I have just added a Nuvo rocket charm to the website and it got me thinking. That was the first ever charm I bought myself.
There was the silver bracelet that had been given to me at my christening, pictured below, with a few charms added from my sister and aunt, but I had never purchased any myself. 
I was working at Natwest Bank and there was an antique jewellers across the road. I had popped in for something for my sister's birthday. They had one of those rotating displays full of silver charms. I spotted the rocket straight away and just had to have it, I don't know why, I'm not a sci-fi fan but I loved the way it opened to show the astronaut and I adored the shape of it. I think that was the moment I fell in love with vintage charms. It must have been about 1994/95.
It took me a few years to leave Natwest and set up in business but finally, in 2002, I started trading in charms. I suppose you could say that the rest is history, 6 years of eBay and now 8 years for the website, but I have that little rocket charm to thank for starting it all off. If you look in the picture below, at about 9 o'clock, you will spot it, the exact one I bought all those years ago, still in my collection today.
Feel free to share your stories and collections either on here or facebook. I would love to hear them.
Best wishes,
Sandy xx
Hi Sandy,
I have just read your message about your ‘first ever charm’ and it reminded me about how I started my collection. I used to visit an Aunt when I was a little girl and she always wore a charm bracelet – I was fascinated by it. When she died I inherited one of her charms (a little gold elephant) and I began to collect charms from then on. I focus on collecting charms which represent countries that I have visited and I now have about 50 or so. I also have some that represent special moments in my life (eg birth of children/marriage etc).
I love collecting charms, especially those that ‘open up to reveal something inside’ and love your website, so thank you!
Hi Sandy, just been reading your info on fumsups.I found it really interasting as I have never known anyone who has ever heard of them. I have a blue glass body one with black wooden head [eyes nose and mouth painted in white] and a couple of typical ones.I am listing them on ebay tomorrow 9.10.2018 ….you may be interested …….Regards Debra
Hi Sandy,
I have bought several charms from your lovely site. I can’t remember my
first charm but I had been given charms by my family and the one that
was to lead me down the the path to collect expensive charms was my
T.L.Mott fuschia flower charm. The collection of 12 is beautiful.
I now have bracelets with lots of themes and my favourite is my frog
bracelet.
Best Wishes
Margot
Thank you V,
Warmest wishes,
Sandy
Hi Bobbie,
So glad you are enjoying the website and, yes, I do love what I do ❤️.
I remember the gorgeous little clown charm. He was very unusual and I’ve not seen another … yet. I’ll keep an eye out for you. If you ever want to revisit him he is on my Pinterest board.
Warmest wishes,
Sandy