Have you ever wondered....

.... who put the 'charm' in Charm Bracelets???

Louis Vuitton has them. Juicy Couture carries them. Love Nyla loves them.

But where did charm bracelets come from?

To understand the long history of charm bracelets, you first must start by learning the history of the actual charms. And this takes you wayyyyy back to the Neolithic period when hunters and gatherers would bring small pieces of wood, or unusual stones with them on their treks in order to ward off any evil that might come their way.

The ancient Egyptians took the same idea of using small artifacts to serve certain protective purposes, and started to fasten them to their necklaces and bracelets. This jewelry was not only worn during their lifetimes to help give the wearer protection, but were considered a vital part of their burial preparation rituals.

During the Roman Empire, people of the Christian and Jewish faiths started to wear small fish charms or scraps of paper with prayer written on them to identify themselves when approached by other people. This purpose of wearing charms to help protect, guide, or identify the owner ended during the Renaissance when people became generally more educated and no longer believed in the supernatural power of these trinkets. Then, in the early 20th century, Queen Victoria herself re-ignited the popularity of charm bracelets, by turning them from tools of protection to beautiful accessories. Here is a gorgeous example of one such charm bracelet that was recently auctioned off in Ohio.

In the 1940's and 50's gum ball charms were all the rage, with tiny, brightly colored charms that could be worn on string or inexpensive brass chains. An example of one of these charm bracelets can be seen on Kaboodle.com.

In the 70's, charm bracelets experienced a brief period of unpopularity as people favored chunky plain gold chains as an accessory of choice, but they again re-emerged in the 80's when new-money heirs who didn't value these antiques from their dead relatives, auctioned charm jewelry off in abundance.

Since 2001, when fashion leader Louis Vuitton released a line of charm bracelets, these beautiful fashion accessories have experienced a strong comeback. A fun alternative to standard bracelets and bangles, charm bracelets are a fashionable way that you can wear your own history. Charms are wonderful gifts to recognize birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, Valentines Day, or any other milestone in your life. Love Nyla features gorgeous sterling silver starter bracelets with a variety of sterling silver and Swarovski crystal charms so that you can custom build your own unique piece of jewelry.

Whether you choose to wear charm bracelets for religious reasons, to commemorate special memories, or simply because you like their look, it's safe to say that this accessory will be in fashion for many years to come! Follow our blog by clicking the link to the left of this post, then mention code: charmedhistory during checkout on http://www.lovenyla.com/ and receive 15% off of any starter bracelet and start building your own charm bracelet today!