Beaded charm bracelets for mom on her day
Pandora bracelets and necklaces, designed in Copenhagen since 2000, feature a chain (silver, $65 and up; 14k gold, $1,415 and up), plus charms ($30 to $845); at Pandora in Roosevelt Field Mall, Garden City; for more retailers, visit Pandora.net. Credit: None/
There was a time when getting mom a ring with her children's birthstones was a popular Mother's Day gift. But those just recall one day in her life.
For a more personal statement, look to the new beaded charm bracelets that seem to be all the rage these days. "Pandora bracelets" and "troll beads" are Danish firms that are leaders in the trend, but there are many other lines entering the field.
The delicate, detailed beads -- made of gold, silver, enamel and glass -- purchased individually and strung on chains or leather cords, makes for a 21st-century update on the classic charm bracelet popular in the 1950s.
Jewelry should be "like fashion -- a unique expression of each individual," says designer Killian Rieder, who, with her husband, founded Chamilia, a customizable beaded jewelry line, in 2002.
Local jewelers have jumped on the trend, carrying Chamilia and other brands. Trollbeads has a shop at Roosevelt Field, Pandora at Roosevelt Field and Smith Haven malls, and Macy's launched a new Donatella Collection.
With literally thousands of beads to choose from, you can rest assured that mom will never see another bracelet like hers.
Bead basics
COST They're pricey (around $15 to several hundred per bead). Macy's offers a starter kit: four beads and a leather bracelet for $99.
SIZE Not all beads are interchangeable. Pandora beads, for instance, fit on chains about 5 millimeters in diameter, but Trollbeads are smaller (about 4 millimeters).
CLEANING Sterling-silver beads oxidize, turning black, over time; restore luster by polishing with a soft cloth, notes Trollbeadsuniverse.com, and avoid wearing in showers, saunas, pools and the ocean (salt and chemicals can tarnish or discolor beads).
