Heart Jewelry Choices, Heart Jewellery Allure

The holiday season is fast approaching and, if not already, it will soon be the time to start thinking about what presents to buy for those special people on our gift list.  Maybe you are one of those really organized people who has already started writing down ideas or perhaps you have already picked up some hints from your would be recipients so you know exactly what is on their wish list.  If, on the other hand, you want to give something a little different this year, then why not spend some time thinking about giving a personalized gift? Whether it is something bought from a store, on line or better still something hand made, the recipient will be delighted as it will show them that it wasn’t a last minute decision but that a lot of thought went into your choice.  And so even though we are focused on heart jewelry on this website, we want to give you a mix of suggestions – some heart jewelry and some not – but all of them with a personalized theme to try and make your buying task a little easier this year.

Heart jewelry to begin with: a really nice present for a husband to give to his wife, or a boyfriend to give to his girlfriend, would be a gold heart charm either on a chain or on a bracelet.  There are many different ones to choose from, even some with inscriptions on them such as “I loved you from the start” or the simple message every woman wants to hear from her man “I love you”.  But what will make the one you give to your loved one unique is the personal message you have inscribed on it – a message that may be even more welcome than the two mentioned above.  This could be the date you met or the event that brought you together or a few words from “your song” or any other sentiment that comes from the heart to show her just how much she means to you.

Of course, jewelry and particularly heart jewelry makes an ideal Christmas present for any female member of the family or close friend.  Heart earrings customized with her birthstone would be well received by a friend and a heart locket engraved with a message from her child is sure to bring a smile and tears of joy to any Mom.  Having an item of jewelry designed and handmade for you or you making it yourself would make the gift even more special.

Looking beyond jewelry, it is a fact that handmade gifts are always well received because of the love that goes into the making of them.  I remember one year my daughter and son in law were struggling for money and didn’t want to go into debt so instead they decided to make presents for their family and friends.  For my parents they cooked some of their favorite dishes for them to put in their freezer, they made candles for some of their friends, they made gift boxes and filled them with toiletries, they also designed and printed their own gift cards offering their time to do errands and chores.  All of these gifts were gratefully received as they had tailored them to the individuals.

There is no end of gift ideas that you can make yourself or as a family.  One really great idea I saw as a gift for Grandma was an apron (every one knows that Grandmas are the best cooks!) with a family photograph on it and hand prints round the bottom.  Yet another one in a similar vein was a T shirt with children’s footprints on it and an inscription saying “my grandkids walk all over me”.  This would be a superb gift for the doting Grandpa.

Do you know someone who likes to encourage birds into their garden?  If so then a bird bath made of terracotta pots and clay saucers, then hand painted, would make a welcome addition to that yard.  Added to this could be handmade stepping stones to further personalize a garden.  You don’t have to be artistic to make your own presents – there are lots of craft books, kits and online ideas with step by step instructions to help you create that special gift.

There is nothing nicer than receiving a personalized gift as it shows that the giver has given a lot of thought and taken the time to choose an individual present. Whether you decide to buy the people on your list a piece of jewelry such as a heart necklace or a gold heart charm or instead you opt to make a unique handmade present, you can be sure it will bring joy to whoever receives it.

14k White Gold Diamond Heart Ring (1/10 cttw, H-I Color, I2 Clarity), Size 7

Have you ever been stuck for a unique gift idea for those special days such as an anniversary, birthday, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day for the special woman in your life?  So why not give her a beautiful piece of  heart jewelry?  Because heart jewelry is so versatile, it can be worn everyday for any situation, whether that is popping to the grocery store, going to work, attending a swanky party or meeting friends for lunch, so it makes the ideal present.

On your next wedding anniversary a heart pendant necklace would make a perfect gift for your wife.  Gold and sterling silver are both fine choices.  Not only will it show her how much she still means to you but she will be able to wear it every day and it will remind her of the special relationship you two share.  If you get it engraved with a special message personal to you both, that will be  a demonstration to her of all the time and thought you have put into choosing a special gift for her – and, although you don’t perhaps tell her as often as she would like, how much you love her.  Every time she catches a glimpse of herself in the mirror or touches her neck it will bring a smile to her face as she thinks of you and remembers special times you have shared and continue to share.

There are many occasions on which to give a piece of heart jewelry to your daughter and a delicate heart bracelet would be appropriate for any of them.  The first one that springs to mind is her birth and a heart bracelet with her date of birth and her birthstone on it is something she can treasure forever.  Or how about a silver charm bracelet for her “sweet sixteen” birthday?  When she is all dressed up to go to her prom a gold heart bracelet to complement the gorgeous dress she is wearing will make her truly feel like a princess.  Or giving her a heart bracelet on her graduation day will show her how proud you are of her achievements.

