The earliest bracelets date back to about 2500 B.C. in the Southern Mesopotamia region. A man’s wealth and social standing in the community were evident in the jewelry worn by his wife. In addition to the outward signs of wealth, these pieces often had religious significance.

The ancient Egyptian gods of 2000 B.C. were incorporated into much of their jewelry and they brought bracelets to new heights of popularity. During this period and through the rise of the Greek and Roman civilizations, both men and women wore bracelets. Grecian and Roman soldiers wore defensive bands of leather, bracels, on their forearms. While the Romans delighted in their engraved bangle and snake bracelets, they borrowed the Palmettos and acanthus leaves from the Greeks.

The jewelry of the Victorian era expressed sentiment and would often contain charms or lockets with pictures or hair from a loved one. The Art Nouveau period replaced sentimentality with nature and brought with it chameleons and serpents and Egyptian scarabs. Other popular creatures of nature were dragonflies, butterflies, bees, peacocks, swans and even bats.

A host of materials have been used through the years to adorn the arm - from gold and silver to copper, bone, and leather embellished with precious gem stones to glass. Today’s women can choose from an array of styles, colors and textures to make her personal fashion statement.