A christening bangle is often a child’s first piece of jewellery. It comes out for photographs and family visits in the first months, and a well-made one can be kept long after it has stopped fitting.
Christening bangles are usually 9ct gold (375) or sterling silver (925). The choice that matters most is between an expanding bangle, which opens a little to fit and can be worn for longer, and a fixed one, which stays one size and is often put away as a keepsake. Our guide to how to choose a gift that lasts puts it alongside other milestone gifts.
At Anupam, we have 65 children’s bangles, expanding and fixed, and many of them have an ID plate on the front. We’ll help you choose the metal, the style and the size.
What is the christening bangle tradition?
For generations the traditional British christening gift has been silver: a mug, a spoon, a rattle. The bangle is the same idea in a form a child can wear. In many families and faiths a baby’s first gold is given too, at a naming ceremony or a family celebration.
Wherever it is given, it is a small, lasting gift to welcome the child. A plain bangle doesn’t date, so it can be kept in its box for years, worn on special days and passed on.
Should you choose an expanding or a fixed bangle?
| Feature | Expanding | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
| How it fits | Flexes or opens a little to slide over the hand and fit the wrist | A solid ring of metal that must pass over the hand |
| Wearable for | Longer, as the child grows | One size, then a keepsake |
| Best as | A bangle to wear while the child is small | A keepsake to put away for later |
Our advice: if you are unsure of the size, choose expanding. It forgives a wrist that has grown, or a guess that was slightly off.
What size bangle does a baby or toddler need?
A baby’s wrist is tiny and grows quickly, so buy for the age at which the child will wear it, not for the day of the christening. A bangle for a newborn is almost always a keepsake.
A bangle has to pass over the widest part of the hand, so measure the hand rather than the wrist, with the fingers together and the thumb tucked in. Once it is on, it should turn freely, with room to slide a fingertip underneath. Every child is different, so we don’t give a general size guide. If the size of a bangle isn’t on the website, contact us and we’ll measure that bangle for you.
If you can bring the child with you, trying a bangle on is the surest way to check the fit.
Take a bangle off before a baby sleeps, and don’t leave a baby wearing one unwatched.
What is an ID plate?
An ID plate is a small flat plate on the front of the bangle. It is the traditional place for a child’s name or initials, and it gives the bangle a clean, flat face. If you’d like a name on the plate, ask us. We offer engraving, depending on the item: it comes down to its size and whether it sits on our machine without moving or slipping. Hollow pieces can’t be engraved, because of the pressure of the diamond cutter.
Should you choose 9ct gold or sterling silver?
9ct gold (375) contains 37.5% pure gold, combined with other metals to make a durable alloy. It is hard-wearing and keeps its colour, so it suits a bangle meant to be passed down.
Sterling silver (925) is gentler on the budget. It is relatively soft and will tarnish in time, but it polishes back to brightness, and we polish jewellery at our bench in Ashford.
Do children’s bangles have to be hallmarked?
Yes, the same law applies as for any other jewellery. In the UK, gold, silver, platinum and palladium must be hallmarked before sale once a piece passes a set weight. Gold under 1g and silver under 7.78g are exempt, so a very light bangle may not carry a mark.
A UK hallmark has three compulsory parts.
| Mark | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Sponsor’s mark | Who submitted the piece for testing |
| Fineness mark | The purity of the metal: 375 for 9ct gold, 925 for sterling silver |
| Assay office mark | Where it was tested, for example Edinburgh’s castle or London’s leopard’s head |
We state the metal on every listing. Our commitment to hallmarking explains what that involves, and UK hallmarks explained goes through the marks in more detail.
Choosing a christening bangle with us
Browse our children’s bangles, or book a time with us in Ashford and we’ll go through the sizes with you. It helps to know roughly when the child will wear the bangle, and if you would prefer expanding or fixed. For other milestone gifts, see our gifts and milestones guide.
Frequently asked questions
Who usually gives a christening bangle?
Traditionally a godparent or grandparent, though anyone close to the family can give one. If more than one person is planning a piece of jewellery, it’s worth agreeing who gives what beforehand.
Can a bangle be given for a naming ceremony instead?
Yes, and everything in this article applies in the same way: the metal, expanding or fixed, and the size.
Does the ID plate have to carry a name?
No; a plate left plain still gives the bangle its clean, flat face.
Will a 9ct gold bangle change colour?
The colour of yellow and rose 9ct gold runs through the whole alloy, so there’s no plating to wear off. Over the years it can dull a little and pick up fine scratches, and a professional polish brings it back.
How do you look after a child’s bangle?
Keep it in its box between wears, so it isn’t scratched by other jewellery. How to look after your jewellery has more on caring for pieces at home.
What happens when the child outgrows it?
It becomes a keepsake, and a 9ct gold bangle could also one day be remodelled into a new piece in our workshop.