Valentine’s Day is traditionally the time that lovers want to express their feelings for their significant other, obviously with a gift that symbolizes love – whether that is red roses, heart shaped candy or perhaps a cute soft toy.  Giving your loved one an open heart ring would convey in a very clear way exactly how much you love her.  For the guy who wants to let his girlfriend know he is committed to her but not yet ready to get engaged, a heart shaped ring given as a promise ring would leave her in no doubt of his fidelity.

On Mother’s Day we all sometimes struggle to think of that special something for the best Mom in the world.  If you ask her what she wants she will frequently say that there is nothing she needs so, often, we search the stores for a sweater or top or purse that we think she might like.  Getting her a piece of heart jewelry will surely put a smile on her face and show her just how much you love her.  A silver heart locket engraved with a special message and containing a family photograph is something she will not only treasure forever but will proudly show off to her friends.

For birthdays and Christmas you can’t go wrong if you choose to give heart jewelry, especially for a close friend.  There are lots of different pieces in the stores but a pair of silver heart earrings will show your feelings for her as a friend and you can be sure they will complement the other jewelry in her collection.  Whether she prefers stud earrings, hoops or dangly styles there are lots of designs to choose from.

So no matter what the occasion or the age of the recipient, if you choose a piece of heart jewelry it will show your wife, daughter, girlfriend, Mom or close friend how much they mean to you.

Following on from my previous posts about heart jewelry for men and it not being something anyone can see becoming fashionable any time soon, because it would look silly or girlie on them, I decided to have some fun and ask family members and friends which males they would like to see being made to wear say heart shaped earrings, a heart ring, heart pendants or other heart jewelry to make them look ridiculous and a laughing stock.

Most of the people I asked could come up with someone they wanted to look stupid without too much thought and not all of them chose celebrities or people in the public eye.  For instance, one of the people, who used to work for one of big five consulting firms, chose as their candidate one of the partners in the firm.  This guy was a typical little man with a big ego “puffed up and full of his own self importance”.  He should be made to wear heart shaped earrings because he was an “obnoxious twerp who deserved to be made to look silly”.  Knowing the commentator as I do, it must have been entertaining to see the working relationship that the two had!

At the time I did this survey the World Cup was in full swing and the England team was playing particularly badly and without any enthusiasm for winning a match.  My husband is a big soccer fan and was absolutely disgusted with his team’s performance and so he chose the whole of the England football squad to wear heart earrings, heart bracelets, heart rings, and necklaces.  His reasoning was that they played like a bunch of girls and so they deserved to be made to look like girls.  While I agree that they were anything like the macho men they think they are, I thought his comments were cruel and unfair to women!

Recently there have been surveys done that have found that couples have a sixth sense and often know what the other is thinking and have similar ideas.  This proved true when I was talking to friends and family even though I spoke to them separately.  One of the couples independently chose the Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Renaldo and they would both like to see him wearing heart earrings.  The husband said that he chose Renaldo because he is so arrogant and he wants him to look stupid.  His wife’s reasoning was that Renaldo is so conceited and full of himself.

Yet another couple chose Simon Cowell of American Idol fame and again they both picked the same item of jewelry – a heart necklace.  The lady said she would like to see him wearing a big heart medallion as the heart shape and its symbolism is the polar opposite of him because he comes across as quite heartless.  On the other hand the guy chose the heart necklace for Simon Cowell because he’d look ridiculous and because he is so in love with himself.

As I said earlier, not all of the respondents picked famous people to nominate.  One guy selected one of his neighbors who he would like to see with big heart shaped hoop earrings or a big heart necklace because he is such a big homophobe.  On  the other hand, another of the guys wanted his brother to wear heart rings “because he’d look funny and silly so I could laugh at him and he’d be embarrassed”.  Obviously some sibling rivalry there!

I was rather surprised that only one politician was on the list.  This was Jack Straw, a British Labour Party MP and former Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary and Justice Minister. The person who suggested him also chose an unusual piece of heart jewelry – a tiara with diamonds on it.  When asked why they would like to see this particular Member of Parliament wearing this the answer was, and I quote, “To make him look like a complete fool as everything he says is wrong and he’s a complete waste of space”.  Not much love lost there then!

