The Power of the Bangles

Danielle Hall has been interested in jewelry since she was five years old. “Remember the game Pretty Pretty Princess? I wore that jewelry all the time, even when I wasn’t playing the game,” she remembers. Her jewelry phase has changed drastically as she has grown older. In fourth grade, she loved dangling earrings. She wore big hoops and earrings that reached down to her shoulder.  Danielle laughed, “My mom hated when I would wear big and flashy earrings. Sometimes she wouldn’t let me out of the house until I took them off.” When she turned thirteen years old, developed a passion for rings and long necklaces. Everyday, she wore at least five rings and one long necklace. That phase stayed with her until she was a junior in high school when she discovered Alex and Ani.

The moment Danielle Hall saw Alex and Ani bracelets in a store in Franklin, Massachusetts she fell in love. “I knew I had to get all of them. They’re so pretty and they each have their own meaning.” Danielle has over ten Alex and Ani bracelets and plans to get more.

The Alex and Ani creator, Carolyn Rafaelian, launched the company in 2004 and named it after her two daughters. The jewelry business was a family tradition. Alex and Ani bracelets started to get popular in 2011 with teenagers. Each gold or silver bangle has its own little story. Some say “daughter,” “niece,” “love,” “music,” etc. Others are just images, such as butterflies, anchors, seashells, etc. Lovers of Alex and Ani, like Danielle, buy them to express individuality and reveal what is unique and different about themselves.

According to the Alex and Ani website, “the company’s mission is to share the benefits of positive energy through the unique beauty and symbolism of their products.” They hope their jewelry creates a chain reaction around the world, promoting peace. For example, twenty percent of the proceeds from the love is alive charm goes to support Project CommonBond, a foundation dedicated to children who have lost loved ones to terrorism. Each of their bangles is infused with positive energy that the owner hopes will make the world into one giant community.

Danielle agrees with the mission of Alex and Ani and believes that the bangles do have a special power. Ever since she got the bangles in her junior year of high school, her confidence has risen and her attitude has been more positive. She only takes her bangles off when she showers or goes swimming. Other than that, she always has them on her right and left wrists. “Hearing the jingling of [the bangles] makes me really calm. I never get annoyed with that sound,” she said. Even though a lot of people say inanimate objects don’t have special powers, Danielle firmly believes that Alex and Ani bangles brought her the power of life and self-worth. She laughed, “I know it sounds crazy. But it’s true. My life has gotten so much better since I’ve worn these bangles. I really do look at the world differently.” 

Right Arm

Left Arm

Danielle Hall