Charm Bracelets: How Many Charms is Enough?

Once upon a time, okay only a few years ago… charm bracelets were just as likely to not get attention as a Prince Charming would be likely to not walk through a door.

In the early noughties (2000s) charm bracelets faded away and became considered a thing of the past…we blame their jangly, 90s, overloaded and tacky AF vibe (read: the opposite of tres chic).

However, today charm bracelets are making a comeback and we’re so here for it. Where once, minimalism was ‘in,’ now it’s all about tasteful layering and blinging up wrists, ears and decolletage with all of the jewelry. To put it simply, it’s more a case of how much is too much? Like how many charms should be on a charm bracelet? In our opinion, the sky's the limit. 

But to help you navigate jewellery layering and rock a charm bracelet without second guessing how many charms should be on a charm bracelet, we’ve created a guide to charm bracelets, along with their history and ways to style them to suit your personality.

Read on for the meaning of charm bracelets and our go to style tips below.

History of charm bracelets

Traditionally charm bracelets have a rich history as a talisman, worn as early back as the Egyptian Pharaohs times. During this period, it wasn’t so much about how many charms should be on a charm bracelet, rather they collected shells, teeth and natural elements and used them as a symbolic gesture to ward off bad spirits.

As time went on, the Romans adopted charm bracelets as a way to convey their religious or cultural preferences and identify like-minded communities, then in the Renaissance they dropped off as superstition started to wane. 

Then, the ever so iconic Tiffany and Co jewellery label brought charm bracelets back as a luxury item, in 1889 with a single heart charm bracelet.

Fast forward to the 1950s and 1960s charm bracelets were adored and worn by the likes of iconic film stars Elizabeth Taylor and Joan Crawford and popularly worn by American teenagers. 

After that the charm bracelets made a resurgence in the 90s… but more of the tacky kind. Born in the 90s we can attest that they were more likely to have babyish charms than be charm bracelets of substance. 

Which leads us to now, cue 2022 - charm bracelets are back and as luxe as ever.

The charm bracelets of today match our modern generation (from astrology to brand insignias, pendants, birthstones and wishing bones - i.e. for good luck) with all made of pure solid gold, sterling silver and rose gold chains. 

Charms have now evolved to be more on point for the modern woman and become a way to adopt your own style and symbolise the unique qualities, people and memories that bring light to your life.

To learn more about how to style charm bracelets and our recommendation of how many charms should be on a charm bracelet when browsing the online store, read on below.

Buying a charm bracelet: tips

When it comes to making a choice about what your charm bracelet should look like, at Francesca we believe it should be intuitive as no one person, style preference or personality is the same.

With that in mind though there are some simple considerations to keep in mind including a conscious decision about how many charms should be on a charm bracelet.

See our Francesca buyers guide tips below.

• Be charmed - let the charms choose you. Don’t over think your charm bracelet choices. Be intuitively guided by the charms that stand out to you and reflect how you either see yourself or wish to be seen.
  
  
• Collect consciously - don’t be in a rush to overload your charm bracelet collection from day one. Rather than wondering how many charms should be on a charm bracelet, let the charms speak to you. Perhaps begin with one that is sentimental, then build up to more as time goes on and the individual symbolism of future charms begin to shine through.
  
  
• Keep it sentimental - unless you’re all about ‘new season’ or blinging for the sake of a chunky charm bracelet adorned wrist, we’d recommend slowly building up a charm collection and waiting for each special charm, moment or memory to occur. Alternatively, if you want it to represent family or friends then buy a series at once, but allow each charm to have meaning.
  
  
• Leave what works and let go of what doesn’t - if you’re an impulse shopper then you may be inclined to buy 8-10 charms in one go and not give it a second thought. However if you get home and it feels a bit much, rather than be guided by an exact number of how many charms should be on a charm bracelet, keep some on the chain that resonate, unthread the rest and then keep for days where you wish to mix and match.

How to style charm bracelets

So you’ve been guided by intuition and discovered a natural affinity to certain symbols, colours and stones - well done you’ve nailed the purchasing memo. But now you’re wondering, just how do you style a charm bracelet?

To accessorise, style and flaunt your new wrist candy, we recommend the following tips and charm styles.

Read on for our charm bracelet style notes below.

• Keep it simple - If there is one thing Tiffany and Co did well, it was launching a single heart charm bracelet that was iconic and accessible for all wearers. If you’re new to charm bracelets, we recommend starting with a minimum one charm that speaks to you first and that you can wear as your signature style.
  
  Within the Francesca charms collection, we recommend one of the following as a luxe centrepiece: The Journey Pendant, The Ingot Birthstone Charm or The Resilience Charm.
  
  
• Be a little quirky - It doesn’t matter if you're a more straight laced, classic cut kind of girl or guy or born hippy child who wears cheesecloth and no shoes, there is a charm to suit every personality and represent your unique qualities.
  
  Within the Francesca charms collection, we recommend pairing one of the following with your favourite metal (solid gold, sterling silver or rose gold): For the primed and proper try the Lulu Pearl Charm, for the spiritual and superstitious try the Mati Charm, for the nature lover try the Cactus Charm and for the devout we recommend the Faith Charm or Hope Charm. 

• Make it odd - rather than an equal number of charms, we recommend aiming for odd numbers. If you’re prone to wondering how many charms should be on a charm bracelet then be directed by the following guide: 1, 3, 5, 7.
  
  Within the Francesca charms collection, we recommend browsing the entire range before deciding how many charms should be on a charm bracelet, then choose your odds accordingly.
  
  
• Bedazzle away - if you love a lot of arm candy, then do not hesitate to chunk up your charm bracelet. If you prefer to layer your charm bracelet with other bracelets, ie. a Franc stack, then we recommend when deciding how many charms should be on a charm bracelet to aim for a minimum 5-9 to highlight your charm bracelet and make it a signature piece in the stack.
  
  
• Infuse your values into the piece - if you want to make an impression or be unique (be it on a first date or birthday party), we recommend choosing charms that flaunt your most intrinsic values. In this case, rather than deciding how many charms should be on a charm bracelet, we recommend browsing the Francesca charms collection and sourcing your key assets.
  
  Within the Francesca charms collection, we recommend the following charms to match your vibe: for those who connect to their star sign try the Zodiac Charm, for those who love travel try Nomad Charm, for those who admire their resilience try the Lotus Charm, for those who prefer to radiate positive vibes only try the Shield Charm, for those who feel most centred by the sea try the Shore Pearl Charm.

Still wondering how many charms should be on a charm bracelet? For inspiration we recommend browsing our Francesca Instagram for styling ideas or checking out Pinterest.