Meet 'Joy' - my enamel charm bracelet by David Klass Jewelry

[marcy]

It turned out great @mrs-b. So beautiful.

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

I can't even tell you how much I love the charms "being" the bracelet. Don't let Pandora steal your idea!

 

[mrs-b]

Hallo beautiful @bling_dream19! Thank you so much for your enthusiasm for this piece - it makes it extra special when friends like it too. I can't wait till the weather is warmer and I can crack out the t-shirts and jeans!! I hope all is well with you and your family. ox

Hi @junebug17 Sometimes I feel as tho we can take our jewelry a tad too seriously. This piece is the opposite of that - and I love that about it!

Thank you so much, @Fabfashion - I'm so glad you like it and thank you for those warm wishes!

 

[mrs-b]

Hi @lambskin Do you have any charm bracelets? I'd love to see them if you do! Do you have any threads on bracelets? Share please!

Hi Catmom I'm glad it's finished, too! The good health part is a tad elusive these days, but I'll settle for the happiness. I hope all is well with you! Is everything starting to bloom?

Hallo @MamaBee - how is everything with you? I've been reading your NIRDI posts and things seems to have improved markedly. I'm so pleased for you! I love this bracelet and will INDEED enjoy wearing it - hopefully for many years to come!

 

[mrs-b]

Hallo, @Rubies-R-Me I have a real love of whimsy, and I was going for sophisticated, quirky fun with this. I'm not sure I actually hit that, but I love where I landed, so...good enough!

Awww - thank you, @marcy! Your warm words mean a lot to me. ox

Hey there, @Asscherhalo_lover I can't imagine pandora coming for my charms idea - altho - isn't end-to-end charms kinda their thing? I hope they don't think *I'm* taking THEIR idea!!

 

[mrs-b]

@lulu_ma, @bling_dream19 and @MrsBlue - I *do* think I'll add it to the PS H of F thread. Whether it's iconic - I doubt. But there's nothing like it on that thread, so Joy gets points for uniqueness! If people dislike it, or feel it's self-serving - my apologies!

 

[Dandi]

I just adore this @mrs-b. Everything about it...the colours, the design, the layout, and the meaning behind each piece. It's a workof art, and a true heirloom piece brimming with memories and meaning. Beautiful and immaculately planned, as always!

 

[GeorgieQ]

@mrs-b did you see your bracelet on DK's IG page today? The colours looked absolutely divine, like gorgeous, really, really gorgeous!!

 

[LLJsmom]

Ok, so here's the thing. Why aren't ALL charm bracelets set end to end? It's the only option that sense to me. I never wear a charm bracelet because that every dangling thing presses a key I don't want and I never get anything done. I LOVE IT. I would wear that thing every friggin day. @mrs-b my fav charm has to be the colorful swirly thing, and then the cool beach ball. Congratulations on figuring out where the finish line was and getting there. This is the coolest charm bracelet ever. How long will it take for me to collect this many, and then to get a jeweler to put it together correctly? Sigh...I'll just have to stare at yours mrs-b.

 

[NonieMarie]

Love it!

 

[yennyfire]

Joy is just gorgeous and the meaning behind each charm is priceless!

 

[mrs-b]

Thank you so much, @Dandi! Every piece is special to me and was reworked at least once - some, two and three times. I'm so glad you like it - it truly was a labor of love. <3

Hi @GeorgieQ - yes, I did see it, and it's a far better representation of the colors. My photos on PS are always...drab. The prism charm, for example, in my photos looks almost black on some surfaces, but in real life is all stained glass colors. My photos never do my pieces justice - especially a piece like this, which is *all* color! I'm glad they posted it.

@LLJsmom - I HEAR YOU on this! That dangling sends me beserk!! I'm also way too old to rock the gypsy look. But I've loved miniatures since I was a child, so charms in general are right up my alley! To then compress them with bright colors and stripped back shapes of things meaningful to me makes for a very personal representation. And just to put this out there - in 18kt, solid - this is not a cheap piece. At all. DKJ was UNBELIEVABLY generous with me re all the remaking and tweaking. If you were to buy this piece pre-made, however, i think you'd be looking solidly at upwards of 20k. But this piece has never been about what it did or didn't cost me. This is one of those hugely personal pieces whose significance goes beyond money. It's all about how it makes me feel - and this bracelet gives me aaaalllll the feels!

I definitely think you should make one, LLJsmom; it's a special sort of insanity!

 

[Bishbunch]

I love the sentiment behind each charm. What a special piece! I hope you get lots of wear from this bracelet and your other equally lovely charm bracelet.

 

[Dmndsr4evr11]

I've been working on this project on and off for about 3 years. Tweaking, retweaking, making charms - deciding they didn't hit the mark - then making them again. Some designs I thought I'd love...and didn't. Sometimes the colors needed changing...on and on...this project became nigh on to an obsession.

But it's finally done and I love it. We crossed a major milestone when I realized that, instead of dangling charms, I wanted the charms set end to end. This led to a new round of remaking anything with pointy sides or edges, which in turn affected the length, which in turn affected.... Well, you get the general idea. It reminds me of a comment my best girlfriend and I often make to each other in regards to renovating: "I bought a new lampshade. In the end, I had to sell the house."

