My Jewel Box: I’m Suddenly Charmed by Charms

Most of my personal collection of charms consists of pieces I’ve had since I was little or items that were passed down to me. Like my Baptismal medal and my dad’s Italian horn. The green enamel fish and heart key charm were from my grandparents’ and were gifts from different trips to Italy.

I walked into Ocean Beach Antique Mall with no necklaces and left with my new favorite trio–these three go together in the best way possible. California has the best vintage 50s/60s jewelry. Also, tiki tribal guy needs a name and turns out, is not bad luck as first assumed.

Only have one chain? Go for it! Adding your entire collection to one chain is COOL. And I recommend it!

You can bring your neck game and charm party to a whole new level by an easy DIY. Buy some black velvet at a craft store (I have three different thickness sizes) and sew some velcro to the ends for easy adjusting. Chokers are great layer-ready pieces and velvet allows you to pin and hang other jewelry from it!

Another look at my personal charm collection. Vintage medals are a favorite of mine, although I only have one, they make a big statement by themselves. The doll is in a category of its own!!

Although I mostly sell rings, lately I’ve been offering some great charms and necklaces over on @shopGEMGOSSIP

See what I mean?! The more the merrier!

I’ve admired charms for a very long time, they just never were something I focused on or absolutely loved. I went several years without wearing a single necklace, let alone a charm dangling from a chain. It was safe to say my neck felt the “no jewel” love and over time things started to change. I began appreciating charms for their sentimental value and enjoyed the many possibilities of what kinds of charms are out there. Of course, vintage and antique charms were always my cup of tea. After converting a few stick pins into charm rings over the last few years and not wearing them that much, I realized that charms may be meant for the neck and hang from a chain, as they should. 

As I finally let myself obsess over charms for the first time ever, I of course began traditions and yearly acquisitions. Like the Fox & Bond Mini became my anniversary celebration piece, adding one every year of marriage to my newly growing charm collection. I started with the diamond set Mini with my wedding date engraved on the inside shank, along with our initials. After just celebrating our first year of marriage, I added another, this time randomly choosing an amethyst (I think I’m going to randomly choose the gemstone set for each year just by whatever gem I’m feeling at the time) and “1 year” engraved on the inside. 

I’m also still obsessing over the Jean Jean Vintage Cachet Collection charm and will probably add another to my fam.  As you can tell, charms become more and more addicting as you immerse yourself into their collectible world. So many Hollywood starlets had a charm bracelet, which they collected charms on–like Elizabeth Taylor and Jackie O. 

I would love to see your charm collection! Use hashtag #gemgossipCharms on Instagram–I will be posting some of my favorites all week!

WANT MORE? Check out my Vintage & Antique Inventory