My own choice would be any number of the car salesmen I have come across over the years (both in the USA and the UK) who even in this day and age think that women have no knowledge of what they are talking about when it comes to buying a car.  There was one occasion when the salesman actually told me to come back with my husband when I asked to go on a test drive!  I would like to see these guys wearing the biggest, flashiest, vulgar pieces of heart jewelry so that they can look as stupid as they sound when they come out with sexist comments.

So have some fun of your own and think about which male celebrity, politician or work colleague you would like to see looking ridiculous wearing heart shaped earrings or any other item of heart jewelry.

In a recent post I wrote about the increasing trend for celebrity men to have both their ears pierced and to wear diamond stud earrings. Recently I saw Jerry Rice on the TV, when his shirt was being retired, and he was wearing a pair of fairly large hoop earrings and once again my views on men wearing earrings were brought to the fore.  I have already said that maybe my views were perhaps outdated and not shared by the younger generation and even people of my own age, so I decided to find out if this really was the case by asking my friends, family and their children what they thought about men wearing jewelry, earrings in particular.  In particular, could they ever see a time when men would choose to wear heart jewelry? The ages of those I asked ranged from early teens to middle age and of both sexes.

The responses I got from the teenagers really surprised me as I thought maybe it was a generational thing and that I was no longer up with current trends and fashions. My friend’s thirteen year old daughter, the youngest of the group and very into fashion and modern trends, wrinkled her nose and said that she thought earrings on men were weird and she didn’t like them.  She suggested that some men’s jewelry was acceptable (a gold chain, an identity bracelet, a wedding ring and watch maybe) but nothing flashy or vulgar and certainly not any heart jewelry.

Another friend’s fifteen year old son said that “jewelry doesn’t look very good on men”. The only piece that he thinks is acceptable for a man is a watch and he believes that earrings look stupid, especially the silver heart earrings that he has seen!

An older teenage girl was more accepting of men wearing some form of jewelry but she said that it would have to be very subtle and it would depend on the man wearing it.  Although not totally against men having pierced ears, she was not keen on the idea of having both ears done or the wearing of diamond studs.  She laughed at the idea of men sporting a heart necklace or heart earrings but was more accepting of a pair of heart cuff links such as the open heart design because they are not overtly heart shaped.

Moving on to the next age group, twenty to thirty year olds, their answers were very similar to those of the teens. One of the guys said that lots of men look ridiculous in jewelry of any kind although he did go on to say that some guys do look okay with two ears pierced.  He went on to say that men’s jewelry pieces should be simple such as a wedding band, a simple chain or cuff links.  On the subject of heart jewelry his comments were “I’ve never seen heart jewelry on a man or for a man and I don’t see it becoming fashionable or being something that men would wear”.

Yet another of the guys was not a fan of men’s jewelry apart from wedding ring, maybe a pinky ring and cuff links.  He too could not imagine heart shaped jewelry becoming fashionable for guys especially not heart earrings.  The only piece of heart jewelry he could ever see himself wearing would be a pair of cuff links if somebody bought them for him.

The ladies in this age group were equally not keen to see men wearing earrings. As one of them put it: “Men shouldn’t wear earrings not even celebrities. No guy looks goods in these”. They also agreed that if men were to wear jewelry it needed to be minimal and understated not big and chunky perhaps a simple ring or a thread bracelet.  And in their view “there should be no hearts whatsoever on men’s jewelry”.

One of my good friends who is very into the latest fashion trends surprised me when she said that she hated men with pierced ears especially if both of them were pierced this – the word she used to describe it was “chavvy”.  She was also not keen on jewelry for men generally and certainly not heart jewelry which would be far too effeminate.

Two other friends (married to each other but asked at different times) shared similar opinions on the idea of men wearing jewelry.  Both were very much against the idea of guys having their ears pierced and while the wife said that it was okay for men to wear a wedding ring or watch her husband said that any sort of jewelry on a man was “girlie”.  One thing they both agreed on was that heart jewelry was feminine and definitely not for men.

Lastly I asked my husband and his best friend their thoughts on the subject of men’s jewelry and whether they would ever wear heart jewelry.  My husband’s reaction to the idea of heart jewelry for men was that it would be a contradiction as these designs are feminine and seen as “soppy” rather than macho and masculine.  When it comes to other jewelry items for men he is very much a traditionalist and is okay with signet rings, wedding rings, watches and cuff links but thinks that chains, earrings and bracelets are worn by men to show off.  In his words “fine if they want to wear them but I think they look silly”.

