There's Something About the Sound, the Weight

Some of you out there will know what I'm talking about. You will know what it's like to get ready in the morning and don it as part of your routine. You always wear it, you always think about it, play with it. It is a part of you—your history—and should anything ever happen to it, you don't know what you'd do. Some of you will know what it's like to go about your day constantly reminded of its presence, that jingle-jangle tinkly sound it makes, the loose weight of it upon you as it moves when you move. It will become a casual habit to flick your wrist to move it out of the way; but you will never disdain its presence. Oh no. Of what do I speak? Why, the charm bracelet.

Years ago when I travelled a bit around Europe, I decided to try to get a charm from every country. I didn't quite manage; I only got four charms but they were all really fun. (It's not always easy to find charms if you're not in tourist areas, you know.) I've bought other charms from here and there, and my mom's given me a few. But I've never had an actual charm bracelet—the blank chain—to put them on. Well, let's rephrase: I've never had access to one. You see, I knew I had one in my possession, but I just couldn't get to it. When I was young my grandfather had given me my grandmother's jewelry box (one of them) and in it had been a charm bracelet with a few of her charms on it. This is what put the idea of a charm bracelet into my head oh so long ago. Problem was, I had locked the jewelry box and lost the key at least seven years ago (probably more). I've waited to find some way into that box, refraining from buying another chain. A few months ago, I read Charmed Bracelets (excellent book, amazing pictures, and great history) and wanted my own even more. Today, I found that damned lost key. And I unlocked my grandmother's jewelry box and lo, there was the charm bracelet.

So, I busted out my charms, which I've just been wearing one at a time on thin chain if/when I felt like it, and I retreived my jewelry pliers, and set to work. It's not easy creating a personal charm bracelet, every piece has to be placed appropriately so as to not dominate other charms, be equally spaced *and* equally weighted around the bracelet. And now, I have a charm bracelet. Joy! It's so happy. I'll probably tweak the charm placement a little bit as I wear it to find something that feels good, and once I do I'll take it to a jewelry to get the links soldered shut (a must for a good charm bracelet, as you don't want to lose the precious charms!). So far, the charms I have are:
-vintage Pisces fish
-vintage airplane
-vintage"Happy Birthday/21"
-mini Chateau de Chillon, with "Montreaux/Chillon" engraved on the bottom
-Eiffle Tower
-beer stein with working lid
-Space Needle with "Seattle, WA" tag
-flute (so detailed it shows every key) (no, it doesn't work)
-three Bethel Auxilary charms (1958-59, 1962-63, 1964-65 on back) from my grandmother's work with the Lion's Club

So, that's twelve charms in all. Yaaay! Now that I have the actual bracelet, I'll probably be seeing charms everywhere. Wearing a charm bracelet makes me feel like such a girl—and no doubt, they are one of the girliest accessories you can have. Wearing a charm bracelet is kind of like wearing a coin belt: they make it much harder to sneak up on people, and your friends/significant others will always be able to track you down by the jingle-jangle sound you make. :)