The Wonder of Italian Charms
The most popular and fastest growing trend regarding jewelry today is that of Italian charms. The trend was started in Italy in the 1980s. It spread widely after soccer players were seen sporting the modular bracelets that represented their individual country’s colors. The trend spilled over to the United States in the 1990s by American tourists and has only spread like wildfire since.
Each bracelet consists of 18 interchangeable rectangular stainless steel links. The Italian charm starter bracelet consisting of blank links allows for a complete look. Each link is a standardized size, which allows for a multitude of companies to provide charms at various rates. Unlike traditional charm bracelets that dangle. The Italian charm bracelet is a modular unit that can be changed according to an individual’s changing interests.
Charms can represent anything that the wearer chooses. However, the most common charms are representations of an individual’s hobbies, interests and profession. The links are interchangeable so that each bracelet can be as unique as each individual.
The original charms were made by permanently soldering or etching a design onto the surface of the stainless steel. More recently, the most common charms are made through an enamel process that allows for full color. This enamel process can be quite expensive though, so it is used only for charms that will be sold in large quantities. However, even though thousands of different charms are produced in large quantities, Italian charm bracelet owners desire more individualized charms. The popularity of the bracelets has prompted a necessity for a less expensive form of production.
Laser technology has been found to be an inexpensive yet reliable method of creating charms. This type of charm is manufactured by a laser permanently etching the design onto the surface of the steel. Laser charms are the least expensive charms to purchase. However, laser technology has also allowed for individuals to customize a charm to their specific instructions. Custom charms are a bit more expensive but not totally unfordable.
Further customization can also be done for a slightly higher cost. This customization allows for a photograph to be used to produce a charm through two methods. In the first method, a photograph is mounted to the stainless steel and a seal is placed over the photograph to preserve it. The second method involves transferring the image to the surface of the link through a process known as dye-sublimation.
The popularity of Italian charm bracelets has expanded the use of the modular links to other various items. Now, links can be seen on various types of jewelry such as necklaces, earrings, keychains and anklets.