of metropolis watches and this trade was passed on from one generation to the next. It was Leon L. Gallet who actually began the Gallet watch company and expanded it to the level of a thriving business. Gallet watches can be proud for achieving many milestones in the history of watches. Gallet watches were recognized as pioneers in 1895 as they were the world’s first producer of wrist watches for both men and women. This was then imitated and included in collections of other Swiss watch companies. They protected the idea of an improved protection of the mechanism of chronographs and later made chronographs as their specialty in wrist watches. In 1916, Gallet was the world’s first supplier of true wrist chronographs to the British Army. In this collection, Gallet retained the porcelain enamel dial, three piece case, and center button crown of the pocket watch collection. During the Second World War, it supplied watches to the armies of the Great Britain, Canada and the USA. It also developed a special chronograph model for the pilots of the US Air Force and named the watch as “the Flying Officer”. It continues to produce watches for military personnel. Since the time of Leon L. Gallet, Gallet watches have realized the huge potential in both European and American markets. Some of the earliest brands of Gallet were- Solar, Success, Bridgeport, Chancellor, Burlington, Commodore, Eureka, Continental, Mars, Security, National Park, Select, and The Governor. Jules Racine was the distributor for Gallet and Racine watches in the US until it was taken over by Gallet, Switzerland. Since 2004, Gallet company’s activities are concentrated near Zurich, Switzerland. Always looking to expand their business activities, Gallet watches have been a part of Asian markets since 1912. They still retain their Japanese clientele such as Seiko, Kingoro Tzana, Tamaya & Co., Hitsukoshi and Kobayashi. Singapore, Shanghai, India, Burma and China have been some of their other customers. The best part about Gallet watches is that they never were, and are still not, elitist. They were meant for the moneyed working man. Gallet watches have now attained an antique value. In fact, keeping the tradition of philanthropy alive with his family, Leon Gallet left behind a legacy to finance a museum for watches. Around 100 gold watches were donated by his son to the international museum of watches in La Chaux-De-Fonds. These included very valuable pocket chronograph watches and many gold cases. Gallet watches have a timeless feel and are considered to be an ideal collector’s item. You can log on to www.finertimes.com and www.antiquewatchcouk.com to sift through their collections.

Tags: bulova watches, omega watches, replica watches, tissot watches, watches

The historical custom of wearing charm bracelets dates back millenia, and though the materials and designs on them have changed, the concept itself has never gone out of style.

This form of jewelry initially had a religous function, and dates back to the prehistoric era. Based on data from Elizabeth Florence, president of the Jewelry Information Center, charm bracelets were first worn by Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians and Hittites from 500 to 400 B.C. Those charms were created from lapis lazuli, rock crystal and other locally-available gems and were inscribed with symbolic designs, like figures of gods, humans and animals. They were closely associated with magical spiritual powers and served as protective talismans.

As time passed, charms diminished in religious significance and became fashion jewelry instead. The Victorians of the 1890′s spurred a renaissance of charms, due to their love of elaborate and intricate clothing and jewelry. Queen Victoria helped fuel the craze by wearing a charm bracelet of tiny lockets holding family portraits.

A second revival of charm bracelets occured in America in the Second World War era, as soldiers stationed abroad acquired charms as souvenirs from the European cities where they were stationed and brought these trinkets home as presents for wives and girlfriends. The fashion trend continued well into the 1950′s.

Charms have never entirely gone out of vogue, and are becoming increasingly popular today as personal keepsakes in an increasingly mass-produced jewelry market. Popular themes include horoscope signs, birthstone charms, travel souvenirs, and family keepsakes. Many women begin their charms collection when still in childhood, and the charm bracelet grows along with them, reflecting hobbies and experiences. A charm bracelet can hold a tiny replica of a sports trophy, a wedding bouquet, or even lockets holding family photos.

As well, charms are popular gifts because of their affordable cost. An intricate silver charm can be found for less than 10 dollars, though it’s possible to spend 100s of dollars on a 18k gold charm set with gems.
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Tags: italian charm bracelets

Watch any of the major movie, television, and music award shows on television today and one of the first things you’ll notice about the celebrities on the red carpet, aside from their extravagant (and sometimes outlandish) attire, are the amount and size of the jewelry they are wearing. Hip-hop jewelry, more commonly known as bling-bling, is definitely not understated fashion. The bigger and the flashier it is, the better. Preferred by many of today’s celebrities, hip-hop jewelry adorns the fingers, necks, arms, even the teeth of many stars.

Oversized studs and chains are the trademarks of hip-hop jewelry and are preferred by celebrities such as Sean Combs, or P. Diddy. At the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards, he sported a diamond ring, bracelet, and watch from Jacob and Company. Rapper 50 Cent is another celebrity who is hardly ever seen without his hip-hop jewelry. On his web site, 50 Cent offers more affordable, though just as flashy, bling-bling for those of us who do not earn the megabucks that he and his fellow celebrities rake in. There are also many other web sites that offer low-priced hip-hop jewelry inspired by popular rap artists.
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Tags: bling bling, hip hop jewelry, large pendants, rapper jewelry