So you are thinking of getting a charm bracelet. Maybe one of the major brands be it a Pandora, Lovelinks, or Chamilia but they aren't that cheap to buy and you are not sure what size to get.
Well its easy to work out just what size you'll need.
Measuring Up
Firstly you will need to take a measurement with a tape measure.
If you want to wear the bracelet the regular way, opening and closing the clasp when you take the bracelet on and off, then you will want to take the measurement around the widest part of your wrist.
Make sure you do not wrap the tape around too tightly and that it sits comfortably and that the tape sits flat so that you get the right reading. Then read the measurement on the tape, I usually suggest if its a part reading to round it up to the nearest centimetre (or half inch - see comparisson of bracelet sizes in centimetres & inches at the end of the post).
For example, if the tape measure shows a length measurement as 16.5cm. Rounding that up to the closest cm makes it 17cm.
Adding space for all your charms to fit
So your bracelet doesn't sit to tightly, and because the more charms you add to the bracelet the more snuggly it will fit you want to allow room for all the charms you are going to be buying.
As a general rule of thumb add 2cm (1 inch) to your wrist length
For example
Your wrist measurement rounded up came to 18cm + 2cm for charms = 20cm
If you intend to fill your bracelet up completely, or to use a lot of munaro glass or other large beads, or if you just like a looser fit you cand add 3cm instead of 2cm, to give a bit extra room.
Selecting your bracelet length
Using the Pandora sizings as an example
They have the following sizes available
Length
16cm (6.7 inches)
18cm (7.1 inches)
19cm (7.5 inches)
20cm (7.9 inches)
21cm (8.3 inches)
23cm (9.1 inches)
You now simply choose the closest bracelet length to the size you have calculated. So in the example given earlier we would choose the 20cm bracelet. By the way the sizing table above is correct and Pandora don't make a 22cm size bracelet so if your sizing came to 22cm (which mine did when I went for my first bracelet) can choose the 23cm length instead.
Things to note
This measuring system works with both Pandora type locks and the lobster claw style ones. Lovelinks bracelets come with a variety of styles of locks included with the bracelet so the size given by the company are pretty accurate.
Trollbeads brand bracelets are sold without their cute little locks, which are purchased seperately so when buying a Trollbeads bracelet remember to allow for the extra length of the lock/clasp.
Some people like to wear there braclets so they can slide them on and off like a bracelet, if that's the case make sure to take your initial measurement tightly around the widest part of your hand instead of your wrist.
If buying a bracelet as a gift for someone and measuring their wrist would give away the surprise I recommend you go with the 19cm length as its the average size for most women.
Good news if you are buying a Pandora bracelet, from the many stories I've heard, and from my own experience if you buy a bracelet and find its the wrong size most Pandora retailers (I'm talking bricks & mortar shops here online suppliers can be a little trickier) will exchange your bracelet for another size if you take it back to the place of purchase within 30 days. Pandora have a great exchange policy with their dealers so if the store you bought it at won't exchange it, try anothe store, and remember who was nice to you next time you are out bead shopping.
