by Esther P. Chase

Charms for My High School Years

On my 16th birthday, my gift from my parents was the 14K gold charms bracelet with the addition of a "Sweet Sixteen" 14K gold charm from the Rembrandt charms collection. My parents knew how much I wanted charms jewelry along with charms for charm bracelet, as my love for jewelry charms was nothing new. Charm bracelet charms were the perfect gift and my parents did a great job of mixing and matching charm bracelets silver charms with gold charms for a charm bracelet, which made my charm jewelry unique and wearable with any outfit! They even told the rest of the family that the best gift for me would be silver charm bracelet charms, charms bracelet charms sterling silver and charms for a gold charm bracelet.

And then, with my birthday money, I added Rembrandt charms for charm bracelets that included a 14K gold Ballet Shoe bracelet charm and sterling silver charms; a car charm, a drivers license charm and a clarinet charm. (I was taking clarinet lessons). While still in high school, I added charm bracelet charms in sterling silver and 14K gold charms: a 14K gold cheer leading charm (to celebrate making the squad), a sterling silver bracelet charm of a dragon (our team was Westville Dragons), a Rembrandt gold diving charm (a veiled reference to my first crush- our Diving Team Captain).

Our class trip was to Bermuda. Fortunately, the Rembrandt charms collection had a silver charm bracelet charm for Bermuda. As I play with this charm vivid memories explode. This was my first trip without parental control. While we had many chaperons, we also had many ruses for evading them. If the pink sand beaches of Bermuda could talk they could tell a lot of tales.

My high school prom- there were so many choices in the 14K charms collection. I considered the silver charms crystal ball and dancing, but decided on the 14K gold charm, dancing. Just looking at this gold charm lets me recreate in my mind the green satin gown, matching sandals and my wrist corsage. I also remember the rituals of preparation-the hairdresser, the pedicure and manicure. Surprisingly I have only vague memories of my prom date-- so important at the time-- so irrelevant now!

High School graduation- a major milestone! There were many gab fests debating which of the jewelry charms we would select for our charms bracelets. Some friends selected sterling silver bracelet charms. This was such a major milestone, I selected a 14K gold charm from the Rembrandt charms collection.

My charms bracelet looked so attractive it generated many conversations. Some of these conversations were with "interested" and "interesting" young men. Of course, I encouraged all questions and comments relative to my individual bracelet charms and to my charms bracelet.

Chapter 4 - College Year Charms