Get Personal. Be Charming.

Remember those jangly gold charm bracelets the grandmothers used to wear?  Back when women dressed for dinner and downtown, wore gloves & hats and matched shoes to bags?  I’m sure on Park Ave. they looked like this gorgeous gem-laden 18K gold version.  In my hometown, it was more like this:

Today’s versions are funkier and less fusty, and  personalized jewelry & charm pieces are super-hot for all ages.  I’ll wager the options are at a million at this point. And while I really covet that vintage beauty up top, my budget and conscience will never allow for the $10,000 price tag (and it’s already sold out anyway).

In Charlotte, you can find personalized jewelry and / or charms at several different boutiques, in any number of styles and price points.  Here’s a round-up of some we love.

Heather Moore at Cottage Chic.

The mac-daddy of modern personalized and charm jewelry available in Charlotte.  You can choose from well over 1,500 items to build your charm necklace or bracelet.  Pick personalized,  hand-stamped charms and tags in sterling silver and/or 14K yellow, white, rose and green gold.  Select charms in several combinations, some with diamonds.  Add in semi-precious stones, pearls and additional charms.  The idea is to document the stages in your life, tell a story of you. A Heather Moore piece is meant to be an heirloom, to be added to throughout your life and passed on with memories.   The prices are top notch, well into the thousands for a multi-charm piece.  As is the  quality and the handi-work.  Heather Moore Jewelry also does its part by strictly working with 100% recycled metals.  Visit the Heather Moore website to get an idea of how it can work for you.  Then stop by Cottage Chic, where the girls can help you narrow down options and think through your piece.

Personalized Jewelry at Laura James Jewelry

Laura James Jewelry has a much tighter, less expensive selection of hand-stamped personalized and commemorative pieces.

This $118 “mom” toggle bracelet is custom hand stamped on a brass coin and attached to a gold plated toggle and link bracelet.  You can also choose necklaces and bracelets with one or more circle coins hand-stamped with your name or initials to create your own simple charm necklace, all priced around $100.

Moon & Lola at Petal Boutique.

We adore the black acrylic monogram pendants by Moon & Lola availabe at Petal.  Also in turquiose and tortoise, along with several other colors and silver and gold.  Perfect for layering with another necklace or two.  Such a modern twist on the timeless.

Pick Up Sticks, Sally Jean and Waxing Poetic at CITY ART WORKS

City Art Works (in the Total Wine Shopping center on Woodlawn) has Charlotte’s widest, most eclectic selection of mid-priced personalized and charm jewelry.  It is one of our favorite finds for affordable jewelry and for gifts for the pre-teen, teenage and young women on our list.  These are the kind of casual, funky and fun items you can mix, match, update, change at your whim.  The charms can be as little as $15 or as high as $200.  You can order from hundreds of options or just pick what you like at the store this week.  You can stack them on leather wraps, silk cords, ball chains, gold or silver chains.

Waxing Poetic is currently their most well-known and popular brand, and City Art Works sells a LOT of Waxing Poetic.  Popular press coverage of the starlets, models and musicians who wear Waxing Poetic is extensive.  The look is youthful, a little edgy and hand-hewn.  Not fine or delicate or overly feminine, Waxing Poetic is modern with a gothic flair.  The pieces are true to the company’s heritage – turning antique wax seal insignias into actual jewelry.

Sally Jean charms and pieces have a distinctive old-world look and hand-colored, collaged appeal.   A very feminine, delicate and vintage look, but still funky and fun.  Sally Jean is one of the pioneers of this much copied look and City Art Works is the exclusive store in Charlotte to carry them.

Pick Up Sticks is the lowest priced and “funnest” of the personalized jewelry carried at City Art Works.  It is perfect for a low-priced gift or inexpensive treat.  The look is vintage, collage-y and silver.