All this may evoke alarming visions of nine-year-olds being mugged for their hairgrips, but childrens jewellery can be as much a keepsake as an accessory. Pieces are also bought or commissioned links of london with a view to giving it to the child when she has grown up, with charm bracelets proving particularly popular. I was selling them for adults at the Goldsmiths Fair, says Eileen Gatt, whose creations include an ingenious silver-bowl charm with a gold fish inside it. People started asking me if I did anything for children. I realised there was a gap in the market because a lot of things aimed at children are quite tacky. Eileen charges from pounds 100 to pounds 400 for a silver bracelet with a pair of charms, to which more can be added.
Catherine Hills , who makes links of london Necklace bracelets with charms designed to order, was inspired by her own experience of motherhood. Just before my daughter Eve was born, I decided I wanted to make something really special for her, so I made a bracelet and I add a charm for each birthday. When shes 16, shell have a bracelet which represents all the stages of her life.
The gift is all the more special because Eve almost died a few months ago. Marking each year is a major thing.
Catherines bracelets cost from pounds 118 (silver) to pounds 864 (links of london Sweetie Black Rhodium & 18ct Rolled Gold Bracelet), and her bespoke charms from pounds 120 to pounds 340 each. They include, it must be admitted, a babys shoe, but, unlike Mr Bashas bejewelled bootees, it is in the best possible taste.
