FAQ
I’ve looked around and I can’t find any other Thai-style anklet companies in the UK…
We are proud to say that Saffron Bells® introduced the Thai baby-anklet to the UK! We are the one and only retailer of heavy, designer Thai baby-anklets in the United Kingdom; and as such our reputation as being the original and the best precedes us. More importantly, we are the only UKAS-approved (safety-tested) silver Thai-style baby anklet in the UK. A quick Google search will throw up the odd individual seller (selling through an online marketplace or auction site) who has brought a few anklets home from a factory or market whilst on holiday in Asia. Beware such sellers; their anklets will not have been safety-tested. (See our ‘Are Saffron Bells safe?’ paragraph below.) Some people ask us why we have our anklets handmade; why we don’t just manufacture them from a machine. The answer to this question is simple. We are parents. We love babies. Huge profit margins are not important to us. Exceptional quality underpins absolutely everything we do. This is the reason our customers love Saffron Bells and come back time and time again.
Are Saffron Bells anklets solid silver?
Of course. Saffron Bells ankle bangles are handmade with Sterling silver. Saffron Bells comply with all UK silver hallmarking regulations. Unlike traditional gold or silver christening bangles that weigh around only 4g, Saffron Bells bangles weigh 23g as a pair – nearly six times heavier. Beware the many cheap silver baby bangles sold by individual sellers online. They are often a fraction of the weight you might expect, sold illegally without hallmarks, or silver-plated. Do not risk giving your child a lightweight bangle with bells that has been purchased from an unreliable source; it is likely that it will not have been adequately safety-tested, if at all.
What’s this about my Saffron Bells ‘protecting my child from evil spirits?!’ This style of traditional Thai anklet has been worn by babies in Thailand since time immemorial. But until Saffron Bells® introduced them to the UK, we knew absolutely nothing about them here. So here’s what you need to know: In Thailand, tiny tinkling expandable bangles – or ‘kumrai kortao’ – are placed on the ankles of baby boys and girls. This sweet Thai custom means that you can hear your child at all times and keep them safe. But more importantly, in Thailand the sound of the bells is traditionally said to ward off bad spirits and protect the child from harm. Just think of them as little jingly guardian ankle angels…
My daughter is older than twelve months, can she wear Saffron Bells?
Yes. Saffron Bells are suitable from birth. They grow with the child and can usually be worn well beyond the age of twenty months. Our very own Little Miss Saffron wore her SB anklets until the age of twenty two months with plenty of room to spare, after which she started wearing them on her wrists. But babies come in all shapes and sizes, so we would offer the following advice:
Most customers report that around three to five months old is when Saffron Bells start to fit nicely, i.e. without falling off. And they also report that at around 20 months is when some children may start to begin growing out of SBs. Most toddlers comfortably wear their anklets well beyond the age of two years old – although of course every child is different. After then, Saffron Bells anklets convert to darling wrist bracelets that can be worn until the teenage years.
Saffron Bells measure 45mm in diameter (to 65mm when fully expanded). Although they are expandable, our solid silver SB bangles are rather small and rigid to begin with. However, with use, Saffron Bells grow and expand with the child, becoming less rigid with time. Therefore… New and rigid bangles given to an 18-month-old child possibly would not fit as anklets (though most do.) But bangles purchased any time up to the age of around fifteen months would become flexible and STILL fit at and beyond the age of eighteen months old.
For a longer period of use, we would recommend purchasing a pair of Saffron Bells (as anklets) at any time during a baby’s first fifteen months. But this is a BUYING guide, rather than a WEARING guide; just so that babies have the opportunity to wear them for longer, really. (And remember: your child can afterwards wear Saffron Bells as wrist bracelets until at least fourteen years old – giving excellent value.)
Are Saffron Bells easy to adjust?
Yes. The bangles have a flexible re-sizing mechanism at the back. To put Saffron Bells on your baby’s feet: with the thumb and forefinger of one hand, gently slide the bells and coils together. The bangle will widen enough to slip over the foot. Once on, you can tighten the bangle again by simply moving the coils back outwards. Don’t be afraid to gently stretch Saffron Bells; they are designed to expand with the child. The ‘expansion mechanism’ at the back is soft and malleable – it is designed to move and be re-shaped; thus allowing the silver bangle to expand in and out over time without breaking.