His friend had similar things to say about the wearing of jewelry by men suggesting that it was “used as a status symbol and as a way to attract women”.  The wearing of a gold medallion by a man, he implied, is a peacock type thing displaying his finery to attract the opposite sex.  Unlike most of the other men he thought that there was certainly one piece of heart jewelry that should be available for men to wear, a cheating heart pendant for guys who are unfaithful to their partners!

So, if my friends’ views are anything to go by it doesn’t look like heart jewelry and in particular silver heart earrings will become a fashion accessory for men any time soon.  However, if you had asked me a few years ago if guys would be wearing diamond studs in both of their ears I would have said I don’t think so.  Shows how much I know doesn’t it?

Are you one of those people who enjoy looking at the pictures of celebrities at “red carpet” events so you can check out their outfits and see what kind of jewelry they are wearing?  Sometimes they look really glamorous and have obviously chosen well.  But on other occasions you see a number of famous people looking as if they have been advised by someone who was only partially sighted or who had a reason to get even with them.  Strange how even with large amounts of money and almost unlimited advice they can’t filter out the odd styles and looks that they are offered.

Anyhow, despite having said all of that, I’m not really a celebrity watcher but since starting this heart jewelry blog I have taken more notice of the type of jewelry people in the news are wearing as it can have an influence on what is fashionable at any one time.  Not long ago I saw a photograph of Miley Cyrus wearing a black bead necklace with a big black heart charm on it.  This image got me thinking about what kind of heart jewelry other celebrities might look good wearing so I asked my family and friends for their suggestions.  Here are some of their choices:

• Jennifer Aniston – a sterling silver charm bracelet, or even better, a sterling silver heart charm bracelet. When I asked my friend why she thought this would be an appropriate piece of jewelry her response was “because it is feminine and dainty, especially with the hearts”.

• Catherine Zeta Jones – a sterling silver heart charm necklace. This would complement the little black dresses she is often pictured wearing and it would also show off her beautiful long neck and dark hair.  The guy who suggested this said that earrings would not be a good choice as you can’t see them because her hair covers them.

• Eddie Izzard – a black velvet choker with a diamante heart charm in the middle of it. One of my female relatives made this choice because she could see him wearing it as he is a transvestite (or at least, he appears to be) and she also thinks it would suit him.  She is quite a fan of his comedy.

• Paris Hilton – a collar with jewel encrusted hearts on it for her dog. According to my friend, this pampered pooch should have one of these to complement its owner’s jewelry when they are being photographed together.

• Anne Robinson – a silver and diamond heart pendant.  Because she always wears black on her television show “The Weakest Link” this would be the perfect item of jewelry for her to choose as black really show off the sparkle of the silver and diamonds.

• Lady Gaga – an over the top very colorful, chunky necklace.  My friend’s teenage daughter suggested this as Lady Gaga is notorious for her flamboyant, extreme outfits.

• Beyonce – a simple diamante heart bracelet.  Beyonce’s style is glamorous and glitzy and so a diamond bangle would be just the right accessory for her in complete contrast to Lady Gaga’s over the top persona.

• Rachel McAdams – a heart necklace.  My son suggested a yellow or white gold heart pendant would suit her because she is very feminine.  He also said that the Williams sisters would look good wearing a chunky heart bracelet.

• Helen Mirren – heart earrings.  This was my husband’s choice and he was very definite as to the design – they should be stud earrings, delicate and classy, not flashy and made of sterling silver or white gold.  When I asked him why he said “this design is feminine, understated and sophisticated making them ideal for an intelligent, professional woman”.

• Cheryl Cole – a silver heart charm necklace and silver heart earrings.  A friend and her teenage son both chose the same celebrity but decided that different items of jewelry would suit her.

• Eva Longoria – simple long, dangly heart charm earrings.  For this petite, very feminine famous housewife I would choose this design in white gold or sterling silver because this is a style she tends to favor and they look good on her even though she has long hair.

My friends and I had fun thinking about which item of heart jewelry would be appropriate for which celebrity.  So who is your favorite celebrity and what piece of heart jewelry do you think they would wear and why?

Women love sophisticated and elegant jewelry, there can be no doubt about this. And the tremendous number of options available today makes the ability to indulge this love quite enormous.  Think for a moment about all of the jewelry stores at your local Mall, and then think again about how many web sites you can find by tapping in a few simple search terms at home.  A lady is unlikely to run out of options before she runs out of money!

However, for a man, finding jewelry that his woman would love can be quite a difficult task. After all, he faces just the same wide range of options available and most of these options are also beautiful and pleasant to the eye, so they therefore appeal to everyone. Which is the right one, the one that is going to bring the most joy and long lasting pleasure?  In such a case, picking up just one piece can be very confusing because how does the man know what specific items are going to appeal to her the most?  Diamonds, gold, silver, rubies and many other choices confuse the issue.

