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Welcome to the Baby Jewels Blog

I am often asked what is the best jewelry gift for a newborn baby.  I think it depends on whether it's desired that the gift become a sort of family heirloom, to be passed on to the next generation, or whether it's just something cute for the new baby to wear and be photographed in.  Buy a traditional style and it will never go out of date, so that future babies and future generations can wear it, because it is dateless.

The safest baby jewelry gift is the baby bangle.  I'm talking about a solid one, without hinges and safety chains, without added charms.  These can be worn without concern for her safety because there is nothing to be broken off, and even in the unlikely circumstances that she was able to remove it, she couldn't swallow it.  So a bangle is always my first pick for a baby gift especially because supervision is not required when they are worn.

Baby bracelets are beautiful, and always look so delicate and pretty on a chubby wrist.  Ensure the bracelet fits though, or it will become hooked on things and pull off and could be lost.  Baby ID bracelets or charm bracelets are a great choice, especially those with an extension for growth, and you can give her a charm for her first birthday gift or for Christmas.  If you want this to be dateless, choose a traditional style and it will never go out of fashion and will therefore be perfect as a family keepsake. Babies wearing bracelets should not be put down to sleep wearing them, so ensure they are easy to get on and off. Supervision is required for a baby wearing a bracelet.

Mothers are more frequently getting their babies' ears pierced these days so sterling silver or gold baby earrings are a great idea.  Once the healing has taken place, earrings are quite safe because she won't even know they're there, and therefore, won't pluck at them.  Firmly fitted backs or screwbacks are a must for babies, so that, if she does happen to find them, she cannot get them off.

Baby brooches are very cute and are making a return in popularity, in modern day styling.  When baby is very small these look great in their baby portraits and are safe because they can safely be attached to her clothing (and easily removed by an adult) and she will be unable to pull them off.  Baby brooches were once kept for future babies and generations because they were often made of gold and often had precious gems (garnet for example) inserted and the engraving on them was generic.  "Baby" for example.  

Baby anklets are a more modern but very cute item of baby jewelry.  Like bracelets, baby, after a certain age, might start tugging at them, so make sure they are worn with supervision at all times, especially those with charms attached.

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.  

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!

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.

Baby bracelets and other children's jewelry are often seen as so precious they should only be worn on very special occasions such as a family wedding, Christening etc.  If this happens, the jewelry spends a great deal of time stored away.

More and more, manufacturers of kids' jewelry are coating or plating their sterling silver, in either platinum or perhaps a product which has various names, most commonly, Evershine.  This hardens the surface and helps to prevent knocks and scratches which, gradually dull shine on that precious baby bangle.  Scratching is the primary reason for dulling of the shine.  These products also prevent tarnishing.  Therefore, any item of baby or children's sterling silver jewelry, that has either of these coatings, is very good value.

The best way to prevent tarnishing is to wear the item.  Most baby bracelets, baby earrings or necklaces can be worn casually as well as for special family events so placing her bracelet on each day and having her wear it, will best ensure that tarnishing is avoided.  The next best way is when you're storing the item, place it first into a plastic bag.  

But if your item does tarnish, pay a visit to your local jewelry store and purchase a cleaning cloth and give it a good clean.  Or, they may well clean your piece of jewelry for you, for a small fee, or as a gesture of goodwill, for free!

Have you noticed that most babies these days own some pieces of baby jewelry?  Almost all babies these days, seem to have at least one baby bracelet or bangle, perhaps a charm bracelet strung with baby charms, or, if they have their ears pierced, as is increasingly the case, starting their own collection of baby earrings!

Not too long ago, perhaps a generation ago, we rarely saw babies wearing jewellery.  The very fortunate babies might have been given some special item such as an exquisitely engraved baby bangle or ID bracelet as a Christening gift, but most babies did not own a piece of jewelry.

We all want our gifts to the newborn to be something special.  We want to show how welcome the new baby is, how thrilled we are about her arrival and we want to give something that will receive a lot of use, and not just worn for a few weeks until outgrown, or worn out, or stained, or scuffed, and then thrown out.  Yes, we are a throw-away society - especially when it comes to babies.  These days, babies seem to come into this world with new cot, new bedding, new clothing, new toys, whereas not so long ago, things were kept and passed on, either within the family or to neighbours, friends or friends of friends.

The great thing about a piece of baby jewellery is, we can be pretty sure that, even when it's outgrown, it will not be thrown out.  It will be kept for the baby for when she's grown up, perhaps for her own children, or passed down to her siblings as they arrive.  

The family portraits will record your gift so it will never be forgotten.  

Your little jewelry gift will be worn for longer than a jumpsuit, last longer than a little toy, won't become so unwashable that it is put in the rubbish, and won't date like her first dress or pair of shoes.  

And when it is outgrown, it's likely to be placed in safe storage, in wait for when the baby has grown up and given back in time to celebrate the arrival of her own baby.  

Which makes the purchase of that little baby jewelry gift, an excellent value gift!

What's the best means of storage of baby and children's jewelry?  I am often asked this question and from my reading, jewellery stays shiny and new longest when worn, as opposed to storing.  But when the time comes to store it, place the item in a tiny plastic snap-lock bag, squeeze the air out of it, and snap shut.

A quick rub using a proper jewelry cloth will quick bring up a baby bangle or children's bracelet just like new.  You'll be amazed at how easy it is to remove the tarnish and restore lustre.  For this reason baby and children's jewelry is more likely to be kept as a family keepsake than any other gift.    

Because your children's jewelry has been given from the heart, it's a lovely idea to keep it for the next generation.  It takes up little room in a cupboard storage box or, if your child has her own jewelry box, it too, can be given to the next generation, making it and the jewelry contained within, even more precious.  If you decide to buy a jewelry box, choose one with little hanging hooks for children's necklaces.  The fineness of children's chains can create a tangle but hanging them on separate hooks avoids this drama!  

Separate slots for her children's earrings is another sensible idea, so that they do not become lost.  Put the backs onto the rods before putting away, so they are all there when you next want them and they're ready to put on.  

As far as baby jewelry being dulled by soap suds when worn at bathtime, I have never read anything that points to baby soap causing any dullness, tarnish or discolouration.  But in the interests of ease of bathing, it may be a good idea to remove it before bathtime.

And always, remove her necklaces, bracelets and anklets before putting her down to sleep.  Earrings that she's used to wearing are very safe because they won't bother her and she won't pluck at them if she wakes up.  Bangles also, particularly if they have no charms attached, are very safe.  All other baby jewelry should be removed.