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Entertainment played a major role as influencers —a.k.a. charm bracelets, such as this
movie stars—clasped the bracelets to their wrists in movies, one that commemorates
advertising, and their not-so-private photos of their “life at important milestones in her
home. If you saw Bette Davis wearing a charm bracelet, you life” (shown below).
wanted to emulate that high style and get one, too.
One of the more famous charm bracelet fans from the The Evolution of
mid-1900s was movie star and later jewelry designer/entre-
k cat brooch worn by preneur Elizabeth Taylor. Becoming an actor at the tender Charm Bracelets in
ondon soldier. age of 9, Liz led a life of extremes that would have easily filled the Late 20th Century
hoto:slate.com As the popularity of charm
more than a few charm bracelets. Her devotion to her jewelry
collection was the “one true love of my life,” she once stated. bracelets waned in the 1970s
Like any collector, she amassed many pieces that had great and ‘80s, Italy reincarnated
monetary value and great sentimental value as well. the bracelet by linking modu-
A sale of five of her charm bracelets at Christie’s Auctions lar charms with elastic to form
in 2011 made top dollar as they came across the block. a single-charm-bracelet. These
According to CharmsGuide.net, “The first item sold last bracelets usually consisted of
night was this gorgeous loaded, and very personal, gold and 18 Italian charm links, each of
multi-gem charm bracelet (below), which was estimated at which depicted a series of
around $25,000 and ended up selling for $326,500! It related subjects soldered onto
includes charms like a locket with her children’s names the actual link. This new iter-
inscribed, a director’s slate inscribed ‘The taming of the ation caught on to the point
shrew,’, etc.” that soccer players from
The other bracelets brought just as much attention, sell- around the world were wear-
ing for $194,500, $195,400, $158,500, and $116,500, ing bracelets showing their
respectively. The total estimate for all five bracelets came to nation’s flag. Tourists to Italy Elizabeth Taylor publicity photo showing one of
leaf clover lucky charm in the 1990s noticed the trend
o an unknown soldier. $93,000 but sold for over ten times as much: $991,400. her many charm bracelets.
oto:slate.com When General Eisenhower and his wife Mamie moved and brought it back with
into the White House in 1953, the country was filled them to the U.S. where it caught on. At the same time, there was an
with optimism as the celebration of the end of WWII uptick in sales of vintage and antique charms at antique shows
continued. According to Christie’s, “She proved and shops. This idea gave way to the popular
to be popular with the American Pandora style bracelets where the charms are
public, which identified attached to the single strand of the
with her as a ‘girl next main bracelet with a stronger sense
door’. In January 1953 of permanence rather than
Time magazine opined, hanging by a small metal loop.
‘Mamie Eisenhower is In the 2000s, mysticism
fondly expected to touch moved onto screens large and
off a social renaissance and small along with the build-up
to lend a new warmth to of many Fantasy Cons. Think
the affairs of the This gold charm bracelet of of the start of the Dungeons
presidency.’” As Elizabeth Taylor’s charts the and Dragons game; movies and
a marble boot charm, for her personal milestones of her extraordinary series including Game of
by an Irish soldier. life and sold at Christie’s for Thrones, The Vikings, Wonder
oto:slate.com style, Christie’s
noted in the $326,500 in 2011 Woman, and Lord of the Rings;
description of an auction of popular authors such as Neil
the Eisenhower Collection Gaiman and Brandon
that belonged to the First Sanderson feeding a growing
Lady that “Mamie hunger for fantasy, and you get
Eisenhower’s cheerful smile and the idea. Fans have begun
positive energy, along with her gathering a selection of runes
designer clothes and famous bangs, displayed on pieces of stone
which were styled by Elizabeth or metal and other mystical
Arden in Paris, were among her trade- charms, circling back to
marks as First Lady. Her style was person- ancient times when these
alized with accessories such as pearl chokers small tokens and their accom-
and button earrings, glittery pins, fitted panying powers brought a
hats, mink stoles, full-length fur coats, and sense of added protection as
they went out into the
(left) A selection of scallop- world. Today, the
edged charms dating back display of these ideas
to the 1940s and 1950s. and symbols in some
About $38 each. ways marks the
wearer as someone
(right)
Mamie Eisenhower’s who believes in the
14k gold curb link bracelet power of magic
suspending twenty-one and the role The Hand of the
charms of various motifs of this energy King charm from
and engravings, measuring in their life. Game of Thrones
7 1/4 inches, sold for
$20,000 against a high Next?
estimate of $6,000 at Feel free to consult the stars.
Christie’s in 2017.

December 2020 29
Bette Davis showing off her charms