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VINTAGE SINGLE TRINKET CHARM BRACELETS
 Many of us have one or more things we like to collect. Often we have a favorite collection within a collection. Mine is the single trinket charm bracelet mainly from the 1950's. However, they can originate pre-1950's and post-1950's as well. These pieces are unique and beautiful. Besides being lovely in design, many have very practical uses.
Along with the abundance of rhinestones and faux pearls, many fobs or charms provide a variety of useful functions. Often, the fifties adornments mimicked antique accessories of years gone by. Among these are address charms that slide open sideways and fan out to sport a mini address book. Another address book charm opens up to reveal a rolodex of pages used to record a favorite friend's name, address, city, and phone number. How handy is that! Especially if you don't have your iPhone. The dime holder was another popular charm; dimes could be readily available by either screwing off the lid from the container or pushing up from the bottom to dispense the coin. [see pic - the bejeweled coin dispenser has two rhinestones replaced.]
Photo charms were valuable for holding those treasured photos. The one shown in the pic opens up like an accordion and has over-lapped edges to hold the pictures. Another bracelet charm opens as a locket to hold pics behind clear plastic windows. Then there are the trinket box charms. These are wonderful for any small items one might need to carry with them. Many were used as pill boxes. The rhinestone or faux pearl adorned boxes open up on hinges and tightly snap closed. Some of these box containers are created in the form of cute objects such as a vintage wall telephone, a treasure chest, or a heart with a piece of cotton inside. [http://www.lorilakejewelry.com - Vintage Charm Bracelets] Another favorite of mine is the perfume bottle charm bracelets. They are decorated with an abundance of colorful, sparkling, prong-set rhinestones. They come in different shapes such as long rectangular, square, round, and heart shaped. [http://www.lorilakejewelry.com - Vintage Charm Bracelets] They have daubers that unscrew for a quick dab of perfume on the wrist. There were also containers that held solid fragrances as well.
Music box bracelets are very popular. Heavy box shaped music boxes dangles from a heavy link chain. Encased is a music mechanism that when wound up from the back of the piece, plays all kinds of melodic music from the past. I particulary admired a music box that I saw which was decorated with an adorable poodle and rhinestones marked "Lador, Inc." When wound up it plays "Let me call you Sweetheart." It also has an on/off switch. I own a music box charm bracelet adorned with an embossed design of a "Fred Astaire" type black top hat upon a clear rhinestone music note. [top hat has been re-painted as shown in pic] It is Swiss made stamped "Switzerland" and plays "Anniversary Waltz". Another kind of music box charm plays music by turning a crank, which is a wonderful accent to the vintage appearance. All kinds of sequined rhinestones bedeck the front of many these fascinating bracelet music box charms; they come in all kinds of decor such as hearts, music clefts, animals, ballerinas - and the list goes on!
One of my very favorite kind of charm bracelet fobs is the ones shaped as objects. These are limitless! The stoplight signal and the fruit salad shown here in the pics have colorful rhinestones. The fruit salad in the basket charm is stamped "Germany". I particularly took a liking to an adornment that replicated a tiny camera with a flash and bulb. It was decorated with rhinestones and a faux pearl for the bulb. Most of the charm bracelets that I collect are unsigned. However, there are lovely signed creations such as the "Marvella" bracelet with a wishing-well charm on a faux pearl link bracelet. There were also single large medallion bracelets that were were popular in the thirties and forties. They came in many shapes such as circles, hearts, and clovers. They were made in gold-tone or silver-tone metal, 14K yellow-gold, or a rhodium plated silver, which created a bright mirror-like surface that was popular in the 1950's. From colorful rhinestones to gems, marble or cultured pearls, these bracelet discs depicted objects such as flower baskets, gardens, and palm trees. They were designed by Coro Jewelry in 1949. The chains used for these charm bracelets are usually heavy, such as a double link chain or an overlapping, single link curb design. I am particularly fond of the 1950's faux pearls link chain. Many large charms have a fine chain attached that loops around a
ring so that it has quite a lengthy drop from the bracelet chain
itself. Although gold-tone and silver-tone adornments are popular, they
can also be 14k yellow-gold or sterling silver with gemstones.
