Where can I buy those cute modular 18k Italian charm bracelets and links that are the sudden rage in the US. "Nominations" is the premiere brand name although all brands are of Italian origin. Do you know approx. cost of each 18k link?

You can get a good idea of the going price by doing a search on eBay for nomination charm.

http://www.bello.belloparadiso.com/html/home.asp<BR><BR>This site has them and an email contact. Perhaps you could write them to ask. M.

topping

Look in the windows of jewelry stores in Milan for Nomination, Zoppini, My Name advertising signs - all the links are interchange-able on the same bracelet. In Venice in January, I bought an enamel charm for around ?10 - about 1/2 of what they sell for in the U.S.

If that question mark was supposed to be a Euro sign, then you haven't checked out eBay like I told you to! Lots of the charms selling for under $10.

While I'm sure there are charms available at a good price on e-bay, my preference is to buy them in a shop where I can see the charm and inspect it. Since that's the case, the charms I buy run between US$16-22. So, yes, the ? was supposed to be the Euro symbol, and enamel charms in Italy run about E.10.<BR>To the original poster: One of the great benefits of buying charms in Italy is that some charms are available there months before they hit the American market. <BR>Happy shopping!

Colleen, I don't live in the US so please excuse maybe an ignorant question...is there a difference in Nomination and Zoppini--ie. quality or the 'designer label factor'? My daughter wants to start one of these bracelets on our trip in Italy...it sounds like they are availabe all over the world though?????

Ciao, Christy!<BR>I can only speak about the American and Italian market regarding the 'Italian Charm Bracelet;' I don't know their availability elsewhere.<BR>IMO, although Nomination claims that their charms are 'the best' quality, the difference between their charms and Zoppini or others is not visible to the naked eye. I have charms from at least three different makers on my bracelet, and they all look great! <BR>The only way to know who makes a particular charm is to turn the bracelet over and look on the back of each charm for the inscribed name. That being said, I've seen some very, very cheap (around US$2 each) charms at a local shop that ARE NOT 18k gold, and probably not even stainless steel. Those charms DO look different. I don't recall the maker, but there is definitely a difference in quality.

You can buy the nomination bracelets at the department store across from the Cathedral...I think its called the Rinascente. They weren't being sold in the main jewerly area but up on the I think 3rd floor. The good thing about buying there is they give you the VAT refund right there(on the top floor) and they have nice clothing so you can easily get the 150 Euros you need.