Our Story: The Original 14k Gold Charm Company
Founded by a dynamic mother-daughter duo, Leslie and Lisa
Charmco was founded on the belief that 14k gold charms tell our most personal stories. Founded by the mother-daughter team of Leslie and Elena, our collection is a treasure trove of memories, milestones, and passions. We believe that every charm has a story and every story has a charm. This philosophy guides our mission: to provide timeless, heirloom-quality pieces that can be passed down for generations.
IN THE EARLY 2000'S AN IDEA SPARKED
Our Founding Story: How We Started
It all started with a single, one-of-a-kind charm bracelet. Leslie designed it for her daughter, Lisa, combining treasured pieces from a beloved grandmother's heirloom bracelet with meaningful charms collected on travels across the globe. That one bracelet sparked an idea between mother and daughter. They turned their shared love for antique jewelry and rare vintage charms into a business, launching Charmco to share their passion with the world.
Leslie and Lisa left their corporate careers to immerse themselves in the world of 14k gold charms. They dedicated themselves to learning their history and secret meanings, and began curating a treasure trove of playful and sophisticated vintage gold charms—a collection now famously known as our Vintage Vault. But the journey to Charmco as you know it had a few twists and turns.
In just a few short years, the idea evolved
A Custom Charm Bracelet Service
To share their love of vintage charms with the world, Lisa and Leslie devised a truly bespoke service to design custom charm bracelets. Customers would fill out a questionnaire on Charmco's original website about their travels, likes, dislikes, and favorite memories, fax it to the team, and our founders would personally curate a one-of-a-kind bracelet of vintage charms based on their answers.
This fun and unique jewelry experience caught the eye of the storied Bergdorf Goodman. In 2005, Charmco launched a “design your own charm bar” in their NYC department store alongside a book collaboration, The Charm of Charms. Shortly after that, a feature on our unique travel charms in Travel & Leisure introduced Charmco to charm lovers worldwide, cementing our place as a leader in fine, sentimental jewelry.
Time for the next step
Bringing Charmco Exclusively Online
In 2008, after finding success in boutiques and department stores, Leslie and Lisa brought Charmco exclusively online, launching one of the first adaptive websites for fine jewelry. This direct-to-consumer model allowed the Charmco founders and their team to work personally with customers to find the perfect charm, necklace, or bracelet.
Customers loved the easy interface and our direct approach. By bringing the collection online, Charmco could offer a broader range of styles at better prices than were found in-store, making our unique gold charms accessible to everyone.
The Vintage Vault has become one of the largest collections of vintage gold charms available online, with styles spanning every era—from Victorian sentimental miniatures to Post War travel and life-themed pieces. Many of these one-of-a-kind vintage charms were created in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. Crafted in 9k, 10k, 14k, and 18k gold, depending on their origin, some feature intricate movable elements and other unique details. Charmco prides itself on continually refreshing its vintage collection, so we recommend checking back often to catch the latest finds.
Something old, something new
The Charmco Collection: Designing Our Own Gold Charms
After years of selling exclusively vintage charms, Lisa and Leslie decided to expand. As customers came from far and wide seeking unique charms and specific motifs, the team saw the opportunity to design their own 14k gold charms to suit their client's needs. The first charm they produced was an iconic Eiffel Tower charm, made from a mold of a popular vintage charm they had sold and received numerous inquiries for.
Our pieces are handcrafted in NYC
Discover Our Modern Collection, Handcrafted in NYC
Today, the Charmco Collection has evolved to include 14k gold elevated modern twists on traditional jewelry box staples and contemporary designs, ranging from charms, chains, and charm accessories. All pieces are handcrafted in our New York City studio with quality materials, distinctive details, and timeless trends in mind. Many charms can be customized and personalized to make them your own. New charm and chain styles are continuously being dreamed up, so you can always discover something new to add to your or your loved one's jewelry box.
In the Press
Over the years Charmco has developed a strong celebrity following with actresses like Kate Hudson and Goldie Hawn, Debra Messing, Katherine Heigl, Kelly Ripa, Mariah Carey, Susan Sarandon, Sophia Bush, Hilary Swank, and Kacey Musgraves. Charmco has also been featured on the pages of many fashion and lifestyle magazines including Vogue, InStyle, Elle, Glamour, Town and Country, and O Magazine. You can learn more about us in Paper City Magazine.
A Personal Note from Lisa & Leslie
Welcome to Charmco! We're Leslie and Lisa, the mother-daughter duo behind this brand, and we're grateful for your support of our small, female-led, family-operated business. At Charmco, we're all about creating joy through our sentimental jewelry. Whether browsing our gold charms for gifts or adding to your growing collection, the Charmco team is here to help guide you. Our aim isn't just to design jewelry—it's about helping you capture and celebrate your story. Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions; our favorite part of our job is working directly with our wonderful clients.
We can't wait to see what you pick!
xoxo,
Lisa & Leslie
