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My mother in law turns 90 in early June.  We are having a family get-together party and each of her children are bringing an item from their childhood, as is she.  

What items are being brought to the get-together remains secret, but, because I have a baby and children's jewelry website, my delightful mother in law has revealed to me that she's binging her own baby bracelet.  I suspect her daughter knows the existence of this but I have never heard of it being discussed at any family meet-ups in the past.  

With Victorian style baby jewelry especially, becoming extremely popular again, as well as other vintage and antique jewelry, I am dying to see it. She tells me that she also had a baby brooch, but sadly it hasn't been seen except in photographs, for years.  She is one of 8 sisters and she told me that they all had bracelets as babies but she can only remember the one brooch.  Perhaps it was passed down as each baby was born?  She is the eldest of her siblings and she intends speaking to the youngest at the party to see if she knows anything about the brooch.  It would be sad if it has been lost.

So often I preach "family keepsakes" in this blog and I thought this story backed up my love of such an idea, in a big way.

Think of all the special occasions for which you could give a baby or children's jewelry gift:

Baby Shower

Newborn baby gift

Christening gift

Baptism gift

First birthday gift

Any birthday gift

Starting school gift

Flower girl gift

Christmas gift

and many more.

At these times, parents, grandparents, Aunties and Uncles, Godparents, older siblings and friends dig a little deeper.  Not just in their pockets, but also in their decision as to what type of item, whether it be a baby bracelet, children's earrings, etc. and what type.  The range is almost endless, starting with the decsion of whether the jewelry piece should be gold or silver or perhaps even pearls.  

These decisions ensure the gifts become cherished, lasting momentos.

To the parents of these babies and children, such a gift is a real thrill.  A piece of baby jewelry or jewelry for an older child, is a special gift, and means a lot to the parents, not just the little recipient.   

We always love getting feedback from our customers.  Many let us know their piece of baby jewelry or children's jewelry arrived safely and that they love it.  Sometimes we ask permission to place their email on our Testimonials page though we've neglected this page in recent times.

We love all our jewelry so when our customers do too, it's not just confirmation that we're buying what our customers want, but it's a real thrill to us when our customers express their love of our little products.  

What we'd really love, are some photos.  We'd love to see your baby wearing her new baby bracelet, your little girl wearing her little ID bracelet, or her new children's earrings.  

Last year, we received from a customer, a photo of a little girl on her Christening day, wearing the pearls her grandmother had purchased for her.  It was a little pearl children's necklace which had a cross made from pearl, a beautiful piece.  We loved this photo so much we gained permission to use it on the website when next we do a re-furbish.  

So, to all our hundreds of customers out there, please do send us a photo of your little one wearing her new jewelry.  We would love to see it!  We know these are emotional purchases, with lots of love attached and we'd love you to share.

One of our most frequently asked questions is "where does your baby and children's jewelry come from?"  Initially, this was easy to answer but over the years my growing list of suppliers hail from all around the world.  

We have sterling silver baby bracelets and children's charm bracelets from Italy.  We have both gold and silver children's bracelets from the UK, including some hand-made items.  We have two top-rated, premium silver jewelry manufacturers in Thailand.  We have some children's anklets from the US.  Some of our plated items are Australian made.  Recently we discovered a great silver jewelry designer in Taiwan with really innovative products.  Vietnam brought us my personal favourite expanding sterling silver children's bangle, a supplier who makes stunning jewellery, hard to beat.  From Spain we have gold baby and children's earrings and a gold children's charm bracelet.  

Over the years, we've weeded out the unreliable suppliers and at the present time, all of our suppliers are very valuable to us because they are reliable, provide great quality baby jewelry and children's jewelry and provide prompt service.  If we have a run on a particular item, we know they will do their best to get our re-order to us as quickly as possible.  

Many thanks to all our baby and children's jewelry suppliers who keep us humming along.

As a grandmother, I know why I chose baby jewelry when each of my granddaughters were born but I have carried out a little survey, asking buyers what their motivation was, when they bought that little baby bracelet, baby charm or little girl's necklace etc.

I found that, besides having a love of purchasing nice things for their grandchildren, they chose baby jewelry or children's jewelry because they couldn't afford it for their own children.

Which is the exact same reason as mine!   I have always admired a delicate little bracelet on a chubby wrist and the lucky little girls who wear children's earrings, children's necklaces, little silver charm bracelets etc.  Babies and little girls look divine in a simple piece of jewelry.  Boys too, are now wearing boys' bracelets and they look great too!  But when I was a young mother, children's jewelry was an expense that wasn't affordable.  In those days, most children's bracelets and other children's jewelry, was made of gold and was very expensive.  Today, we rejoice in a huge choice of sterling silver baby and children's jewelry which is not only affordable, but has reached a very high level in design.  No longer are they small replicas of adult jewelry, they have a charm that suits babies and children and appeals to our children on their level.  

That's not to say gold baby bracelets are no longer available or popular.  They are, but these days with the masses of choice in sterling silver, baby jewelry is now affordable on all budgets.

At Baby Jewels, we find grandmothers are great buyers of baby and children's jewelry.  We love to indulge our children and grandchildren, even if it's only very occasionally and what better gift than an item that won't go out of fashion, can be worn for years, make our children feel special and can be kept safely for the next round of babies in the family?  And we know the kids will treasure it.

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 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!

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.

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!

We've recently introduced a new category on our baby and children's jewelry website:  leather.

Only bracelets at this stage, this category features woven leather bracelets in black, white, khaki, yellow and pink.  Some of these baby bracelets and children's bracelets have charms, or a single pearl attached, some don't.  But all have a generous extension for growth, making them not only affordable, but great value for long term wear. 

Check out also, our new black velvet girls' bracelets with pearls.  These are in larger sizes, for older girls and teens for special events.  Also very affordable, for a beautiful bracelet.

Boys' leather bracelets?  Yes, definitely, we have them in all three sizes (babies, small children and older children) with and without charms.  So far we've had good feedback about these boys bracelets.

Depending on how well these leather items sell, we may introduce thong-style children's necklaces, which we think might be popular especially with teens.  Let us know what you think!