subject: Charm Collecting - An Enjoyable And Enslaving Activity [print this page] There's something so addicting about charmsThere's something so addicting about charms. You begin by buying several, or perhaps inherit or get a charm bracelet like a gift, and all of a sudden, you cannot resist the need to get more and much more of these. You have officially become a charm collector.
Small, lightweight and useful in a lot of ways, charms make for great what to collect. Even if you amass hundreds of them, you aren't likely to run out of space and there's always room for more. To keep the collection from getting completely out of hand, however, it's a smart idea to pick a particular theme and try to stick to it (it's difficult, I know!).
To help you focus on the specific theme, here are some suggestions:
A Specific Interest
You will find charms in most shape imaginable, some are more common that others of course, but when you have a passion in everyday life (other than collecting jewelry!), focus your selection around that. It may be cooking, traveling, cars, gardening, a sports team - take your pick.
Fashion Designer Charms
Many of the famous clothing and tote designers also make charms in a variety of forms. Prada, Louis Vuitton and Gucci all offer them, and for some that are a little more young and playful, take a look at Juicy Couture.
Vintage Charms
Choose a specific decade and go to town! Charms will be in fashion for so long that you can pick pretty much whenever period in order to find plenty of them. You most likely want to decide on a spending limit too, since prices within this category ranges from the few dollars to tens of thousands.
Materials
You could also construct your collection around a specific material. Gold and silver are obvious choices, but how about Bakelite or celluloid? Celluloid charms were extremely popular within the 1920s, 30s and 40s, and came in boxes of Cracker Jacks and in gumball machines. There are many available on the market, but ensure that what you buy is definitely an authentic piece in good condition.
Searching for Charms
The easiest way is obviously online, and that i would suggest beginning with doing quite a bit of investigating online about the particular type of charms you want to collect before beginning to purchase (or buying much more of them). Read what are the experts have to say, get on forums and ask questions, learn whenever possible. If you are shopping for gold or silver, read up on the different alloys and markings. Knowledge is essential to buying the best items for your collection, and also to be able to recognize a bargain or rare find when you see it.
