The AJC Guide to Charm Jewellery

Timeless and sentimental, charms have fascinated us since we first thought to create things to wear. Antique charms tell stories, symbolise beliefs, and hold secrets. They allow you to express yourself through jewellery- and what holds more allure than that?

The assembly of charm bracelets and necklaces makes a wonderful project and a fail-proof present. While heaps of modern charms are in mass-production, if you value distinctiveness as much as we do there’s nothing better than vintage and antique charms.

Here’s how to master the art of charm curation:

Curating your antique charm story?

There are two ways to gift a piece of antique charm jewellery: an “introduction”, or a “whole story”.

1. The Introduction

Find a beautiful chain and purchase one poignant vintage charm. This will be “the introduction” to your charm story. The recipient can then add their own charms, and you can continue to gift them. Over time you and the recipient can co-author a charm story together. (This is the gift that quite literally keeps on giving.)

2. The Whole Story

This is an instant showstopper. You gift a piece of jewellery with a full set of antique charms and provide the complete story. Not only is this visually impressive. It shows how well you know the recipient as you can tell a whole (charm)story about them. The best are unique, imperfect, and personal – a collection of metaphors or simply a perfectly stylish jumble.

It’s the thought that counts

We hope this one’s obvious. The best jewellery isn’t wonderful because you’ve spent a month’s salary on it. It’s wonderful because it captures your love at a moment in time. Vintage charms do this better than most.

Consider personal style

This is key when creating a token for somebody else. As with anything decorative, be true to the wearer’s style. If that someone is delicate, a chunky charm bracelet laden with goodies may be overwhelming. Instead, opt for an ultra-fine chain with a single pretty antique charm or two.

If you’re gifting to a teen you could err on the side of caution and buy an empty chain with the promise that the two of you go and choose charms together. This way they can express their new independence and you can have a giggle with how you see each other through vintage charms.

Tell your antique charm story

You can collect charms at random tickles of fancy. Or you can curate a category. If you adore history then a row of ancient coins in different shapes and sizes may feel perfect. Or collect a series of mini vintage cars for that motorhead you love.

Antique charms and Hidden Meanings

The best charms are tied with symbolism- that’s what makes them special rather than just decorative. With miniature objects, you can tell the story of your relationship by symbolising special interests, memorable holidays, or inside jokes. For instance, a tiny paintbrush for an artist or a small set of skis for that trip to Verbier. Lockets, engravings, letters and birthstones are also brilliant ways to represent people you love.

Historic symbolism has its own intrigue. You could do as the ancients did and protect yourself with superstitious symbols. Or create secret messages by using symbolism from the charm’s era. In Victorian times objects like anchors represented steadfastness (perfect for long-distance relationships). While flora and fauna posessed a wide dictionary of meaning like cabbages to represent wealth.

For more on hidden meanings in antique jewellery read these:

• Secret Messages
• The Charm of Vintage Lockets
• Unveiling the Ancient Mystique: The Enigmatic Allure of Egyptian Revival Jewellery

Always quality over quantity

The ‘host’ piece of jewellery is important to get right. Chain, a bangle or cord, quality counts for a lot. Plating or imitation metals can rub off with wear and shifty links could loose charms. Investing in an elegant, high-quality chain with smart links is wise if you want it to stand the test of time.

As with the host, investing a bit more in high-quality charms is the difference between a lifelong keepsake and a tired-looking heap of jewellery.

..But you can be creative with your budget

Whats great is antique charm jewellery is it’s adaptable to any budget or style. Vintage or antique pieces get you better value for money – because there’s no ‘newness’ premium – (there’s no VAT so it’s 20% cheaper!)

Vintage charms or modern charms?

Because charms are all about the storytelling, a past gives an antique charm that extra edge as it comes with an extra level of story. Some of the most iconic charm jewellery is compiled from vintage or antique pieces.

Vintage or antique status also means you’re likely to have found a unique piece rather than one of a large batch like those mass-produced by modern brands.

Now you can walk the walk, let’s talk the talk with a bit of history…

Charm-wearing has always been fiercely personal and eminently chic.

Charms date back to the Stone Age, when they were crafted from bone, wood, and shell, and strung together on leather. In Ancient Egypt and the Bronze Age, they were used as amulets or talismans to ward off evil and bring good luck. Even medieval knights wore charms as protection in battle.

Women’s chatelaines in the 18th and 19th centuries were pinned to a woman’s waist. They carried the essentials like sewing utensils – and were decorated by women with sterling silver charms. They were an early version of charm bracelets popular today.

This idea of making the practical decorative through charms is seen nowadays. Look at the bag charm. Made popular by Jane Birkin of ‘the Birkin’ Hermes bag in the 70s, in 2024 bag charms are as popular as ever- they’re even the focus of Coach’s 2024 campaign.

Queen of England, Queen of Charms

In the 1800s Queen Victoria – one of the most significant style icons in history – made charm-wearing fashionable throughout Europe. She wore, gave and received charms to represent the loves and losses in her life. Prince Albert gave her a charm bracelet on the birth of their first child, which went on to hold nine enamel heart lockets containing locks of hair from each child. When Albert passed Victoria created ‘mourning charms’, typically black enamel on gold engraved or depicting the deceased’s portrait. By the end of the 1800s charms grew lighter with imagery we often see today- hearts, flowers and four leaf clovers. Queen Victoria set the tone for expressing life and identity of womanhood through charms.

With the arrival of platinum and advanced gemstone cutting, Edwardian, Belle Epoque and Art Deco charms became intricate. Houses such as Boucheron and Cartier created highly expressive charms with playful motifs such as music for the ‘Jazz Age’ and popular hobbies such as sports.

20th Century to 2020: the modern charm of antique charms

In wartime, charm-wearing was superstitious and romantic once again. Soldiers sent charms back from battlefields around Europe. Women left at home wore patriotic and lucky symbols to will their men home. Charms also became mass-produced, which made them widely available for everybody, boosting popularity.

Throughout the 20th century, glamorous Hollywood icons such as Vivien Leigh, Marlene Dietrich, and Grace Kelly were regularly seen wearing charms of souvenirs and love tokens.

Today charms are as prevalent as ever. Whether in high fashion as with Coach’s new bag charm campaign or more pop-cultural as with Poubel a charm brand released by TikTok star Gstaad Guy.

At the AJC we have a small but delightful collection of one-of-a-kind, antique charms, ready for a new chapter…