A good charm necklace earns the right to be worn rather than trying too hard when you first buy it. The chain should sit evenly with just a little weight to it—it shouldn’t nest into itself the second it hits your skin—and the charms should be soldered or jump ringed on deliberately instead of glued or clipped on as an afterthought. Gold vermeil and solid silver won’t fade from everyday wear like plated brass will, and that’s extremely important for something you’ll want to trust to stay intact through showering, sleeping, and maybe even the occasional forgotten night at. Pay attention to the clasp too. A lobster clasp that’s fiddly to maneuver with one hand is a necklace that will rarely come out of your drawer.
It’s this slow-accumulation aspect of charms that really speaks to me. One pendant can sometimes feel like a statement. But once or twice charms scattered together on one strand (or two or three shorter chains worn at slightly different lengths) feel intentional over time rather than bought all at once. I love seeing smaller charms that play big and bold with scale, balancing something tiny like an intricate monogrammed initial or coin with something bigger so your eye knows where to land.
Speaking of eyes: wearing these bad boys is actually really easy. Over a basic crew neck or button up with the top two buttons undone, a charm necklace functions as a print or statement accessory might otherwise. Stack two or three at varying lengths for something with visual interest, or let one longer chain hang free against a plunging neckline for night time looks. It can be worn tucked underneath an open shirt collar or thrown over a fine knit—and yes, you can even wear it against bare skin by itself all summer too. It’s one of the only types of jewellery I feel like I can wear straight from desk to dinner without needing to change in between.
And that’s because this sort of necklace really is the jewellery you wear for any occasion. I gravitate towards charms for weekday coffee runs and running errands on my commute, and weekend errands too. Because they don’t require the same level of attention you’d give to fancier necklaces. That being said, if you find the right necklace, charms can be sexy for something dressier too! Keep your sleeve and wrist simple to let your necklace be the star of the show.
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