Wanda Jackson
I’ve always been fascinated by charm bracelets. It all started with an inherited charm bracelet when I was young. It was incredibly heavy, made for a tiny wrist and had a clasp so secure, it was impossible to open. I couldn’t wear the bracelet, but I loved it anyway. It belonged to my paternal grandmother and told the story of her life. A grandmother who was born in the 1930s, lived through World War II and married the love of her life.
Her name was Dee, known as Dee Dee to her friends. She lived the most exciting life, a life of travel and looking fabulous in her hand-sewn creations. If you need proof of a life well lived, you should see her charm bracelet. Now under lock and key at my parents’ house (for safety!) it contains a number of charms including a book, a champagne bottle, an aeroplane, a ring and more! A life captured in jewellery. There’s something so sentimental about a charm bracelet, each is personal to the owner.
Now that I’m approaching thirty, my mother is keen to buy me my own charm bracelet so I can mark the occasion and start documenting my life in this way. Buying jewellery to mark key life events is a tradition we started years ago, it astounds me that it’s taken us so long to think of a charm bracelet. Although my birthday isn’t until next month, this weekend’s surprise means that we’ve started to look at modern charm bracelets and, of course, the charms to go with them. And then, just like that, an offer appeared in my mailbox from Pandora.
I’m looking for a silver charm bracelet as my engagement ring is white gold. To start my story, I have my eye on this cupid charm, this letter J charm or these champagne glasses.
The charms I eventually decide on won’t be modern charms. For me, they’ll need to tell a story and will need to be as chintzy as possible.
