With this in mind, let’s examine what makes a cheap Italian charm. First, we should dispel the notion that simply because a charm is not made in Italy that it is not of high quality. Certainly, jewelers outside of Florence can make quality charms. No…what makes an Italian charm cheap is its craftsmanship and materials.

Authentic Italian charms are made out of hypoallergenic stainless steel and 18k gold. The designs are usually hand painted and hand soldered to the links. They are also backed by the brand names and guarantees of their manufacturers like Nomination, Zoppini, Linx & More, Re Florence, and Unodomani. Most popular manufacturers will stamp their company name on the back of the charm in order to ensure its authenticity.

On the other hand cheap Italian charms are usually not made with high quality steel links and often use brass or “gold toned” metals for the actual charms instead of 18K gold. The charms are then often glued onto the link instead of soldered. In short, cheap charms are usually cheap for a reason. Of course, since not everyone wants to buy their 5 year old daughter a genuine Italian charm bracelet, a lot of these cheaper bracelets can do fine.