Charm Bracelets

I would go with one of the links of london ones you like as I think the pandora bracelets will go out of fashion and your restricted to the types of charms. At least with the Links bracelets your not restricted to links of london charms, most charms would probably fit it.

Very good point. i do really like the opportunity to have the glass beads on the pandora ones though. I think i'd be less likely to break it too?

I like the links sweetie bracelets but hate the charms, think it makes them look tacky.

Everyone has got them!!

I've got a links sweetie bracelet and it's lovely, however, I don't wear any charms on it cos i'm not sure they quite look right and they'd get battered against my desk at work as i'm typing.

So I'd definitely recommend Links jewellery and out of the two you've posted links to my favourite is the signature bracelet as I don't think it will date too much and the charms wouldn't look out of place on it. Equally you could always wear it without any charms and it would still be a very nice piece of jewellery.

Hope that helps ?

Thanks shoegal and dooby. I think i like the signature one better out of the two links ones. I'm not keen on the sweeties one at all. I really don't think it would suit me either.

On the other hand i think that if i went for the links one i would be worried all the time about losing or breaking the charms and wouldnt wear it, which would perhaps defeat the point? if i went for the pandora one i think i'd be less worried about breaking/loosing, plus its quite a bit cheaper.

I agree the pandora one would probably date quicker and not maybe look as good in 20 years as the traditional type would. I told OLL i'd chosen one but now i'm wondering again!

I have a silver Links one and had the same fear ref not wearing it because of worrying about losing the charms. Mine's the silver one. I do wear it, I decided it would just be sad not to. It's insured, it's replaceable, there's no reason not to wear it. I have sort of spent a lot of time learning not to just keep things for best, and wear it most days.

I think if you want something to stand the test of time it will be down to the style of bracelet (the links ones are more traditional and won't date), but also the type of charms - Links do lots of 'fashion' type charms, and if you go with those, you may as well go for the Pandora bracelet. Although actually, you can always remove and replace charms, so The Links ones still win, now I think of it.

L
xx

Thats very true. With the links one do you have to have the charms soldered on or are they easy to take off and put on yourself? the pandora ones are easy to do yourself you see, so if i have to pay to have the links ones attatched everytime that might make a difference.

The same bracelet is coming up on both pics when I look at the Links ones. I have a sweetie bracelet, the charms get battered but wear really well. I really like the one with the large links and the albert style clasp though. Almost wish i'd gone for that, the sweetie is rather common popular

Oh dear, it was working for me before. The other one i'm trying to show is just called the silver bracelet i think. its similar to the first one anyway. Its good to hear that the charms wear well. i have a couple in mind that i want, such as '21' as its for my 21st birthday and then when i graduate a mortar board cap, and maybe when we have kids a charm for them or something like that? How many do you have if you don't mind me asking?

Hi dwc,

I saw your thread on wp but hadn't had a chance to reply.

I was looking at charm bracelets recently and I really like the Pandora one. I take the point about them possibly dating quicker, but I think by changing the "charms" it would keep it up to date.

I hoping for one for my birthday, but will see.

I've been having a play around on both the websites for the links of london and the pandora ones and you can build them up to see what they look like. I can't get the links one to save as a picture but have saved the pandora one and tbh they arent that different. You all know what a traditional one looks like anyway so here the pic of the pandora one, what do you think?

I'm nobbering, as i have another question

Have people had problems with toggle bracelets rather than clasp bracelets. One of the girls on WP just told me she lost one years ago and now i'm a bit worried about getting a toggle rather than a clasp.

I have nearly lost a diamond necklace a couple of times because of a toggle clasp so I would avoid if it's going to have sentimental value. My necklace does and I'm thinking of getting the clasp changed as I rarely wear it now as I'm scared of losing it.

I got 2 "traditional" style charm bracelets for my 18th birthday and still wear them, albeit only occasionally.

Of the ones you posted links to, I personally prefer the Pandora bracelet. A colleague of mine has one and I love the style of the charms. They are very easy to replace as well so you can change the look of it very easily.

I have neither, but my friend has one similar to the Pandora one, but it's a troll beads one http://trollbeads.com/site/trollbeads/

She can also put charms on it from other companies (can't remember the names now but think one is called something to do with Love).

Anyway - it's very pretty, she's mixed coloured glass beads with silver charms.

From your postings it sounds to me like you prefer the Pandora one...

