Charm Necklaces

A charm necklace is built rather than bought — you start with one and it accumulates. Hearts, stars, clovers, evil eyes, crosses, initials and birthstones on paperclip, satellite and fine chains. 18K gold vermeil at 3 microns over solid sterling silver, or gold plated, in gold, silver and rose gold, from $37.

Charm Necklace Questions

How many charms should go on one necklace?

Three to five before it starts to feel heavy and tangle-prone. Charms cluster toward the lowest point of the chain unless the chain has links wide enough to hold them apart — a paperclip chain spaces them properly, a fine cable chain won't.

Can you add charms later?

On a paperclip or wide-link chain, yes — the links are large enough to open a clasp onto. On a fine chain the charm has to be threaded on, which means removing the clasp. If you're planning to build over time, buy the wider chain first.

Will charms scratch each other?

Yes, and there's no avoiding it — charms hanging together knock constantly. On plated pieces that thins the coating at the contact edges first. Spacing them along a wider chain reduces it considerably compared with letting them cluster.

What length works best for a charm necklace?

18 or 20 inches. Charms add visual weight low on the chain, so a longer necklace carries them better than a short one. At 16 a cluster of charms sits awkwardly high at the throat.

Is a charm necklace a good gift?

It's the gift that keeps working — buy the chain and one charm now, add one each year. That's most of the appeal, and it solves the problem of buying for someone who already owns jewelry.

Do the charms fall off?

The failure point is always the jump ring or the clasp, not the charm. Check them occasionally by tugging gently — an open ring that's worked loose is visible before it fails. A soldered ring won't open at all, which is the trade-off against being able to rearrange them.

See also paperclip necklaces, initial necklaces, birthstone necklaces and charm bracelets.