May Saffron Bells be worn alone or at night/nap times?
As with all infant jewellery, we would recommend that children under the age of three years old should not wear anklets unsupervised.
Are Saffron Bells safe?
Yes. Saffron Bells are UKAS-certified, meaning they comply with the UK/European safety standards for both jewellery and toys. (Though it must be noted that Saffron Bells are, of course, not intended as toys.) Saffron Bells have passed all health and safety tests with flying colours. At Saffron Bells Ltd exceptional quality and safety comes before anything else.
Babies have been wearing anklets with bells for hundreds of years all around the world; most as lightweight chains that most certainly will not have been safety tested. But, when we first built our brand at SB HQ we knew we would never dream of giving a child a flimsy anklet. So we decided to sell a sturdy – but more importantly – safety-tested anklet. With our vision for the heaviest, strongest ankle bangle construction possible, the Saffron Bells jewellery label was born.
And so, our uniqueness is, of course, that Saffron Bells have a fabulous array of safety certificates. Most baby anklets sold on the internet are not even tested. We shudder to think where some anklets on individual websites may have come from. If they are lightweight (or gold-plated or silver-plated) they could be flimsy, throwaway and in our opinion not sturdy enough for the attachment of bells. Solid silver Saffron Bells are beautifully robust – yet they sit so comfortably on the ankle that the wearer would not even know they were there (were it not for the gentle tinkling of bells).
We are proud to say we are the only UKAS-approved silver baby anklet with bells on the UK market. Saffron Bells have even been through rigorous professional toy safety testing – to ensure we have the most perfect anklet on the market. Saffron Bells are made by parents for parents. Safety is key.
How do I clean my silver Saffron Bells?
‘Dip’ polishes should be avoided, as they contain harsh chemicals and other nasties. As with all silver jewellery, we recommend you use a silver polishing cloth; the type you can pick up in a jewellery shop. For tarnishing, we recommend polish wadding, such as Silvo Tarnish Guard. Simply break off a little wadding and rub it over the anklet. Before the bangle dries off, polish it with a dry, clean cloth, such as a duster. Et voila: instant sparkle. When not in use, store in your airtight bag provided (ideally in a cool, dark place: the optimum environment to store all silver jewellery) to protect against tarnishing.
RETURNS
We are ridiculously passionate about Saffron Bells baby anklets and we are confident that you will love them as much as we do. However, if you change your mind and wish to return your order you may do so within seven working days of receiving it. Please contact us first to discuss. For a refund Saffron Bells anklets must be unworn, unexpanded and in their original packaging. We ask that you please use a signed-for postal service and that you telephone or email us before you send the parcel. The cost of this postal service shall not be refunded, unless your return is due to a fault on our part. Bangles that have been expanded, even once, are classed as used and therefore, alas, cannot be refunded. For all other Saffron Bells silver products, you are, as above, entitled to return your order within seven working days of receiving it. The cost of the postal service (again, we ask that you use a trackable service such as Royal Mail’s ‘Signed-For’ delivery) used to return the item shall not be refunded, unless your return is due to a fault on our part.
Saffron Bells Ltd
Unit 19
19 Chartmoor Road
Leighton Buzzard
Bedfordshire
UK
LU7 4WG
Jewellery that we consider to have been mistreated or damaged through wear and tear cannot be replaced or refunded.
If you mistakenly order the wrong quantity of a gift and require a partial refund: please return the unwanted extra item/s using the above suggested postal service. Once we have received the gift (unworn/unused and in its original packaging) we shall refund you the full price you paid for it, minus a handling admin charge of £5.
If you order a single anklet, then change your mind to a pair: the full discount that is available when buying a pair of anklets is unfortunately not available when purchasing anklets singly. But if you do order one anklet and then decide you would prefer to have a pair, do please email us within 28 days at: hello@saffronbells.com for a discretionary discount (minus a postage and handling fee).