But there is an ideal jewelry item that can come to the rescue when it is not immediately obvious what the lady would prefer.  It is also one that is not only gorgeous but which also conveys some message to the person that it is given to as well as having some significance. The obvious choice is heart jewelry – because the most obvious and popular way of representing love is by using heart shaped objects. Any form of heart jewelry that you give to your beloved, whether it be a heart shaped ring or a heart necklace or some other piece, would convey to her in the most beautiful manner that you care for her and love her extremely.

Nevertheless, even in heart jewelry, the options sometimes seem to be limitless. But among all of these options, the one that carries the most significance is perhaps an open heart pendant and there are two reasons behind this. Firstly, as opposed to a closed heart, an open heart acts as symbol of a heart with a conscience that has no secrets and nothing to hold back. This means that when you present an open heart pendant to your darling, it is the equivalent of saying that your love for her is true, pure and sublime, and that you have not kept any secrets from her. Secondly, unlike a ring, an earring or other kind of jewelry, a pendant is worn close to one’s heart. Therefore, when your beloved wears the open heart pendant given by you, it stays close to her own beating heart, and the two close hearts together signify the bond of love and close proximity between the two of you.

Though heart jewelry is traditionally given to one’s wife or girlfriend, one can in fact present it to any woman in one’s life, be it one’s mother, daughter, sister or even grandmother. After all, it is necessary to profess love to every special person in one’s life. And an item of heart jewelry would not only profess that love on your behalf, it would also make the lady who you give it to really happy, which in turn would supply unmatched satisfaction and happiness to your soul. This makes any heart jewelry, and especially an open heart pendant, the most appropriate gift for the woman in your life, particularly on special occasions such as your anniversary, your engagement or even Christmas.

Open heart pendants are generally bought in a silver color. Nevertheless, gold pendants are also available in the market. The choice between the two should preferably depend on the taste of the person you are buying the pendant for. There are also pendants with diamonds and gemstones encrusted in them. However, these pendants can be very expensive and are meant only for those who can afford to spend a lot of money on a gift – sometimes the amount you spend is suggested by convention or habit but on those special occasions and for those special people, the nature of the gift and the thought behind it is more important than making sure you have spent enough.

All these pendants can be bought either from your local jewelry store or even online. But since any jewelry store is unlikely to have a large stock of these pendants, it is prudent to shop online, as the options on the web are likely to be very many and the probability of you falling in love with one of these available options is really high. However, it is necessary to exercise enough caution while shopping on the Internet in order to save oneself from becoming a victim of the less reputable traders that you sometimes find.  Also remember that while you are checking out what is available you can look at other possibilities for later gifts – for example, heart earrings, a heart brooch or a heart charm bracelet – so you can continue the theme of love beyond this one gift.

With any luck these words give you at least an incentive to find our more about an open heart pendant – and they might just solve your gift buying problems for an occasion or two to come!

14K Yellow Gold Domed Heart Plain Locket

Some pieces of jewelry are simply attractive or particularly beautiful items that make the wearer look even more attractive and add to her (or sometimes his!) appearance, adding sophistication and charm to the impression they make.  But some pieces of jewelry have more significance and history attached to them, even if it not at first obvious.  And this is especially true of that excellent example of heart jewelry, the gold heart locket, because it exhibits highly emotive symbolism to reinforce it’s intrinsic charm.

One fundamental image that it brings to mind is love, because for centuries, the heart has been considered the seat of the emotions.  Poems have been written about it, songs have been sung, plays have been performed.  The heart has been, and continues to be, the enduring symbol of love.  Be it the love between friends, the love of friendship generally or the love felt in a romantic relationship, the heart symbol is easily recognizable throughout the word as a declaration of feeling.  The shape itself crosses boundaries of language and culture to impart a familiar message.  It is no wonder, then, that the heart shape remains a popular staple of fashion.

So heart jewelry has become an increasingly popular way to show that a person is loved.  Be it simple or elaborate, heart jewelry makes a clear statement to all that see it.  Finding the right piece can be difficult because dozens, if not hundreds, of designs exist, and many carry very specific meanings. Pieces that are appropriate for a family member may be inappropriate for a friend; some pieces contain specifically romantic meanings that would be inappropriate for a casual gift. Some pieces of heart jewelry tend to be excessively “showy”, while other pieces are quite understated.  With the dizzying variety of pieces available, making a decision is not a simple task.  For those seeking a more classic look, a simple gold heart locket may be the right choice.

