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Welcome to the Baby Jewels Blog

There is such a huge array of baby and children's jewelry on the market, particularly online that almost anybody would be able to easily find a baby bracelet, or a pair of children's earrings, for example, that's just what they're looking for.

Often, the baby Christening gift or first birthday gift that you're looking for is one intended to become a family keepsake, to be worn and photographed and admired for the duration that the item fits the baby or small child until it's outgrown, the desire being that the gift will be so special that one day, a baby born in the future, will also wear the little baby bracelet, baby bangle, etc.  This is when traditional, or classic baby jewelry is what's called for.  A family keepsake.  

Jewelry stores tend to stock traditional baby jewelry but have very little to choose from.  Often this includes baby brooches which are made to be worn on baby's little matinee jackets, which is an item of baby apparel that's rarely worn these days.  

Online, there is a much greater range.  Tiny gold baby bracelets, often featuring a Filigree chain and a locket or heart charm, little sterling silver baby ID bracelets, sometimes with a bluebird set on the ID plate, or with a bare ID plate for inscribing a personal message.  Gold or sterling silver baby bangles, hinged and with a fine safety chain, or engraved and expanding in size to accommodate the rapid growth years.

A tiny, fine gold or silver chain with a heart pendant or a cross, simple or engraved, sometimes with a cz stone or a tiny gem, to be worn on her Christening day but kept for special occasions thereafter.  These are the timeless baby jewelry items that are normally kept for future babies in the family, or for the current baby's own children in the future.  

The gift of a baby charm bracelet or a children's charm bracelet is just the beginning of the story.  Because a charm bracelet is just that, a story.  Often, the naked bracelet is given to a baby at birth, or for her first birthday and sometimes her Christening gift.  

In the years that follow charms are traditionally given, that tell chapters in her story.  There are baby and children's charms to denote the arrival of baby brothers and sisters, the acquisition of a pet, the beginning of her school days, her sports, her hobbies, her talents.  

By the time a child reaches her teens her charm bracelet holds great sentimental value.  At this point, it might be prudent to buy an adult sized charm bracelet and begin her story through to adulthood.  

When buying a children's charm bracelet, ensure it's one that can be linked at any point along the bracelet so that it will fit her for many years.  

When choosing charms as gifts, try not to choose charms that are only silver.  Add colour with the addition of gems and enamelling, crystals and cz stones.  Even a mix of gold and silver looks great and adds interest.  

When it is outgrown, place it in a small plastic ziplock bag for safekeeping.  It'll always be something she treasures and would make a wonderful gift to her own child.  

For these reasons, we recommend charm bracelets as exceptionally great value gifts for babies and little girls. 

Baby Jewels has a Mothers' jewelry category and this comes into its own around this time of year.  It's not just for our mothers, but for all mothers, of all ages.  

We have jewelry of all kinds, charms, necklaces, bracelets and earrings and many can be matched up with baby and children's jewelry.  We have baby bracelets in the European style with matching bracelets for Moms.  We have children's bracelets with matching Moms' bracelets.  We have children's earrings which are eminently suited to their Moms as well.  

Matching mother/child jewelry has become very popular in recent years.  Watch this space, because we intend getting more.  A great idea for Christmas gifts, Mothers' Day gifts, gifts to celebrate a birth, and more.

We also have a range of "maternal" jewelry which features a "heart within a heart" and pendants featuring a mother reaching for her child and loads more!

Baby and children's jewelry is the perfect gift for a great many occasions in a child's life, from the Baby Shower through to their 16th birthdays.  For example:

Baby Shower - baby brooch, or if gender is known, baby bracelet or bangle.

Newborn Gift - Baby Bangle, baby earrings, baby necklace, especially to be worn in family photos and baby portraits.

First Christmas Gift - Any of the above, plus a baby charm bracelet with extension for growth and, perhaps, her first baby charm.  Charms are a great birthday gift or Christmas gift every year, to complete her charm bracelet.

Christening or Baptism Gift - pearl baby bracelet, pearl baby earrings, pearl necklace.  Pearls denote innocence.  Any sterling silver or gold baby bracelet, or baby necklace with a cross.  Any cross charm.  

First Birthday - This first birthday is special, ears may be pierced and they are putting things in their mouths less and less by this stage, so any of the above, plus her first baby ID bracelet, suitably engraved for the occasion.

Any birthday to come - As above plus children's earrings.

Any Christmas to come - As above.

Starting School - As above.

Rewards for doing especially well at School - charms for her children's charm bracelet and as above.  Or, a children's watch.

Confirmation - Any Cross, as a charm on her charm bracelet, or as a pendant on a sterling silver or gold chain necklace.

First school dance - A children's necklace or children's earrings or bracelet or bangle.

Buy quality and these baby jewelry items become family keepsakes and can be given to younger siblings when they are outgrown or even the next generation of babies!

Thankfully, we need not concern ourselves with baby jewelry that's made of gold or sterling silver.  There has been enormous publicity surrounding dangerous metals in baby jewellery, especially nickel and lead and, more recently, cadmium, for good reason.  

These metals are found in cheap children's jewelry bought at chain stores which are alloys (or a mix of metals) or paints. The danger is very real that these metals can be absorbed if baby sucks on her jewelry.  

If buying your loved new addition to the family a baby bracelet or a little baby necklace, you can't go wrong with buying precious metals.  Try to avoid the tempting prices and very pretty colours of the cheap varieties because babies can be very quick (and silent!) when popping pretty baubles in their mouths.

There are no dangerous metals in silver or gold baby jewelry.

