All this may evoke alarming visions of nine-year-olds being mugged for their hairgrips, but children’s jewellery can be as much a keepsake as an accessory. Pieces are also bought or commissioned links of london with a view to giving it to the child when she has grown up, with charm bracelets proving particularly popular.  ‘I was selling them for adults at the Goldsmiths’ Fair,” says Eileen Gatt, whose creations include an ingenious silver-bowl charm with a gold fish inside it. “People started asking me if I did anything for children. I realised there was a gap in the market because a lot of things aimed at children are quite tacky.” Eileen charges from pounds 100 to pounds 400 for a silver bracelet with a pair of charms, to which more can be added.

Catherine Hills , who makes Links of London Necklace bracelets with charms designed to order, was inspired by her own experience of motherhood. “Just before my daughter Eve was born, I decided I wanted to make something really special for her, so I made a bracelet and I add a charm for each birthday. When she’s 16, she’ll have a bracelet which represents all the stages of her life.”

The gift is all the more special because Eve almost died a few months ago. “Marking each year is a major thing.”

Catherine’s bracelets cost from pounds 118 (silver) to pounds 864 (links of london Sweetie Black Rhodium & 18ct Rolled Gold Bracelet), and her bespoke charms from pounds 120 to pounds 340 each. They include, it must be admitted, a baby’s shoe, but, unlike Mr Basha’s bejewelled bootees, it is in the best possible taste.