One of the key advantages of this particular sort of locket is the simple, understated message.  A locket symbolizes not only affection in and of itself, but it also shows that the wearer is keeping someone or something close their heart.  Superficially, it may seem to share quite a bit with heart pendants, especially as a general expression of affection or of love.  Unlike a pendant, though, the gold heart locket draws attention not to the composition of the element itself but to the deeper meaning held by the piece.

Lockets are also deeply personal, infinitely customizable pieces.  Classically characterized by containing either small pictures or engraved messages, the locket can be tailored to a specific person, event, or period of time.  The traditional image is of a locket bearing the photograph of a spouse or close family member; these images can be powerful reminders of a person or place in one’s lifetime.  Rather than being a transient gift, meant only to set off a specific outfit or a certain fashion trend, an item of this sort is intended to be a jewelry piece that lasts a lifetime.

As a gold piece, the heart locket also carries a certain amount of value apart from the emotional core.  These lockets can become valuable family heirlooms if they are taken care of properly.  Even the simplest of gold lockets carries a great deal of emotional value for family and friends – for example, who cannot recall the cliché movie scenes of a person finding a long lost locket with the picture of a forgotten love? In addition, passing the locket down through generations is a common enough tradition amongst many families.

By combining the timeless symbol of the heart, the tasteful and understated look of gold, and the emotional weight of the enclosed inscriptions or images, a gold heart locket is a unique piece of jewelry.  Rather than relying on flashy effects, the locket is very much an accessory that has substance and meaning.  This does not, however, mean that the piece is not appealing on its own merits – rather, the simplicity and elegance, along with the mystery of exactly what is held inside, will attract attention without overwhelming the rest of any given ensemble.

All of these ways in which the images and associations combine together mean that, in so many ways, a gold heart locket can be the perfect piece for any occasion.

I recently asked my female relatives and friends what piece of heart jewelry they would like to receive if they could only have one item. At the same time I asked their husbands, boyfriends and sons which piece of heart jewelry they would buy, who they would buy it for and why – and this article is about the answers that the men gave.

I was fascinated and a little surprised that overwhelmingly I got the same answer from all but one of those I posed the question to. They all said that they would choose a heart pendant necklace if they were going to buy heart jewelry as a present for someone.  It’s definitely not the result I expected before I started questioning them, because I had imagined that the range of ages an social backgrounds would produce answers that were far more varied.

The first one I asked was my husband as he is very good at choosing and buying jewelry that he knows I will like and that will suit me (he has already bought me some heart shaped earrings and a necklace). He said his choice of heart necklace would be one of the Jayne Seymour collections with an open heart design. Another stipulation he made was that it should not be “big and flash and vulgar” but rather it should be “refined and pretty”.  As to whom he thought it would be appropriate to buy it for, he said that he would only think of buying heart jewelry for “someone he had positive feelings for, someone he loved or respected like wife, mother, daughter or close friend – certainly not a stranger”.

As I asked more people about heart jewelry, I found that all of the guys were consistent in their view that they would only buy heart pendants for the women in their life who they wanted to tell how much they meant to them. For instance, my son said he would buy one for his girlfriend to show his feelings for her.  Like his Dad he would choose something delicate but perhaps with a diamond set into it. On the other hand, the youngest guy to answer my questions was my friend’s young teenage son who said he would buy a silver heart shaped necklace for his Mum as “she would look nice in it and she doesn’t wear earrings”.

When asked, my son-in-law said that a necklace or a pendant were the first items to spring to mind.  He thought that earrings could be too clunky and he would never think of buying a bracelet but he suggested that “a heart pendant necklace looks attractive and smart”.

One of our very dear friends said that he would “buy a silver heart necklace for his wife because she wanted it”.  He also said he would let her pick it out for herself so that she got the one she wanted.  The reason he gave for choosing a heart pendant necklace (and I suspect the other men feel the same way but maybe wouldn’t admit to it!) is “because it hangs round the area to which his eyes are drawn first”. At least he was being honest!

Only one of the guys would not choose to buy jewelry for someone special.  He told me he was not into jewelry at all as he doesn’t see the point of it.  The only precious metal jewelry he thinks is okay is engagement rings and wedding bands for women. All other jewelry is a waste of money unless it is cheap fashion jewelry.  I asked how he felt about buying jewelry as an asset especially as the price of gold and silver has soared recently. His answer was that he “would buy precious metals and gemstones as an asset but not as jewelry, because you need to take away the sentimental value that people associate with jewelry”.

