Italian charm bracelets have brought a whole new look to the world of charms. Instead of dangling from a chain, Italian charms are soldered to flat links that pop on and off of a stretchy bracelet. Add charms to each empty slot as your collection grows, and quickly switch charms to match your mood.

Bracelets-and-charms.com answers frequently asked questions:

Question: What do you think about the huge interest in Italian charm bracelets? Does it seem to be a fad, or do you think the bracelets are here to stay?

Bracelets-and-charms.com: Without a doubt, Italian charm bracelets are the hottest rage in the charm bracelet genre today. They are classy, easy to wear, durable and loads of fun. Are they trendy? Perhaps, but only time will tell. All I can say is that they are loved by young and old alike.

Question: Tell us a little about the history of Italian charm bracelets.

Bracelets-and-charms.com: There are two major forces in the link bracelet market. One type of bracelet is made in Italy and the other in China.

The Italians invented this modular style of bracelet. They use high quality, hypoallergenic stainless steel for their charm link bases, with 18K gold charms hand soldiered to the links.

The Chinese product may or may not have stainless in the base links and the charms are a gold plate. The Chinese product costs less, but the quality reflects the cost. I'm sure it has its place.

Question: How are Italian charm bracelets sized.

Bracelets-and-charms.com: Sizing an Italian charm bracelet is easy. For a woman, just like clothing, there are three basic sizes - Small, Medium and Large.

Small bracelets have 17 charm links
Medium have 18 links
Large have 19
You can add or subtract links to make any size, but most women fall into one of the three basic size categories.

Question: Which of the Italian charm bracelet manufacturers are most popular?

Bracelets-and-charms.com: The best manufacturers are the following: Zoppinni, Boxing, Talexia, Casa D'Oro, Gioielli, Puzzle, Dolceoro, Uno Domani, Eternita, JJ Kent, and Disney. These are all top quality. Be wary of unbranded charms. These are often sold at your local drugstore for a few dollars. We view them as kind of counterfeit goods. Don't be fooled, they tend to fall apart rather quickly. The charms from the manufacturers listed above will hold together for the longest. In general the manufacturers listed above are manufactured using the highest quality materials including; 18K gold, cubic zirconia, fine enamel, stainless steel, genuine and synthetic stones.

Question: Are charms and bracelets made by different companies interchangeable?

Bracelets-and-charms.com: All of the Italian charm brands will interchange with one another. I am not sure about the Chinese charms. I've heard some talk of backward images, etc.

Question: How about some selection advice - which Italian charms are most popular?

Bracelets-and-charms.com: Hearts and Mom charms as well as the American flag are probably the top selling charms, but picking charms as a gift for anyone is easy. If you know about the person's activities, birthdate, nationality and other interests you'll find there's definitely a charm available for them. Find out what they may already have on their bracelet so as not to overlap.

Question: What are typical prices for Italian charms?

Bracelets-and-charms.com: Italian-made charms begin at around $15 and go up to around $50 per charm. Most enamel charms are around $18 each, stones about $22 each and CZ's around $28. Many retailers offer a free starter bracelet if you buy three charms.

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