Thanks mrsmcb2b, thats useful to know. i really love the toggle clasp but this one will have sentimental value (i hope) so i dont want to lose it.

And thanks voddy vixen, i think i'm leaning more towards the pandora one too now. x

Thanks diefenbaker, i'll go have a look at that site. i've heard of them before but thought i'd got the name wrong!

I think i do prefer the pandora ones, and i can also mix and match with another company for charms and beads called chamilia-charms. Do you think i could use troll beads on the pandora ones too? there is another company thats similar as well called truth charms but i think you can only use those beads on a truth bracelet.

I don't know, but they look similar - I guess the only thing stopping you would be if there is a difference in diameter.

Love Links was the other one I was thinking of http://lovelinks.thevillagegoldsmiths.co.uk/new-lovelinks-53-c.asp

Mmm thats what i thought. i'll have to look into it. There is a pandora shop near where my parents live so might pop into town one day and have a proper nosy around in there.

I have both a Links sweetie and a Pandora, I don't oftern wear the Links anymore as they are so popular - and I don't like it with charms on as I think it spoils the look of it. I love the Pandora (I guess it may date, but I think the Links one may too) IMHO I think unles you get a real traditional charm bracelet there will always be a chance of it dating. That saying I LOVE my Pandora one and wear it every day. It is the newer of the two and I only have 5 charms (for now) on it 2 glass beeds in amber/brown colours, 2 silver charms and a dangly silver one with a amber stone thing. I am not describing it well but I think it is beautiful. You can also get safety chains for them if you are worried about the clasp on them.

At the end of the day get the one you like - it is only you who will wear it afterall.

A very good point buckley about me wearing it! lol What i like is that its easier to change the charms. Do you think the safety chain would work on the toggle clasp as well?

Is the toggle clasp the one that clips shut, looks like a bead and says pandora on it. (that is what I have) if so yes. The carms are very simple to change you just twist them past the ends They are there simply to stop it all falling off every time you take it off.

I have a Links one and love it. I wasn't keen on the Sweetie ones and they recommend a max number of charms which I didn't necessarily want.

So I was going to go for a signature one, but when I tried them on it was huge. I ended up getting a kids version of the signature one which came with a thumbprint charm (cant find it on webiste).

I'd go Links personally, but then I am not keen on stones.

I have the Lovelinks bracelet and i really like it but the glass beads do get damaged, i dont wear mine everyday but 3 of the glass beads now have hairline cracks across them and one has a tiny chip in it. Lovelinks does have a proper clasp though.

If you get Lovelinks only lovelinks beads will fit on it, but if you buy either a Chamilia or Pandora bracelet all the differents types of beads will fit onto it.

I also have a Chamilia bangle and have various glass beads and silver charms on that.

I love my sweetie bracelet. I never intended to put charms on it but I was bought a couple so now I have my intial, my husband's initial and my daughter's initial and a solid heart. I was just thinking today about when I would pass it on to my daughter.

So twee but not giving a ***.

Buckley this is what i mean by toggle:

https://www.ernestjones.co.uk/webstore/detail/R/6811345/

Catcat, thanks for sharing. I do prefer the signature one out of all the links ones but i think i'm probably going with a pandora or a chamilia one like in the link above.

Thanks jackie and neffi for replying.

Jackie, does that mean that if i got a chamilia or pandora bracelet i can also put troll beads on it? or am i limited to chamilia and pandora which i know are compatible with either bracelet.

My clasp is this one https://www.ernestjones.co.uk/webstore/detail/R/6715206/ and the safety chains are like this https://www.ernestjones.co.uk/webstore/detail/R/6587321/ but they do others.

I saw those ones actually, but prefered either the standard type of clasp or the chamilia toggle one. I'm just trying to see if i can find a number 21 bead but i can't find one anywhere!

If you get Chamilia you can put Troll, Chamilia, Pandora and Lovelinks on it.

Lovelinks do beads with numbers on ,they definatley do one with 18 on so i should think they also do a 21.

You could also have a look at some of the handmade jewellery on Etsy.com - the sellers can also custom make if you don't find something you like.

I've ordered a number of pieces, mostly from the US; posting has never been a problem

ETA : http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=28189446&ref=sr_gallery_7&&ga_search_query=sterling+silver+bracelet&ga_search_type=category&category=jewelry&ga_page=3&min=55&max=180&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title