When you think of “collecting” as a hobby or pastime your first thoughts are often of subjects such as baseball cards, stamps, coins, porcelain figurines or any of the numerous other items that people choose to collect. One category that doesn’t readily spring to mind though is collecting heart jewelry, especially heart lockets. Yes, most women have a selection of different jewelry (some have far more than others!) but they would hardly see it as a hobby of actively collecting different pieces. After all, jewelry is an accessory used to complement the different outfits in a woman’s closet.
People collect things for various reasons – for some it is purely a hobby and because they like the specific subject while for others they hope that they will discover something rare and valuable related to their collection. Choosing to collect heart lockets can actually fulfill both of these reasons and at the same time provide you with a fashion accessory to wear for any occasion.
The heart locket was popularized during the reign of Queen Victoria and often contained portraits (this was before the age of the photograph) of a departed loved one and/or a lock of their hair. During the American Civil War many of the soldiers gave these to their betrothed or wives as a keepsake to keep them close in spirit while they were apart physically. If you truly want an authentic collection of lockets then you may be lucky enough to find some beautiful and valuable examples at yard sales, flea markets or antique shops. Web auctions are another good place to look for second hand jewelry and you can sometimes find items for a less expensive price than from other sources.
On the other hand you may just decide to collect modern heart jewelry, which is very popular once more and which is suitable for wearing for any event. There are lots of different designs to choose from so you are not limited in style. For instance, why just have one pair of simple heart stud earrings which you wear every day to work? Why not have a selection of styles like a pair of gold chandelier heart earrings or diamond heart earrings for that formal ball? These could be teamed up with a matching heart bracelet, necklace and ring. One of the great advantages of heart jewelry is that you can mix and match pieces from different suppliers and different styles and yet you still have a result that looks effective and beautiful.
Heart jewelry is available in lots of different metals, such as gold, rose gold, white gold, platinum and sterling silver, and most of these can be set with precious and semi-precious gemstones, so this is why it makes a great collectible genre and at the same time it allows you to make a fashion statement. A sterling silver heart locket necklace and silver earrings will add the required amount of chic to your outfit, whether you are meeting friends for lunch or a drink after work or going out to a formal dinner engagement.
Another great thing about collecting heart lockets and other pieces of heart jewelry is that you can get friends and loved ones to help you build up your collection. A heart shaped ring would make an ideal anniversary present and a silver heart bracelet would be great as a gift for your birthday. If you know a girl who has a charm bracelet, buying her an additional heart charm can be a great addition. Even if she already has one heart charm, there are many alternatives that can complement what she already owns.
With the value of gold and silver at an all time high, collecting heart jewelry seems like a good investment and, unlike coins or stamps, you don’t have to put it in an album or special display cabinet to enjoy it. Wearing your heart lockets and other pieces of heart jewelry will give you much more pleasure than just taking them out now and again to look at.
