Most women either own a charm bracelet, ask for a charm bracelet, or secretly wish they had one.  In the 1950s and 1960s, charm bracelets became gifts primarily for teenagers, and they could get charms out of gumball machines.  Soon, though, more upscale  jewelry designers took note and began making charm bracelets for adults—some come fully assembled with a theme (travel, shopping, makeup, sports, and so on), and some are empty chains waiting to be filled with charms that each woman can buy as she likes.  Instead of little plastic trinkets out of candy machines, silver charms came into fashion.  The idea of the charm bracelet is that it is a visual way to express a woman’s interests and personality without saying a word.

The first charms became popular in ancient Egypt, in the time of the Pharaohs.  Egyptian royalty would wear charms in the images of their gods, to make sure they would be protected by those gods in the afterlife.  In the Roman Empire, Christians secretly showed fish charms that were hidden under their clothing in order to gain entry to forbidden worship activities. Warriors would also wear charms of their gods to protect them in battle.

Queen Victoria was the first to wear a silver charm bracelet as a fashion accessory.  Until then, a person would only have one or two charms, and they were worn around the neck, or hidden under clothing.  Silver charms became widely popular after World War II, when soldiers returning home from battle would bring the hand-crafted gifts home from wherever in Europe they were fighting. 

Now, adults are more likely to wear charm bracelets than teenagers are.  Because each bracelet is  unique to each woman based on the charms she chooses, silver charms make a perfect gift.  A simple chain-link bracelet becomes a visible way to express individuality.  If you know that your girlfriend/wife/daughter/niece, etc. likes scuba diving, you can buy her a silver charm in the shape of swim-fins.  If she is an avid shopper, there are charms shaped like purses.  Soccer player?  Get her one shaped like a soccer ball.  And it is impossible to go wrong with a charm showing her astrological sign.  Basically, for any interest a woman has, there are silver charms to match it.

This Christmas, while you are agonizing over what to get any woman in your life, think of getting a simple silver link bracelet and a few charms that express something she loves—and she will love you for it.

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