Best birthday charms

Top pick: the "Happy Birthday" Heart & Cake Dangle Charm — it's the one that reads as a birthday at a glance, with a heart, a cake and a gold-plated finish that suits a bracelet or necklace already in use.

Who the others suit:

• Milestone birthdays: the Bloom charms come in 16th, 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th, 70th and 80th, in sterling silver with pink-and-purple enamel — pick the number that matches the day.
• A playful, cake-only look: the Pink Bow & Hearts Cake charm or the gold cake charm, if you want something small and sweet rather than a number.
• Budget gifting: the gold cake charm is the cheapest way in and still looks like a proper charm.

Check the hole size against the bracelet you're adding to — the Bloom charms state theirs, the others don't.