Materials
Authentic: Major manufacturers like Nomination,
Zoppini, Re Florence, and Linx & More utilize
18 karat gold in their charms. This is a very pure
gold with a very rich looking finish. Most authentic
Italian charms are also made from nickel free stainless
steel in accordance with European standards. The
absence of nickel often makes these bracelets much
less susceptible to causing allergic reactions
to the skin.
Italian “Style” Charms: Many knock
off charms are made of brass or lower quality gold.
Others are simply gold plated. The average consumer
can notice the difference when comparing two charms
in a side by side comparison. Charms made from
inferior materials will often have a brassy look
and the steel is typically not made from the same
high standards that the Italian manufacturers use.
Link Construction
Authentic: The original Italian charms typically
hand painted enamel art or stones that are soldered
onto a link providing a bond that is practically
unbreakable.
Italian “Style” Charms: Many discount
charms have art or stones that are simply glued
onto the link. Oftentimes one can see the glue
marks where the art is connected to the link.
Ability to Interchange
Authentic: Most of the major Italian charm bracelet
manufacturers make charms that are interchangeable
with the other major brands and will slide on and
off smoothly.
Italian “Style Charms: Many consumers complain
that links made from less reliable sources have
a tendency to fall out of the bracelet and often
do not fit nicely into their bracelets.
Warranty
Most of the authentic Italian charm manufacturers
back their products with guarantees for a year
or so.
Brand
As with purchasing any other product without a
trusted brand name, consumers run the risk that
the quality of the product will be sub standard.
Unfortunately, many suppliers simply do not stand
behind the quality of their charms. In other words,
if it looks like you are getting a really good
deal, you are probably just buying an inferior
product.
Most of the major
brands stamp the back of each and every
link and often etch in where the charm was made.
Obviously,
companies can make quality Italian charm bracelets
without being located in Florence, Italy. Consumers
should ask their retailers for information regarding
the material and construction of the brands that
they carry.
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