All the men I interviewed gave me very honest answers to the questions I asked and I thank them for that and appreciate their participation.  Why not ask your man what piece of heart jewelry he would buy you and why?  I wonder if his choice will turn out to be a heart pendant necklace?

When you you reach a certain age, like I have (let’s say middle age and maybe even a little more, for the purposes of these notes), you realize that you have some pretty entrenched views: for example, ladies are the gentler and fairer sex and have an affinity with jewelry such as heart earrings and diamond necklaces, while men are rougher and often less refined and regard the wearing of jewelry as somewhat effeminate.  But you also realize that other younger people, and maybe the fringe element of people your own age, have some very different views and these can take you by surprise.

Which brings me on to the question I want to pose: have you noticed the increasing trend of men, especially celebrities and NFL and basketball players, having both ears pierced and wearing matching diamond stud earrings?  Is this the start of a trend that will spread?  Maybe history can give us a clue – because while the idea of pierced ears for both men and women goes back centuries, there was a time when the practice for men went out of style.  With it’s resurgence, and the fact that men are now wearing a style that one would usually think of as more for women, does it follow that they too will begin to choose other more traditionally feminine designs such as a heart earring?

As far back as early civilization both men and women have been adorning themselves with jewelry including earrings.  The ancient Egyptians were very accomplished jewelry makers and not only was the wearing of it a sign of wealth and status, it was important in ensuring a safe and trouble free journey to the afterlife.  When the tombs in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt were discovered, such as that of Tutankhamen, the range of different pieces of jewelry found was quite staggering – there were bracelets, amulets, rings, necklaces, earrings, head bands, belts, anklets (and gold vests which were unique to the Egyptian culture).

In Old Testament biblical times there is a reference to the wearing of earrings by both of the sexes in Exodus chapter 32 verses 1-4.  When the Israelites were in the wilderness and they were waiting for Moses to come down from the mountain they asked Aaron to make them an image of a god that they could follow.  Aaron agreed to this and told them to bring him the gold earrings which were worn by the wives, sons and daughters.

Wearing earrings remained fashionable for both men and women until the Early Middle Ages but then the trend died out for a while.  During the 1900s, sailors made the wearing of earrings by men popular again.  One reason for the return of this trend was they believed that if they were lost at sea, when their body washed ashore, whoever found it would take the earring and use it to pay for a proper burial for them.   Having a pierced ear also signified that the sailor had crossed the equator or sailed round the world.

The modern trend of men having their ears pierced goes back to the hippie culture of the 1960s and 1970s.  Lets be honest, this was a time of breaking away from conventionality and the perceived stuffiness of the older generation (my father was in the Royal Air Force, and my father in law was in the Royal Marines during World War Two and I somehow cannot imagine them wearing an earring!).  During this time there was a debate as to which ear a man should have pierced depending on his sexual orientation; gay men should have their right ear done while heterosexual guys should choose the left.  Nowadays, this no longer applies as having both ears pierced is becoming increasingly the norm and even if only one ear is pierced (whether left or right) it is does not signify a man’s sexual preferences.

Now that some men are becoming “metrosexual”, taking more pride in their looks and wardrobe, using products such as moisturizers and make up (things I know my parents would have thought “unmanly”) maybe jewelry designs for men will change as well.  In an earlier post I suggested that men are still not seen wearing a heart chain, but maybe if one of the professional athletes or a male celebrities started wearing some heart jewelry then maybe we would see a heart earring, or heart chain selection in the men’s jewelry section in stores.  So look our for heart bracelets, heart necklaces and heart charms to populate the men’s jewelry section and join up with the heart earring offerings as well.

Are you having trouble deciding on the best way to store your heart locket necklace (and other pieces of jewelry!) to ensure that they remain in sparkling condition for the next time you wear them?  You could choose to keep them in the box they originally came in but then you are left not knowing what is in each box, unless you only have a small number of items.  Alternatively you could choose one of the many jewelry boxes, jewelry armoires, jewelry organizers or creative jewelry stands that are on the market.

Before deciding which jewelry storage system to buy, you need to consider all the items in your jewelry collection.  Do you have more pairs of earrings than rings?  Does your collection consist of mostly necklaces?  Is it mostly gold or silver with precious gemstones or does the majority of pieces that you have consist of fashion jewelry?  Thinking about these things will help you choose the right size and kind that will best take care of your pieces.