Caring for Vintage Rhinestone Jewelry Checking: Check for loose rhinestones before cleaning. You can use a loupe with a 10x magnification to check stones. It is good to work on a soft terry cloth towel to catch any stones that may fall out while cleaning. Cleaning: Clean away surface dust with either a soft cosmetic brush or an old soft clean toothbrush. Keeping two different color toothbrushes are great for using one wet and one dry. To remove simple surface dirt or foreign chemicals such as cologne, lotion, or perspiration, you may also use a soft jewelry polishing cloth. Be VERY careful when cleaning aurora borealis stones, since they will scratch very easily. A very soft cloth is better to use on these. You can use mild soapy water; cold or luke warm water with a small amount of dishwashing liquid such as Dawn or Palmolive is fine. Don't make the water sudsy. To remove dirt from both the rhinestone and the metal, you may use a very mild jewelry cleaning product that is approved for rhinestone jewelry. They can protect their luster. Moisten the brush by dipping it in the solution. Remove excess moisture by shaking it out or tapping it on the edge of the bowl and blotting it dry. Gently brush the piece, being very careful to continually blot the brush, concentrating on the tiny areas where dust may collect. It should be semi-dry before applying in order to make sure excess moisture does not seep down into the setting. Holding the piece upside down while cleaning is one way to prevent any moisture from getting down into the setting. You do not want the jewelry to get wet, because if moisture gets in the setting, it can eat away the foil backing and ruin the brilliance of the rhinestone. The back of a rhinestone is just like the back of your mirror. Once it starts losing the backing, it is permanently damaged. Never submerge your rhinestone jewelry in any liquid, whether it is dishwater or commercial jewelry cleaner. Also, be careful of old finishes and plating. Try to avoid soaking any type of liquid into the metal as it could change its color, dissolve its protective overcoating, or otherwise damage it. Cutting grease: Windex and rubbing alcohol can be used for cutting grease. Using sparingly, spray Windex on to a soft cloth, never spraying directly on to the stones. Make sure that the cloth is only moistened, not saturated. Blot often with a dry soft cloth. Gently clean the stones with your moistened cloth until you are satisfied with the results. A soft cloth or a Q-tip can be used with rubbing alcohol. If using a Q-tip, make sure you squeeze it between your fingers to get rid of excess liquid before applying it to the stones. Buff dry: When you are finished cleaning, buff dry. There is no need to rinse. Gently use a Q-tip to wipe, being careful not to bend prongs or fittings. Or you may pat each piece with a dry soft jeweler's polishing cloth. To clean metal settings, brush piece with gentle strokes with a dry soft brush or use a jeweler's cloth. The brush will snag if there is a prong sticking up. A prong is very thin, so carefully, using a gentle touch, pressing it back in place. Also clean the back side of the jewelry piece to remove foreign chemicals such as cologne or perspiration. A few strokes with the dry brush should remove any excess cleaner. Once you've given it a gentle cleaning, place it upside down on a towel or absorbent cloth. Let the piece air dry for one to four hours, making sure that it is completely dry before putting away. Storage: When not wearing your vintage rhinestone jewelry, protect your pieces by wrapping them in paper towels or soft cloths and place them into individual jewelry pouches. Store jewelry pieces separate from each other in a dry, cool, dust free environment. Dust damages stones and plating. Never have your jewelry on while applying cosmetics, perfume, and hair spray. Vintage Jewelry was not made to last forever, but we can certainly give them the best of care so that we can enjoy them for years to come!
GOLD: Gold and Platinum are often rhodium plated. Gold is a yellowish precious metal. Because gold is a relatively soft metal, it is usually hardened by alloying with over metals such as nickel, palladium, and other whiter metals. White gold is an alloy of gold with usually platinum, palladium, or nickel.
PLATINUM: Platinum is a precious grayish-white malleable element that is not as bright as rhodium and is sometimes plated.
RHODIUM: Rhodium is a hard, durable, silvery-white metal that is part of the platinum family. It is actually more costly than gold. It used for plating jewelry, because of its resistance to corrosion and tarnish. It gives a highly reflective sheen and helps prevent scratching. Rhodium is often used to plate white gold, silver, and platinum jewelry to increase its wearability. It is also hypoallergenic.
RHODIUM PLATING: Plating jewelry with rhodium not only gives longer wearability, but it beautifies a jewelry piece with a bright white mirror-like look, which is unique to only rhodium. Any plating will wear over time. *This depends on how well and thick the plating was applied. It also depends on how much the jewelry piece is cared for and worn. Rings usually receive a great deal of wear, but with a brooch, there is probably almost no contact. Even body chemistry can be a factor.
Rhodium jewelry can be re-plated at a minimal cost at any reputable jeweler. Even though rhodium is an expensive metal, when it comes to plating, it doesn�t cost too much because very little is actually used. * lorilakejewelry.com has selected the finest jewelry manufacturer to offer the highest in quality and value. More gold and precious metal plating is used on their jewelry to increase the lifespan of the shimmer and shine than anyone in the industry. They polish and plate all of their jewelry more rigorously which offers longevity and true value in our customers� purchases.
CARING FOR RHODIUM PLATED JEWELRY
1. Clean with a solution of mild detergent and a little water. 2. Rinse well and dry. 3. You can use a polishing cloth that is designed specifically for rhodium plated jewelry. 4. Do not use chemical cleaners such as jewelry dips. 5. Never use anything abrasive. 6. Avoid rubbing jewelry against other surfaces. 7. Remove rings when doing heavy work.
Rhodium plating jewelry adds shimmer and shine, and also adds longevity and value as well. When it does come to re-plating, the cost is reasonable, and it will continue to add longevity to your favorite jewelry items.
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THAT IS RHODIUM PLATED Lori Lake Jewelry | Unique Charms Alta Loma, CA 91737 United States of America © Copyright 2012 - Lori Lake Jewelry | Unique Charms Privacy Policy |
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