Types of charms: the ultimate jewelry guide

Charms are a time-honored way to add personal style and meaning to your jewelry collection. These petite jewelry pieces are highly versatile and come in countless designs, including meaningful designs like birthstones and initials. Whether you’re building your dream charm necklace or simply looking for a splash of bling, read on for all you need to know about the different types of charms.

What Are Charms?

Charms are small pendants made of precious metals and gemstones. They feature a metal loop that allows them to be placed on a chain of your choosing. Styles can range from simple and classic to intricate designs. Charms are commonly worn on necklaces, but can also adorn bracelets or even hoop earrings. 

Shop all charms at Sarah O. Jewelry.

Types of Charms

Charms come in too many styles to count, but we tried our best to compile the most common types. Here’s some of our favorite types of charms to consider when you’re building your collection.

Meaningful Charms

Charms can carry special meanings. While the true symbolism of a charm is personal to the wearer, we’ve designed these charms to help you find significance in the little things.

The Odyssey Charm Necklace is shaped like a compass, reminding you to embrace the unknown and follow your heart. It’s available in 14k white gold, yellow gold, or rose gold, and features four round diamonds totaling .06 cts.

Birthstone Charms

Keep yours or a loved one’s birthstone close to heart. As its name suggests, the Stackable Gemstone Charm Necklace is perfect for adding a sentimental pop of color to your charm stack. This necklace is customizable based on your metal and gemstone selection, so you can wear your birthstone, or a loved one’s, wherever you go.

Vintage Charms

Add some vintage charm to your look with—well, a vintage charm! These pieces have been beloved for decades for a reason, and are perfect for adding a touch of timeless elegance to your fine jewelry collection.

From time to time, Sarah unearths vintage charms on her travels. Recently she sourced a curated collection of vintage Parisian love charms. Inspired by a famous love poem from Rosemonde Gérard to her husband, these charms have been cherished as symbols of love for over a century.

Shop the collection at Sarah O. Jewelry before they’re gone!

Letter Charms

Wear the initials that matter most with a letter charm. These are some of the most popular charms for everyday wear. Choose your initials, a loved one’s, or even spell out a significant word! 

The Diamond Initial Pendant features every letter of the alphabet in Sarah’s hand-drawn signature font, each with a unique diamond starburst accent.

Engravable Charms

Engrave your name, a special phrase, or a significant date to make these charms truly special. Looking for a symbolic alternative to a wedding ring that you can wear during hands-on work? Try engraving your wedding date on a charm so it’s always kept close to your heart.

Visit The Story We Wear pop-up in our Tennyson showroom to engrave your customized charm.

Zodiac Charms

These zodiac charms are written in the stars. Wear your birth chart on your sleeve with a pendant that brings all the astrological energy. Zodiac charms are great for stacking—try combining your sun, moon, and rising signs into one necklace!  

Visit The Story We Wear pop-up in our Tennyson showroom to get your own zodiac charm.

Birth Flower Charms

Birth stones are all the rage for jewelry, but what about your birth flower? Celebrate your birth month, botanical style, with a charm featuring one of these seasonal blooms. 

Visit The Story We Wear pop-up in our Tennyson showroom to find your birth flower charm.

How to Style Charms

Charms can be styled to add depth, texture, or tell a story of their own. Here’s some of our favorite charm styling techniques to spark inspiration when you’re adding to your collection.

Layering Charms

Rock the layered style by wearing several charm necklaces at once. Vary the weight and length of the chains that you use to add dimension and texture to this look. 

Ensure you’re using the right chain for your charm: Heavier charms will need a thicker chain, while smaller charms can handle delicate chains. Play with the length of each chain to make sure each charm falls where you want it to.

Stacking Charms

Create your own unique necklace by stacking multiple charms on one chain. Connector beads can help you find your ideal charm stack by adding room between each charm, giving each amulet the space it needs to shine. 

Ready to take your stack to the next level? Consider pairing a stacked necklace with a single charm necklace for a dimensional style that combines stacking and layering. Or create a mixed metal look by stacking Sterling Silver charms with gold charms.

Personalizing Charms

Make your jewelry your own with personalized charms. There are countless ways to use charms to tell your unique story, from birthstones to initials and so much more. 

If you need inspiration for how to start your personalized charm collection, here’s some popular reasons to wear charms:

- Mark your travels with regional charms

- Highlight your hobbies, favorite animals, or personal expression

- Commemorate loved ones with child or pet names or initials

- Birthstones, whether it’s your birthstone or a loved one’s

- Lucky charms, such as an evil eye charm, four-leaf clover, or lucky number

- Celebrate overcoming a personal challenge or milestone

- Commemorate friendships with matching charms

- Honor a relative with their initials or birthstone

Choosing the Chain

Chain necklaces aren’t the only charm holder option out there. Try displaying your charm collection as a charm bracelet. And don’t forget about earrings! Many huggie earrings are designed so they can be worn alone, or with a charm added.

This added versatility makes charms a great addition to your jewelry collection. If you always wear the same charm as a necklace, try mixing it up by wearing it on your wrist or ears! Ready to explore our full range of high quality charms? Whether you’re shopping for a special occasion like an anniversary or Valentine’s Day gift, or simply adding to your jewelry collection, shop all charm necklaces at Sarah O. Jewelry.