Each charm is 18kt yellow gold with hand done enamel. Most of the pieces are solid and the bracelet altogether weighs a bunch. Two of the charms are enameled one color on one side, and a different color on the other. They have a D and a W respectively, representing my two best girlfriends in Australia, who bought me those 2 charms. The piece with the H and the holly leaves represents my name.

To me, this bracelet is the ultimate 'jeans and white shirt' piece. It's summer and spring and lifted spirits all rolled into one.

As a result, I've called her 'Joy'.

It’s beautiful! Congrats, @mrs-b!!

 

[bright ice]

It’s joyfully beautiful @mrs-b!

 

[GlitterInMyHair]

I saw the bracelet on David's IG page and instantly knew it was yours @mrs-b, lol.

It is such a happy and beautiful bracelet. Joy is the perfect name.

 

[mrs-b]

@NonieMarie - thank you! - and - yay!

Thank you so much, @yennyfire. It's super meaningful and I'll have it forever - which is a lovely thing to be able to say about a piece.

Thank you, @Bishbunch! The other one, I'm sorry to say, was dismantled. I had to be honest with myself as to which one I'd wear - knowing I wouldn't wear more than one - and the enamel bracelet was the runaway winner. The charms on the other one that I particularly valued have gone onto pendants, and the one I valued the most (the pearl charm made for me by a friend when I was declared cancer-free) went onto a plain chain bracelet by itself. I should be receiving it today or tomorrow, and I'll post it on SMTB when it's here.

 

[mrs-b]

Thanks so much, @Dmndsr4evr11! I love it!

Awwww - that's lovely, @bright ice! "Joyfully beautiful" - awww!

Hey there, @GlitterInMyHair Well, I guess I have a signature style, then? It really is such a happy piece, isn't it, and makes *me* happy when I wear it. Mission accomplished.

 

[wordie89]

Well make me +15! What a colorful, classic look for the charms. Wear in health and joy!

 

[caf]

Joy is joyful and lovely. Wear in good health!

 

[adlgel]

So unique and fabulous! The lemon is my favorite. I could envision a whole citrus bracelet with alternating lemons, limes and oranges.

 

[Gussie]

A sentimental work of art! Beautiful and joyous!

 

[Dandi]

I keep coming back to this thread when I need a sunny, colourful pick-me-up. Beautiful Joy makes me happy!

 

[luckyblackcat]

This is pure joy indeed!!! This reminds me of a much more sophisticated and elegant version of Juicy Couture charm bracelets that were all the rage when I was in high school. You simply HAD to have one and all the charms were brightly enameled, sweet, and fun. I was very curious what became of your many other lovely charms and am happy to hear they're living their best lives as pendants and elsewhere.

 

[mrs-b]

Thank you so much, @wordie89! I'll be trying to do exactly that.

Thank you @caf! I'm so glad everybody seems to like her. She's rather unique and unusual, so I did wonder, as I suspect she's an 'either love or hate' sort of piece. I, for one, love her!

@adlgel - what an awesome idea! You really could go down any path with this - the only preventative being price. I would have LOVED to have done all flowers, but the design work and bench work made the price simply prohibitive. Even for a project like this, there's a limit. (I can't believe I said that!) -

 

[Tremsi]

Omg! I love enamel jewelry anyway but this is just beyond brilliant! The choice to go end to end was inspired. I also love how much thought went into it and how meaningful it is. I bet it makes you smile every time you look at it.

 

[mrs-b]

Thanks so much, @Gussie She's certainly warming my heart!

@Dandi - I think your heart is sunny and happy! I know it gives *me* a pick-me-up to read your comments!

Thank you, @luckyblackcat I'd thought of the Pandora similarity, but not the Juicy ones. I love *bright* and sunny looking, so this is very much to my taste. And yes, all my best charms are living their best life! ( - the idea of which made me chuckle!).

 

[derbygal]

I love this. Thanks for sharing.

 

[blingmeupscotty]

I am completely in love with that piece. It reminds me of a Sunday whimsy at a festival in the 40's. Nostalgia of something new and old. It is pure joy indeed. Thank you for sharing and I hope you have many years of happiness with her!

 

[mrs-b]

Hi @Tremsi. It does indeed make me smile, and I look at it a LOT! But - more to the point - can you tell us a little about the dear little dog in your avatar? What a love he/she is!

Thank you, @derbygal - and thanks for letting me share! More pieces coming tomorrow, so expect another thread!

@blingmeupscotty, I have to say, while the charms are all new, the things they represent are definitely old and new. Or maybe more like - old...and older! There are layers of meaning I didn't mention in my overview of the pieces. For example - the orange and blue charm from my friend, Deborah, represents the colors of the Australian outback. Deb has a famous Australian outlaw in her family tree, and also a tiny bit of Aboriginal heritage. So the colors one sees most of all in outback Australia are represented here. Blue is also her favorite color. My friend, Wendy, who gave me the red and green charm, has a passion (as in - PASSION) for Italy, ergo the colors on her piece. She introduced me to Italian cooking, Italian fashion, Italian art (Uffizi gallery, anyone??) and sparked a love of Europe in my soul that ultimately saw us move to the UK and spend considerable time on the continent. I'll be taking Wendy to Italy for our 50th anniversary of friendship in 4 years, and we're already working on our itinerary (and our luggage!). Also, red is her favorite color.

So the significance and meaning goes on and on....