A Quick Lesson About Charms

There are so many different designs, styles and types of charms that it is hard to believe most are made just two different ways. Knowing a bit about how charms are made will add to your appreciation of their beauty, plus it may also help you select the best charms for your bracelet. Finding the perfect charms that represent you as a person is important.

Almost all charms that are purchased in jewelry stores or online are going to be manufactured by machines. The metal, either silver or gold or other metals, is heated to a molten state and then poured into preset molds. These molds produce perfectly detailed, identical charms. Special liquids placed in the molds prevent the charms from sticking to the sides as they cool.

The molds are then turned over or opened and the charms are released into a bath that cleans the remaining residue off the charms. From there they are polished and cleaned and shipped to retailers. These charms are either solid or hollow, with the hollow charms requiring an extra step before they are ready to go.

Hollow charms are made by each separate side being poured on a half mold, then the charms are cooled and welded together to make a three dimensional charm. Hollow charms are very lightweight but still amazingly detailed.

The most unique types of charms are those that are handmade. Since each is slightly different, no two are perfectly alike, making the handmade charms some of the most treasured and collected of all the designs.

A handmade charm starts with the artist pouring the molten metal into the mold, then polishing, adding details and refining the charm by hand after it has cooled. These charms take much more time to complete than manufactured charms and are often more difficult to find.

For many different styles of charms each gemstone chip or accent piece that is found on the charm is added by hand. Different options for charms may allow some designs to be machined engraved, but hand inscriptions on various types of charms are another personalized option.

Some charms have brightly colored accents of enamel paint. This enameling can be done by either the individual artist or by a machine, depending on the detail required. Some individuals that make handmade charms may even provide options for choosing your own colors, patterns and designs, perfect for a one of a kind gift.