Personalised jewelry for children is extremely popular at the moment.  Name bracelets, where the child's name is spelled out in block style beads, and children's ID bracelets are probably what we normally think of when we think of personalised jewelry, however the inside of a children's bangle (or baby bangle) can also be engraved.  People choose children's pendant necklaces and have the flat area on the back of the pendant engraved with a personal message, the child's name or her birth date, if it's a baby gift.  Small flat charms can also be engraved and attached to a baby charm bracelet.  

Of course, ID bracelets for children have been popular for many generations but never more so than now.  We love, it seems, to add sentimental value to our gift and this is the best way to achieve it - by adding a message to the jewelry.  

Children's ID bracelets were once only worn to warn of a medical condition in the event of an accident or illness.  These are still an excellent idea, but that's where the popularity of children's or baby ID bracelets evolved.

When my granddaughters were born, I set out to find them a special piece of gold baby jewelry.  I had in mind a baby bracelet each, and because I wasn't online much in those days, I headed straight for the local jewelry shop.  

I was dismayed to find a very small selection of gold jewelry, a couple of styles of bracelets and some baby brooches.  Since matinee jackets had already gone out of fashion (more likely to see a newborn in a denim jacket!) I didn't want a brooch (though there does seem to be a revival in the popularity of baby brooches.)  So I was left with some rather expensive gold baby bracelets with lockets.  I bought them, and was happy with them, however, I had no idea what was available online:  a vast array of choice in both gold and silver baby jewelry.

These days, more often than not, a baby will be seen wearing silver, usually sterling silver.  This is because a)  price and b) there is a larger range if baby and children's jewelry to choose from than in gold.  9ct gold remains affordable and the selection of styles is improving.  Today we can buy 9ct or 14ct gold baby bracelets, baby necklaces and children's rings which are matched with enamelling, crystals, cz stones and even gemstones for babies.  

My intention was always to add gold jewelry to Baby Jewels.  However, there remained the problem of cost.  Would people buy gold, when silver is so affordable?  Well, at last I have a handful of gold items at Baby Jewels, mainly baby bracelets, but also children's bracelets and baby and children's earrings.  All divine and because they are 9ct, quite affordable.  

My first baby bracelet order arrived and all bar one has sold, more are on their way.  I am happy to discover that gold is still very popular despite a strong fashion trend towards sterling silver.  Since then, I have had another order of bracelets and earrings have arrived and more are coming in the near future.  

And it's taking off in popularity!  Jewelry-making parties.  My daughter's children have been to one recently and she told me they had a ball making little kids-sized bracelets and necklaces.  Children's jewelry is extremely popular with little girls but, wait for it, also with little boys!  The boys had just as much fun and enjoyed wearing their boys' bracelets and necklaces as the girls.  

There are a few small businesses locally who run these kids' jewelry making parties and they are doing very well.  Minimal supervision is requried, just a little simple guidance.  The parents are often asked to contribute to the small cost of beads, cord, leather thongs etc. but sometimes the mother of the birthday girl (or boy) covers the cost.  Each child makes his or her own special piece of jewelry and takes it home.  

It keeps the kids entertained for hours and gives them a sense of pride wearing their new piece of jewelry home that they made themselves.  

I can remember as a child, longing for a nice bracelet, and in the absence of one, wearing lace, cord, ribbon or even string wrapped several times around my wrist and tied in a knot or bow - and believing it was a bracelet.  In those days, children's bracelets consisted mainly of gold or silver, so it was a stretch of the imagination.  Now though, kids' bracelets are made out of all sorts of things, as are children's necklaces.  Some of my suppliers are placing charms on waxed ribbon and I have to say, they do look gorgeous.  We're opening our minds when it comes to children's jewelry!  

Currently we have gold, silver, pearls, cord and woven leather bracelets for children.  They all sell well and are perfect for differing occasions, casual or formal.

Recently, Ebay was flooded with cheap imports of children's Tibetan silver children's charms at crazy prices.  A test was performed which has received a geat deal of publicity.  The pieces tested were found to contain as little as 1% pure silver.  Now, Tibetan silver traditionally, can contain as much as 99% pure silver, so these unscrupulous sellers have maligned the name "Tibetan Silver."  

Generally in today's market, Tibetan silver contains approx 30% pure silver, and the delightful styles and affordable prices make it a very reasonable proposition.

People often ask me, "what is Bali Silver, Mexican Silver, Miao Silver etc.?"

Bali silver is usually quite safe to buy though some ebay sellers have done a "Tibetan" on Bali silver as well.  If prices seems ridiculously low, then it's probably not Bali silver at all, which is generally good quality sterling silver.  Buy from a well known supplier, and you will get 92.5% sterling silver.

Sterling silver is, of course, 92.5% pure silver.  It is popularly used in baby jewelry and children's jewelry as well as jewelry for adults.  100% pure silver is not a viable product for jewelry, especially children's jewelry, because it is too soft.  It is easily dented, scratched and bent out of shape.  

Some years ago, I ordered some Miao Silver jewellery.  This  traditional craft of Northern China and nearby Central Asian countries contains approx 30% silver.  Designs are beautiful and prices are affordable.   

I've been receiving emails from Mexican suppliers regarding Mexican baby bracelets and children's earrings.  I have little knowledge of the content of Mexican silver, but from my recent research, it can be dubious  Mexican silver can be sterling silver, or it can contain only 30% (same as regular Tibetan silver) or it can be made from as little as 10% silver.  What to do?  

For the moment, I am avoiding Mexican silver until I know more about it, and find a reliable, well recommended supplier, though some of their designs are very desirable!