Why Do You Enjoy Italian Charms?

Monday, February 1st, 2010 at 9:14 pm

Italian charms are modular jewelry that can be designed to fit the personality of anyone that wears them. The style began in the late 1980s in Italy. The bracelets became so popular that soccer players wore bracelets sporting their country’s colors. By the early 1990s, American tourists to Italy brought the trend back to the United States.

The popular Italian charm bracelet begins with a modular bracelet with 18 blank links. Each link is a rectangular stainless steel piece that is interchangeable. Like all charm bracelets, the Italian charm bracelet reflects the owner’s personality. However, the modular nature of the Italian bracelet allows for being complete without being too full of charms.

Charms may be used to represent anything. The most common charm representations are hobbies, careers, family, interests, etc. The modular nature of the bracelet allows for each individual to create a bracelet that is unique.

Charms were originally made by soldering a charm onto the bottom of the link. However, high quality charms are made through an enamel process. This process can produce charms in full color and provides for a wider variety of charms. However, the process is expensive, so it is reserved for the highest selling charms. The individuality of the bracelet, though, often creates a desire for more customized charms. Therefore, new, less expensive, methods for producing individual charms had to be discovered.

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.

Although the original trend involved only bracelets, the craze has spread to other merchandise. Fans of this growing style can now get key chains, anklets, earrings and necklaces.