Bag charm hardware and what it carries
Whether the charm's rings and links hold under load and whether the plating survives rubbing against a strap.
The reading sequence
4 steps, starting at surface and finish and running to check the plating where it will rub. Evidence on this point is read at E1, and 1 of the 4 steps carries a condition that ends the assessment outright.
Photograph every connection in the chain
Establish how many separate parts sit between the attachment point and the charm, because that count sets how many can fail.
Evidence: E1 — one macro photo per connection in profile, plus one photo of the whole charm laid flat with a ruler beside it
- Every link between the attachment point and the charm appears in at least one photo.
- The ruler in the flat photo gives the overall length and the size of each link.
- One connection is hidden behind another in every photo supplied.
- The attachment ring is shown only from the front, so its joint cannot be seen.
- Only a wide shot of the assembled charm is supplied, where a link gap cannot be read.
- The charm is photographed alone with the attachment ring outside the frame.
Look at each link for an open joint
Decide whether the links are closed along their joint or left with a gap that will spread under a swinging load.
Evidence: E1 — a macro photo of each link in profile, lit from the side so a gap casts a shadow across it
- Every link is closed with its ends meeting and no light passing through the joint.
- Split rings show coils overlapping along their full length rather than meeting at one point.
- A hairline seam at one joint that shows no light passing through it.
- A split ring whose coils touch but do not overlap at one point along the coil.
- Light passes through a link joint, so that link is open.
- A jump ring's ends sit apart by more than a fifth of the ring's own thickness.
Hang the charm by its attachment ring and let it swing
See whether the assembly holds when the whole weight of the charm is carried by the attachment ring alone.
Evidence: E1 — a video of the seller holding the attachment ring between two fingers and letting the charm hang and swing for about ten seconds
- The attachment ring carries the full charm without its joint opening.
- The charm hangs straight, with the links in line rather than kinked.
- A slight rotation of one link under load with no gap opening at any joint.
- The seller supports part of the charm's weight with a second hand.
- Any link opens or shifts position under the charm's own weight.
- The seller declines to hang the charm by the attachment ring, or stops the video before it settles.
Check the plating where it will rub
Read the finish at the points that will contact a bag strap, which is where plating goes first on a hanging piece.
Evidence: E1 — macro photos in daylight of the inner face of the attachment ring and of the charm's highest points
- Plating is continuous across the inner face of the attachment ring.
- No polishing compound is trapped in the recesses of the charm.
- A lighter tone on the high points that could be reflection rather than wear.
- Fine scratches under the plating that show at one angle only.
- Plating is missing on the inner face of the attachment ring before the charm has been used.
- Enamel or paint runs over an edge, so it will chip along that edge.
Why the thresholds sit where they do
A charm fails at its connections rather than at its body, so the sequence counts the links before it looks at the finish. The load test uses the charm's own weight rather than an added weight, because a charm carries nothing but itself on a bag, and a seller will agree to a test that puts nothing at risk; a request to hang a litre bottle from the ring is refused often enough to make it useless as a routine step. Ten seconds of swinging is long enough for an open joint to spread visibly in a video and short enough that a seller will record it without editing. Reading each joint in raking light is what makes the check repeatable: a closed joint and an open joint of the same thickness are identical under flat light and separate the moment a shadow can pass through the gap.
Common misreads
2 pairs recorded for this point. Each runs in both directions: 1 finding that looks worse than it is, and 1 that looks better.
- looks like Return actually Pass
A visible seam line across a link in a straight-on photo. Every wire link shows a seam where its ends were brought together. The question is whether light passes through it, which needs the side-lit frame.
- looks like Pass actually Return
A wide photo of a complete, brightly plated charm with every link present. Link count is visible in a wide shot and joint gaps are not, which is why step 1 asks for one photo per connection.
Check this point against what you were sent
Insufficient evidence
Nothing decided on bag charm and hardware yet: 0 of 4 steps have been read.
0 of 4 steps judged
| Step | Reading | Evidence | Stop met |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Photograph every connection in the chainneeds E1 | — | ||
| 2. Look at each link for an open jointneeds E1 | A link is open at the joint. A load that swings works that gap wider with every movement, and a charm that drops off a bag is lost rather than recoverable. | ||
| 3. Hang the charm by its attachment ring and let it swingneeds E1 | — | ||
| 4. Check the plating where it will rubneeds E1 | — |
Sources and checks
- Public community thread — Charm threads where a link opened or a clasp failed within the first monthn=19
- Editor analysis — Self-weight hang test chosen after sellers refused added-weight requestsno sample
Last checked · next review due · status current.
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