Charm Bracelets Part 2 – Nomination

These bracelets seem to be very popular in some countries but not really well-known in others. They are probably my favorite charm bracelet because they are simple, flat, and don’t jangle. They sit close on your arm and don’t move around. You can easily change the order of the charms or put two bracelets together to form a necklace. The selection of charm is huge.. Nomination is the best brand for so-called Italian charms but there are many sites which sell copies and one of the best of these makes little links from photographs so you can immortalise your family and your favourite photos on your arm like a little photo album that can go with you anywhere. Here is one of those sites

The system is ingenious – you buy a stainless steel bracelet (though they come in gold color now too) which is made up of a certain number of links depending on your wrist size. I need 17 links per bracelet. Each of these links costs next to nothing.

Then as you get a charm you replace a link. When you have completed a bracelet with charms you then have a second bracelet to start your next one or give to someone you love to start their collection. I give mine to my cousin.

The charms I have are

1. a red rose (because it is the symbol of my political party)
2. a violet (because it is my favourite colour and party)
3. a South African flag (I was born there)
4. an Irish flag (my father was Irish so I have been a citizen from birth)
5. a Swedish flag (I live here)
6. a swimmer (my favourite sport)
7. a car (my surname)
8. a graduation cap (I have three degrees)
9. a computer (I used to fix them for a living)
10. a book (I love to read and write)
11. a pen (I love to write)
12. a Cancer (my star sign – I am on the cusp of Leo and Cancer)
13. a Leo (see above)
14. a giraffe (I love going on safari)
15. a fern (I often stay at a fern plantation in South Africa)
16. two cat charms (I love cats)
17. ‘I love RU'(my alma mater was Rhodes Universty, known as RU)
18. ‘be happy ‘(my motto)
19. a handbag (love handbags)
20. ‘shop’ (love shopping)
21. an EU flag
22. a butterfly
23. a lapis lazuli
24. a ruby (my birthstone)
25. a cameo (I love cameos)
26. a J (my initial)
27. a pair of jeans (my favourite item of clothing)
28. a vuvuzela (always heard at South African sporting events)
29. an apple (my favourite fruit)
30. a toadstool (I love them)
31. a black diamond (I love them)
32. a dice (my former husband was imprisoned during apartheid in South Africa. In solitary confinement for a total of 6 months (2 and then 4) he pulled out his back teeth and made dice of them so he wouldn’t go crazy being alone for months and months. He gave them to me when he got out)
33. a snowflake (because I live in Sweden)
34. a bumble bee ( I love bumble bees because they aren’t able to fly but they do it anyway)
35. a plane (I travel a lot)
36. an @ sign (was one of the first people in the world to work with email)
37. claddagh (my wedding ring is an Irish claddagh)
38. ‘joy'(my middle name)
39. a cup of tea (I love tea)
40. 50 (got it when I turned 50)
41. a squirrel (I love squirrels)
42. hope (very important in life)
43. a diamond (I love them!)
44. a reindeer (because I live in Sweden)
45. a smiley (I love them)
46. a red AIDS ribbon (very important cause)
47. a pink breast cancer ribbon (very important cause)
48. a shell (I love the beach)
49. happy (because I am)
50. a peace sign (I love them)
51. a German flag (my mother was German)
52. a paw print (I love animals)
53. a butterfly (love butterflies)
54. Eiffel Tower (my favourite landmark)
55. A C (my surname)
56. I love SA
57. an amethyst

I buy mine all online because they are cheaper and also because there is a much bigger selection online than most shops, which carry only the basic ones. There are quite literally thousands of different charms.

You can get dangly nomination charms but I am not a fan

Nomination charm bracelets come in three different widths. The classic one is the most popular and therefore has the biggest selection of charms.

Nomination watches also exist – you can use the straps to display your charms.

You can mix plain ones with full ones, have colour themes or charm themes and mix different sizes. They are pretty easy to swap around at will but if you are all thumbs you can get a charm tool which works on all sizes – usually free when you buy a bracelet.