MUSING ON FINGERPRINT CHARMS

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As I drank my coffee this morning, my mind drifted to the many fingerprint charms  my hands have made, and wondering just how many I must have created over the last ten years. Literally thousands of little silver and gold keepsakes, all hand made by me, being worn accross the globe. It's probably no surprise that our silver and gold fingerprint and handprint charms are our best sellers, whether brought on their own to add to existing jewellery, or as a complete charm bracelet or charm necklace.

This got me wondering about the history of charms. Ever since I was a little girl I always wanted a silver charm bracelet. You know the kind, with the tiny little shoe charm and teddy bear charm. I also really wanted an ala cart kitchen with the pop up toast but I digress... Both dreams were sadly never realised, perhaps ones for the bucket list! Anyway, after a quick google over the mornings coffee, I discovered that it is thought the the wearing of charms as jewellery started from a belief that the charms protected the wearer from bad luck. Initially charms were made from rather yucky things, like animal bones and clay and it is thought that the first charm bracelets were worn as early as 600-400BC by Assyrians and Babylonians.

However it was our own dear Queen Victoria who started the modern popularity of charm bracelets, choosing to wear these herself as well as gifting them to others. I particuarly liked this charm bracelet  now cared for by the Royal Trust, which includes a charm for each of her children, each charm containing a lock of their hair. Indeed, charms are now worn to represent special events or moments in time. A milestone birthday, graduating university, a new marriage, a memorial to a loved one, or the birth of a new baby. Our own personalised charms are usually brought to mark the last two events. After all, what can be more meaningful than your own child's tiny handprint and footprint, or your loved one's fingerprint, captured forever in precious silver or gold. 

Our charm collection offers a range of small handprint and fingerprint charms, designed to be worn on bracelets. The charms are available with a variety of different attachements to enable you to wear the your charm on your existing jewellery. I think our most popular charms are our Fingerprint Impression Heart charm, our fingerprint heart bead charm, and our baby handprint heart charms. After all, the heart symbolises love which really is what our family keepsake jewellery is all about.

Our bracelet collection also offers a variety of charm bracelets. From a traditional belcher chain bracelet, to a modern sweetie bracelet, all are capable of holding several charms and additional charms can be attached to them over the years.

Anyway, my coffee cup is now empty and the jewellers bench is calling me, so its time to stop daydreaming, to say goodbye and hope you enjoy the weekend!