During April 2015, in honor of Autism Awareness Month, Chamilia, a Swarovski Group brand, announced that it will donate five percent of proceeds from its “Autism Puzzle Piece” charm to the Autism Research Institute, the primary organization supporting efforts to understand and treat this condition (established in 1967 by Dr. Bernard Rimland). The brand became interested in supporting these efforts after learning that in 2012 the Centers for Disease Control announced that autism affects one in 68 people under the age of 21 living in the U.S. This number is an increase from the previously estimated five in 10,000 children reportedly affected by the condition before 1990.

“The lives of so many women who wear our brand are impacted in some way by the rate of increase in this condition,” said Chamilia Vice President, Global Merchandising and Marketing Catherine Ottaviano. “This challenging situation affects everyday lives, and we are just learning to deal with these changes as a society. And as a personalized jewelry brand, each piece that we produce is a statement in support of the women who wear it. And we believe it’s important for women who deal with this condition to be supported in some way.”

There are more than 400 exclusive charms available from the Chamilia brand. The line is made from sterling silver or 14 karat gold and features genuine Swarovski Crystals, Swarovski Zirconia, or glass that is handmade in the USA using the finest ingredients. The brand follows strict Swarovski guidelines for quality and aesthetic standards. The “Autism Puzzle Piece” charm from Chamilia is a sterling silver representation of a piece from a puzzle and retails for $35. The charm symbolizes the need to develop a greater understanding of the condition of autism and its impact on society.

The Chamilia “Autism Puzzle Piece” charm will be available at the brand’s more than 2,000 retail partners worldwide and on the Chamilia website, www.chamilia.com.

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