Charms and Pendants: Research your needs

Research your needs and options before buying Charms and Pendants

Charms and pendants are a great way to personalize jewelry. These small castings can be works of art in their own right and when combined with a simple chain necklace, bracelet or anklet, charms and pendants can add a touch of interest and become a conversation piece. The choice of charms and pendants is as enormous as the designer's imagination and includes simple letters, familiar figures (like teddy-bears) and also brand logos and motifs like hearts, stars, moons, suns and signs of the zodiac.

However, when it comes to actually selecting a charm or pendant the number of different options may be confusing and it can be difficult to decide which is your best buy. The Buyz123 three step guide - Research, Evaluation, Purchase - is designed to assist you in this buying process.

The Research step firstly involves investigating essential features of charms or pendants available on the market, and secondly identifying your actual needs in a charm or pendant.

In the Evaluation step you focus on how well the different features of individual choices meet your needs, and then how well the most suitable charms or pendants compare in detail, one to another.

Finally, in the Purchase step, the issues considered are: what to look for when actually buying the charm or pendant, what questions to ask and what information you should seek on warranty, customer service, and after-sales support.

As you work though the Buyz123 purchase strategy you will clarify your thoughts about your intended purchase, confidently compare products one to another, and then purchase a charm or pendant that really does meet your needs.

Step 1: Research

In order to end up with the charm or pendant best suited to your needs, you have to clearly understand what you are looking for and what options are available to you. This is done by researching in two areas.

Firstly, you research the market to find out what kinds of charms or pendants are available, familiarizing yourself with the different features, styles and price ranges etc. Secondly, you examine your own unique requirements in a charm or pendant.

Research the market: Charm and Pendant essentials

The first part of the research step is to investigate just what's available in the charm or pendant market. The range of options can seem daunting, but you can make a good start by understanding the following major features:

Types: Charms are mostly small castings of everyday items that can be attached to a necklace or bracelet chain. A charm bracelet will often have a tiny teddy bear, a miniature Eiffel tower, a child's toy, a dice, a crescent moon and other items attached to it. Pendants are many and varied. Popular pendants are hearts and the initial letters of the wearer's name and can be plain or embellished with precious or semi precious stones.

Styles: Charms and pendants can be gold, silver or platinum; they may also be made of an enameled base metal to obtain a touch of color. The styles vary enormously; some are relatively crude castings, others are meticulously produced with fine detail. The can also be made from shell, bone, wood or glass.

Sizes: Some charms can be exceptionally small but large chunky charms are also available. Pendants can be small to match very fine necklace chains but you will also find larger crosses and lockets.

Cost: Some of the simpler charms and pendants are reasonably inexpensive, however if you are looking for a special diamond studded tortoise pendant, you will pay considerably more than the cost of a simple charm.

Research your needs: Questions to ask yourself

Now it's time to determine what your requirements are in a charm or pendant. For example, will you use the charm or pendant only with elegant evening wear, or will you wear it with your usual daily attire?

You can start this process by considering the following questions - as well as any others you think of yourself - and recording your answers.

Have I owned a charm or pendant before?
	If you have, work out what you did or didn't like about it. You may be looking for one exactly like it, hoping to improve, or even trying to avoid any particular features that you found inconvenient.

Am I looking for a specific charm or pendant?
	If you are buying for someone else, you might need to know all the initials of their name or if they collect anything special (dolls, dogs, dolphins, etc). You might need to find out what materials they usually like to wear, and if they are allergic to any particular types.

Does size matter?
	If you are considering a single charm or pendant, you won't want it to be too small unless it's part of a bracelet. A necklace can handle quite large and elaborate pendants, if needed.

What is the purpose of the charm?
	Charms and pendants may be attached to a necklace, bracelet, earrings, waist chain or other type of personal jewelry. They may also be attached to key rings, handbags and spectacle chains, or hung from computer stands or work consoles - charms and pendants can, in short, be used to decorate or personalize just about anything.

How much will charms and pendants cost?
	The materials used and the type of gemstone (if included) will affect the price of charms and pendants.

Understanding your needs is the key to a successful purchase and you can revisit your list of needs at any time during the buying process.

Once you complete this Research step, having informed yourself about the essentials of charms or pendants and identified your needs, you are ready to move on to the next step: Evaluation.

Video Links

High School Musical Charm Bracelet Watch - User review
A children's charm bracelt gets reviewed. (1m 47s)