Charm bracelets and what they mean
As a treasured keepsake, a gold heart charm bracelet marks the beginning of womanhood or a memento of a first love. Gold and silver heart charm bracelets were extremely popular with teens in the 60s and 70s. Almost every young girl, from the age of sweet sixteen, longed to wear a chain around her wrist or an anklet from which dangled tiny charms. Cheerleaders wore tiny megaphones, ballet dancers sported amulets shaped like miniature ballerinas; and studious young ladies proudly displayed tiny books. Many girls received a first bracelet at age sixteen with a single pendant. Each successive birthday was an opportunity to add another charm until the bracelet was full of meaningful mementos. The tradition of giving sweet sixteen charm bracelets was often passed along as these teens had children of their own. Women of all ages delight in a gift of precious jewelry for birthdays, holidays, Mother’s Day, anniversaries, and special occasions.
Over the years, a gold heart charm bracelet has grown to become more significant due to the costliness of this precious metal; and a dime store bangle just won’t do. From the exquisite to the sublime, 14- and 18-karat gold wrist ornaments are not only gorgeous, but a great investment. At nearly $1,000 per troy ounce, today’s teenager’s jewelry is worth a whole lot more than her Mom’s! But an 18-karat symbol of love is just like money in the bank; it is only going to increase in value and can represent substantial savings for future years. Fourteen-karat yellow gold jewelry can cost a pretty penny: from nearly $700, upwards to over $3,000 for 18-karat pieces with encrusted pave diamonds. The exorbitant expense might make parents and beaus opt for giving a less expensive sterling silver heart charm bracelet to begin the tradition of birthday celebrations. The distinctive heart shape of each precious metal charm is an enduring symbol of love. Whether given by loving parents, an adoring boyfriend, or a doting husband, a gold or silver bracelet is sure to win the heart of a special young woman.
A sterling silver heart charm bracelet, while less expensive, is no less endearing. Sterling silver, based on the British sterling pound, is an alloy of 925 parts silver with 75 parts of copper melted together to form stunning jewelry of every sort. A stunning bracelet might be fashioned with a single pendant or several baubles dangling from 7-inch long chains of varying thickness. Depending on the number of pendants and the thickness and length of chains, these exquisite bracelets can range from under $100 to over $200. Sterling silver jewelry with solid 18-karat gold trim is priced at least $100 more and up than those without trim. But more precious than fine sterling silver and more costly than the most expensive gold heart charm bracelet is a soul saved through faith in Jesus Christ. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” (I Peter 1:18-19).
Fine jewelers, online comparison pricing websites, and local merchants are great places to find bargains on a gold heart charm bracelet or its lesser priced sterling silver counterpart. Retail stores also carry reasonably priced gold and sterling silver jewelry, especially near Valentine’s Day, during Christmas and the day after Christmas. Mother’s Day is also a good jewelry-selling season for merchants. Shoppers can take advantage of holiday specials to get great buys, saving hundreds over regular retail prices. When it comes to saving, Internet comparison pricing sites can help consumers search for the best prices on jewelry. Most sites offer free registration or allow browsers to check out all of the best buys without logins. Type in a keyword into the site’s search engine and several links will appear on the screen to fine jewelers, discount stores, and bargain basement suppliers that offer a gold or sterling silver heart charm bracelet. Of course, pricing varies according to the jewelry’s design. Consumers can expect to pay more for heavier pieces with larger links in the bracelet’s chain and a larger total karat weight for gold. Precious metals, such as gold, will be available in yellow and white finishes. Because this type of jewelry can be expensive to replace, buyers will want to select bracelets with secure toggle or lobster claw clasps to prevent loss.
Once fine jewelry selections have been made online, shoppers pay for orders using major credit cards. Jeweler sites are relatively secure and most purchases ship within one to two business days. Buyers should check the reputability and reliability of online jewelers before paying hard earned cash for an expensive gold heart charm bracelet. Be sure to review all policies, especially for returns or defective merchandise. Fine jewelry should come with certification paperwork, which will list the total carat weight of diamonds, total gram weight for precious metals, a complete description of the piece, and its country or countries of origin. Many pieces will be made in the United States from imported material. 10-, 14-, and 18-karat jewelry will always bear a stamped or engraved mark verifying its weight. A sterling silver heart charm bracelet should also have some sort of marking or engraving verifying that the piece is indeed, sterling silver. Any discrepancies in orders should be immediately addressed with the company. A reputable jeweler will have no problem replacing, repairing or refunding monies, within a specific timeframe.
Article from http://www.christianet.com/jewelry/goldheartcharmbracelet.htm.
General information also available on charm bracelet here.