Jewellery

Collecting Memories: The Magic of Charm Bracelets

2 December 2024

Kate Jolley

If you’re searching for a one-of-a-kind item to make your staple piece of jewellery, look no further than the iconic charm bracelet.

With countless different charms that can be alternated in and out, each one with a special meaning behind it, no two bracelets are alike. They are the snowflake of the jewellery world and incredibly meaningful to their owners.

This December, our Jewellery auction includes a wide selection of charm bracelets featuring coins, seals, American themed pieces and examples by Theo Fennell.

Jewellery

Explore a selection of charms in our Wednesday 04 December auction taking place live in Edinburgh & online.

Charm bracelets have a long history of use as the terminology behind the word ‘charm’ has an ancient magical connotation. These older charm bracelets were more talismanic than today’s counterparts and indeed, an interesting iteration of one of these pieces can be found in the British Museum made of cowrie shells, Yoruba in origin.

Older charm bracelets would have been worn as a form of magic with the charms and materials dictating the power of the jewellery. Some of these older pieces are even believed to originate from 700 AD Babylon.

The nature of charm bracelets has not strayed far from their origins and are still heavily symbolic, as each charm has its own meaning or memory. They can represent milestones, like anniversaries or even inside jokes. Perhaps one of the most lasting elements of charm bracelet imagery is in the padlock heart or the heart charm. Regularly the first charm or design element on the bracelet, the heart symbolises (of course) love but can also be a stand-in for fidelity.

Perhaps one of the most iconic heart charm bracelets was the one worn by Queen Victoria, where each enamelled heart charm represented the corresponding birth of one of her children. A relatively sedate bracelet compared to some of the other examples, but a sweet example of a themed charm bracelet loaded with sentiment.

Recent Charm Bracelet Results

Sold for £5,166*

An 18ct gold coin-set charm bracelet

Sold for £2,016*

A 9ct gold charm bracelet

Sold for £2,772*

An American themed charm bracelet

Sold for £1,008*

A charm bracelet

Sold for £2,268*

A fancy-link gem-set charm bracelet, circa 1950

Where once, each charm was painstakingly custom-made by a jeweller for their affluent clients, charms now are far more affordable, still made in precious metals but to machined specifications, with the benefit of advanced technology. They can be found in nearly any shape, size, material, or gemstone configuration.

When one thinks of heart charms though, nothing beats the now quintessential Tiffany & Co. Return to Tiffany tag. Starting out as a keychain for wayward housekeys, the bracelet version later introduced in the 1990s seems to now be the go-to starter charm bracelet for beginning collectors everywhere. And they are collectable. Publications the likes of Vogue have been touting the appeal of the charm bracelet as the ultimate way to express individuality. Regularly seen on the runway by high fashion brands such as Versace and Chanel.

These jewels have also been known to reach record sales at auction. One of the best examples is the now historic Elizabeth Taylor auction at Christie's, where one of her charm bracelets achieved $326,500 (The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor: The Legendary Jewels). However, if more than a quarter of a million isn’t impressive enough, Wallis Simpson’s Cartier cross charm bracelet managed to achieve £600,000 with Sotheby’s just a year ahead of Elizabeth Taylor’s 2011 auction (Exceptional Jewels and Precious Objects Formerly in the Collection of The Duchess of Windsor).

While the celebrity of both of these figures holds its own cache and adds to the value of their jewellery, it is always important to remember that the charm bracelet also holds material value. Whether made in gold like Taylor’s bracelet or in platinum like Simpson’s both bracelets hold the material value of the precious metals they’re made from. Having and adding charms to a charm bracelet is like adding coins to a piggy bank. Commonly given as landmark gifts by mothers to daughters, either on their wedding day or on the birth of their first child, a charm bracelet is a way to not only collect tangible memories but a way to provide some financial security when times are hard. In this way, they represent not only the love of the life they’ve lived with you but the love of the person who gifted it to you and their hope for your prosperity.

Charms by Theo Fennell