Charm And Chain Jewelry
Charm And Chain Jewelry
Most people don’t stop to consider what type of clasp their Charm Bracelet has until it is too late. You don’t want your beautiful and personal collection of Charms to simply fall off your wrist, so spending some time looking at these bracelets and clasps is important. In the most general terms Charm Bracelets need to have clasps that are secure, dependable yet also blend into the design of the bracelet or become a part of the style of the bracelet.
Typically the heavier the charm bracelets are the heavier the clasp will need to be to secure the bracelet. Curb link style bracelets are often the largest and heaviest and tend to use a heavy lobster clasp as opposed to other clasp options.
The lobster clasp is very well named since it appears to resemble the large front claws on a lobster. It is opened by a small lever located on the bottom or side of the clasp that is spring loaded, opening up one side of the claw. The other end of the bracelet is placed in the clasp and the lever is released to secure the chain. The major problem with these bracelets and clasps is that they can sometimes be challenging to operate for some individuals.
Double safety clasp types of connections are also very common on the larger, heavier styles of bracelets. These connections are similar to that of a watch band or standard bracelet with a locking device covered by a second lock. These are very secure types of clasps that can be ornate or simple and elegant.
By far the most common type of clasp, especially on the fine, lighter weight styles of bracelets, is the spring ring clasp. Like the lobster clasp this is operated by a small lever that opens a section of the clasp to allow the other end of the chain to be inserted.
Toggles are very popular types of clasps on many different styles of bracelets. They are different than clasps in that they really don’t form a solid connection, rather a bar is inserted through a ring and this holds the bracelet ends together. Typically with a toggle style of clasp the clasp is part of the design of the bracelet and is ornate and decorative.
The biggest concern with a toggle clasp is that with some movements of the arm and bracelet the bar may become positioned in such as way it can come back through the circle of the clasp, releasing the bracelet. Stylized toggles and longer bars prevent this from being a problem with well made charm bracelets.
For even additional security with most traditional types of clasps there is also the option to include small, fine safety chains on the clasp. These are typically seen with more watch type clasps that form a solid connection between both ends of the charm bracelets. Taking the time to look at the different clasps before choosing charm bracelets for appearance alone is an important consideration but one that is often overlooked.
Amber is writer for Charms to Treasure, with more than 15 years experience in the jewelry and charm industry. Amber has written a number of articles providing educational information on charms for bracelets, and charm bracelets.
Jewelry/Charm Opinion?
Hi all. Need an opinion. What type of chain (type of material) would go best with a wooden charm. The charms are for both a man and a woman.
Thanks!
It would probably look best with a braided fabric chain. Just take 3 different kinds of ribbon within the same basic color family, and braid them together. That way, it’s a really unique necklace.
GLAMOUR Jewelry Chain-Link 16-1/2 Charm Necklace
This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 6th, 2010 at 1:15 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
