A phone charm is a small piece of jewelry designed to hang from a cell phone. They come in a wide range of styles and can be made of different materials.
The dangly phone charms of the Y2K era are making a subtle comeback. They’re being seen on celebrities from Dua Lipa to Kendall Jenner.
Are phone charms still a thing?
A phone charm (also known as a phone lanyard, a phone chain or a phone strap) is a small accessory for a cell phone. These slender, lightweight objects are often designed to have a specific function and may be themed with celebrities, animation characters, video game characters or miniaturized items of real life.
Some phone charms are shaped as loops that can be worn around the wrist. Others hang from hooks, offering another way to carry a phone.
These are a great option for those who want to be able to carry their phone hands-free and are super easy to put on. They can also be paired with a case to personalize your phone and add an extra touch of flair.
The most affordable phone charms cost $20 or less. Some of these are bulk packs of lanyards that don’t contain beads, while other are single lanyards with a variety of beads and charm patterns. The most expensive charms are made by famous jewelry designers and brands. These are often designed with plated metals and may tarnish over time.
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Are they making a comeback?
We’ve been seeing them on our Instagram feeds for the past few months, with Dua Lipa, Gigi Hadid and Salem Mitchell all donning colourful phone charms from London brand String Ting. The quirky techcessories are a 2021 rewrite of the dangly phone attachments that once adorned flip phones and Tamagotchi handheld games from the Y2K era.
These days, they’re a bit more chunky and have a fun kitsch vibe. They’re a great way to dress up your iPhone or other mobile device and make it stand out from the crowd.
Cell phone charms can be designed to represent any interest or passion that you have. Some examples include items like celebrity images, animation and video game characters, miniaturized real world items, and more.
These playful charms can also serve a more practical function as well, like identifying a person’s personality or profession. For example, small playing cards and dice could be a good representation of a gambler, while a hammer might identify someone who’s a carpenter or handyman.
Jewelry for your phone
You don’t need a DSLR camera to take great photos of your jewellery, you can even get really good quality shots using your smartphone! The key is lighting and focus. Blurry photos will look unprofessional and can be frustrating to viewers.
One simple way to improve your photography is to use a tripod – these are inexpensive and easy to find. They help keep the phone steady, allow you to have both hands in the shot at once and are a fun way to snap more pictures!
Another way to get closer to your jewellery is to buy a macro lens. These clip onto your phone and allow you to zoom in on your jewellery without losing the quality of the photo. This is a great way to show off the details on your jewellery, including the colours and sparkles. It’s also a great way to showcase your jewellery online! Try taking your photos in natural light to really show off the beauty of your jewellery.
Where should I put my phone charm?
For some phones, putting on a charm has its challenges. For example, some phone cases lack a mute button hole, which can interfere with your ability to attach a charm. If this is the case, you can still dangle your charm by looping it through the mute button on the side of your case. The mute button is thin, which makes it an excellent place to thread the charm’s cord.
Depending on your phone, you may be able to use a small adhesive or suction-based hanger to install the charm. An adhesive button or pad with a tiny protruding loop offers a place to loop the charm’s cord through, enabling it to be secured in any location on your phone or case. It’s important to choose a placement that won’t interfere with the operation of your phone, block the camera lens, or conflict with how you hold your phone. It’s also a good idea to consider the charm’s weight before attaching it to your device.