Italian charms are pieces of semi-precious jewelry consisting of a couple of pieces of metal (usually iron or copper) base plates, plated with 18K gold and enamel. These base metals offer sturdiness and longevity. The charm is then decorated with semiprecious stones such as lapis and garnets, or in the cheaper variety, zirconium / CZ, is the choice of charm makers. The finishing touches to the charm are done by painting the charm with enamel. This enamel is never fired onto the charm, but painted. After careful sorting of the charms, the best are selected and soldered onto a link. However, buyers be warned of checking the spring of a base link of a charm to see if it is tight and secure.
Amongst the vast array of Italian Charms is the photo Italian charm. This is usually in the form of a bracelet. However, there are various models of this popular form of Italian Charm. Unlike the conventional picture charms, the new photo charms are made by embedding a photo into the charm and laminating it with clear enamel paint. This charm is set onto a stainless steel link or gold charm, the shiny steel providing a beautiful, sparkling background that shines through the image.
Italian photo charms are one of the most popular ways to enhance the look of any link bracelet. Apart from the option of personalizing the charm with an initial, many buyers choose to put a sweetheart's name and or a birthstone on the charm along with a snapshot of them. The enamel coating over the picture preserves it for years, from the elements.
The most common photo charms are those of people and pets, but they can be used for other images including artwork, logos, and prints as well. The beauty of these Italian photo charms is that they can be interchanged and so a priceless collection of personalized Italian charms can be built up over the years.