Reviewed by Colin Hewitt
I don’t wear a tremendous amount of jewellery, but I have got a collection of handmade bracelets, that I’ve purchased in various markets worldwide. They’re a lovely reminder of the places I’ve visited. Unfortunately, some of those are starting to look very tired and should be consigned to a box of memories rather than worn (well-loved might be a better way of expressing it). I’ve been looking for something to replace them, something a little different, a little bohemian, and something that would be a talking point among friends and fellow travellers.
I had spotted some on-line advertisements for El Camino Bracelets, and by coincidence, shortly afterwards, I was asked to review an item from their comprehensive collection.
El Camino roughly translates to ‘The Way’, ‘A Route’, or ‘A Trail’, and that’s essentially what these bracelets, with their fantastic choice of personal customisation, can represent; a depiction of your travels, not only physically around the world but of your journey through life.
The concept is straightforward and fun. Select a bracelet, and then customise it with memories (or steps, as El Camino call them) – think of it as a less fussy and more practical charm bracelet for the twenty-first-century.
When starting an El Camino collection, you will need to make a few decisions – they’re lovely decisions, so stay with me.
As a starting point, have a look at their website. It’s simply laid out and a pleasure to browse through.
Firstly, the strap, single or double? This was an easy choice for me, as I prefer the double (which goes around your wrist twice).
The beautiful bracelets are handmade using four interlaced cotton hybrid cords. They’re completed with a robust but easy to fasten clip.
Next, select the length you require. El Camino has provided a handy size chart, which I followed carefully; therefore, when the item arrived, it fitted perfectly.
They look delicate, but don’t be fooled; these straps are sturdy. There’s a choice of four colours, black, chestnut brown, purple and a lovely refined turquoise. The quality and care during manufacture are exceptional.
The next stage is to select your steps.
This is where the unique nature of this product comes into its own. I’m sure somewhere, a very bright mathematician could calculate the number of design permutations available when selecting the various steps. However, that brilliant mathematician isn’t me, so I’ll just say it’s massive, enormously massive (I suppose it’s something you could calculate while facing an eight-hour delay at an airport, waiting for a connecting flight – but I think I’d prefer to simply look at the memories and reminisce). If you ever meet anyone wearing an identical bracelet, I’d suggest you’ve got a doppelgänger!
Country Steps – self-explanatory, really – load your bracelet with the countries that mean the most to you. I chose Laos and The Bahamas.
Small Steps – these are cities, or counties, even landmarks, and events. I spotted the Northern Lights, the Great Wall of China, the Great Barrier Reef, and Happy Mothers Day 2021 among the vast selection.
Sea Steps – these are made of coloured glass and really do capture the delicate colours of the sea. This was a hard decision, but I finally opted for The Baltic Sea.
Ocean Steps – again self-explanatory – five steps to represent the five oceans.
Region Steps – if you’ve been fortunate to travel through a whole region, and struggle to pick your favourite country within that region, here’s the solution. Again, they’re handmade from glass, and the colours represent that area.
Adventure Steps – these items are a lovely bit of whimsy – graphic representations of activities such as walking, cycling, mountains etc.
Dividers – for the well organised, these items offer a method of grouping your steps, ‘Where I’ve Been’, ‘Where I’m Going’ etc.
Lockdown Steps – Yes! Say no more!
Spacers – each step you purchase is supplier with a hand-cut, responsibly sourced coconut spacer. However, you can buy additional packs of spacers (coconut, dark or light wood) to add even more customisation to your bracelet.
Custom Steps – these steps make that brilliant mathematician’s job impossible. Up to 32 characters of your choice on a small step or 29 on a country step (I’m already thinking significant birthdays, names of travelling companions, first-book published, even my local pub!)
The prices of the items, especially the individual steps, are very reasonable, and I certainly wouldn’t be embarrassed to suggest purchasing one if someone asked me what I would like for a birthday or Christmas gift. You can even purchase gift certificates via the website.
In those odd times, and if you’re in a position to do so, why not consider starting someone on their El Camino journey by buying one of these superb items as a gift, a thank you, or just because you can? Due to the unique personal customisation, once received, I’m sure it would be cherished forever.
Rating: A very well deserved 5/5
RRP:
Single bracelet £26.99
Double bracelet £36.99 – £42.99
Country Steps £10.99
Small Steps £10.49
This product can be purchased from the El Camino Bracelets website here.