When choosing a charm for a charm bracelet there are many things to bear in mind.
Type of bracelet
The first is the type of charm bracelet you are buying for there are three main types:
Traditional Charm
If the charm bracelet has traditional links then you will be needing charms with jump rings. These are small rings normal about 5mm in diameter. The ring will be cut so that with a pair of pliers you can 'open' the jump ring slip it on to a link for the bracelet and then close the ring tightly so the charm is securely attached to the bracelet. All our charms have good, sturdy jump rings which are neatly cut. This means you can close the jump ring tightly and unless the charm is pulled very hard the jump ring will hold strong and the charm will not be lost. For gold charms I would recommend having all charms soldered on to the bracelet professionally this ensures the jump ring cannot be opened and you will not lose the charm. We offer a free soldering service on all charms, gold or silver, bought on the Perfectcharm site to Charm bracelets also bought from us.
Clip on Clasp Charms
A quick and easy solution to attaching silver charms is the clip on clasp. All our silver charms are available with a clip on clasp which means the charm can easily be fitted to a bracelet. This means the bracelet can be constantly altered and charms can be swapped and changed depending on the occasion or the preference of the wearer. We do not offer this option with our gold charms as standard as we worry that this is not as secure a way to wear gold charms which are that much more valuable. However if you would like this as an option please get in touch and we can easily add a gold clasp for you.
Bead Style Charms
The bead style charm bracelet has become more and more popular in recent years. These charms can be very expensive and sometimes the charm you are looking for might not suit the bead style format. All our silver charms can be added to Carrier Beads. These have a loop at the bottom on which our charms can be attached. We solder the jump ring so the charm does not come loose.
Which metal to choose?
At Perfectcharm all or charms are available in sterling silver, 9ct Yellow, White or Rose Gold or 18ct Yellow Gold.
For the most part the choice is down to personal preference and budget.
Sterling Silver is of course the most economical option. You can buy a silver charm like our Field Hockey Charm for as little as £11 and it will often be treasured just as well as it's gold counterpart. Silver is a good option for something you wish to wear often and for children. If did for some reason go missing it would be more of a sentimental loss than a financial one. All our silver charms are sterling silver and made in the UK.
A gold charm bracelet can become a family heirloom. The story of the wearer will hopefully be told by the charms.. her hobbies, travels, loves.
9ct Yellow gold is a traditional choice. All our charms are solid gold and are Hallmarked. The charms will be made new for you and will be bright and shiny. Their colour may mellow as they age. In the picture below the yellow gold charm is the top one on the pile.
9ct White Gold is a popular option as the charm has value with the gold content but some people prefer the silvery white colour. Naturally white gold ages to a greyish colour with a yellowy tone so we tend to rhodium plate all our white gold charms. This gives the charm a bright white appearance that lasts. If you wanted to have your white gold without this treatment please let us know when you order. It would be no problem at all.
9ct Rose Gold is 'the metal of the moment'. It really is very popular and not just for jewellery. All our rose gold is solid rose gold, so it has the colour all the way through.
Mixed metals It can look really effective to have a bracelet with charms of the three gold colours. The contrast of the white, rose and yellow golds can create a stunning piece.
18ct Yellow Gold is the ultimate option when you are thinking of a truly special charm bracelet. The 18ct gold has a yellower colour as it contains twice as much gold as 9ct. In the picture below the 18ct Balloon is in the middle. This is reflected in it's price.
18ct White and Rose Gold Charms. We can always make any of our charms in either of these metals. Please email to request a price.
Hallmarking
In the United Kingdom all silver is required by law to have a Hallmark if it weighs over 7.78g. Almost all of our charms fall below this weight and so are not Halmarked. Our charm bracelets are Hallmarked. All our gold charms are Hallmarked as are the bracelets and necklaces. The legal requirement for gold Hallmarking is any piece over 1g.
Once a charm has been made it has to go to the Assay Office. Here a tiny scraping will be taken and the precious metal content of each piece will be tested and the charm will be stamped accordingly with the numbers 375 for 9ct or 750 for 18ct. The sterling silver Hallmark is 925. The charm will be also stamped with a letter for the year it was made and also, in our case an Anchor, as it will be Hallmarked at the Birmingham Assay Office in the Jewellery Quarter.