If you mostly collect gold, silver or pieces made from other precious metals and with gemstones set into them then you will need to ensure you pick the right sort of container for them.  To prevent pieces getting scratched or dented each piece should be stored alone.  Necklaces will become tangled if stored together and the ideal way to store them is in the original box they came in or hung from a hook in a special compartment of a jewelry box.  Rings with stones in them should be stored with the stone uppermost, not only will this help in identifying which ring is which but it will also protect the stones from damage.

The traditional jewelry box, made of wood or metal with velvet lined interior compartments, has been what most women would choose to keep their jewelry in when they are not wearing it.  They may have drawers sectioned off to hold bracelets and necklaces, there may be a section in which you can slot rings, and an earring section for stud earrings.  Depending on the price you want to pay and the size you need, some of these can be a beautiful ornament as well as a useful container.  Along similar lines are the jewelry armoires which can be plain or ornately carved, modern or antique to fit in with most decors.

When it comes to choosing the right container for your more valuable and sentimental pieces of jewelry, be it the heart locket your children bought you for Mother’s Day or the heart bracelet your husband bought you on your anniversary or indeed any type of heart jewelry, it is worth considering choosing a jewelry box that doesn’t necessarily resemble one.  For instance, there are ones that look like a mirror but they have a locked jewelry compartment behind the glass.  There are others that look like picture frames which again have a secret compartment at the back.  If these don’t appeal, consider storing your jewelry box somewhere other than the bedroom as that is the first place a thief will look for valuables if, God forbid, your home gets broken into.

A fun way to display your fashion jewelry is to buy one of the many artistic display stands that are now readily available from a wide range of suppliers.  These are especially good for your less valuable pieces and they can display them to their best advantage.  A porcelain hand makes an ideal ring holder or a harp shaped earring holder will make a colorful display.  From classy to rustic there is bound to be a stand to suit your taste and items of jewelry.

When traveling, always carry your jewelry in your carry on bags to ensure it stays with you.  Soft fabric pouches are ideal to protect your heart earrings, bracelets and pendants.  If you plan on taking lots of jewelry with you, a canvas organizing pouch with multiple compartments would be the best solution as it is less bulky and heavy than a travel jewelry case.

These are just some tips on how best to care for and store your heart jewelry (including your heart locket necklace) to keep it in tip top condition and retain its value.

Having recently written about which piece of heart jewelry I would choose if I could only have one (I chose a heart charm) I decided to ask some of my English family members and friends, both male and female, what they would choose. This first posting on the subject is from the ladies perspective and their ages ranged from early teens to an eighty eight year old Great Grandmother.

First of all I asked the question “Do you have a favorite piece of jewelry?” and then followed on with the question about what sort of heart jewelry they would choose if they could only have one piece. As you can imagine they all had very different answers and some of them quite surprised me.

The most popular selection was a heart shaped necklace but for very different reasons.  My daughter’s favorite jewelry item is her eternity ring which her husband bought her when she had their son, understandable really.  When asked what article of heart jewelry she would like someone to buy for her, she chose a yellow gold heart necklace for no other reason than that she does not have one and would really like one.

One of my friend’s teenage daughters would also choose a heart shaped necklace but her metal of choice would be silver (she also quite likes the ones encrusted with crystal or cubic zircon) as it “goes with more stuff”.  Although she was wearing bracelets and earrings she said the silver teddy bear necklace she was wearing was the favorite of all her jewelry.

A heart necklace was also chosen by one of my friends who is quite petite and not the least bit extrovert so her choice of a chunky necklace not made of precious metals or gemstones came as a bit of a surprise. When I asked her why she would choose that design she told me that it would look “funky”.  This from a lady whose style is always understated and never outrageous!

Before I asked my Mom about her favorite jewelry I knew what her answer would be.  It is the diamond solitaire that my Dad bought her two years before he died. I don’t ever remember my Mom wearing any jewelry except her wedding ring and her watch until she received the diamond ring so it came as a surprise that she would like a heart shaped ring because she would like more rings.  Who would have guessed that this eighty eight year old Great Grandma would still be interested in collecting jewelry?

I think the answers that most surprised me came from another of my friends.  She doesn’t have any favorite jewelry because she says she is not comfortable wearing it and although she has some costume jewelry she never thinks of putting it on.  When she was younger she had her ears pierced and used to wear gold earrings and she also had a gold signet ring but as she got older she stopped wearing them and now the only thing she wears is her wedding band.  Although she thinks jewelry looks nice on some people she wouldn’t want any, but she may possibly wear a heart ring.

The youngest member said that her favorite jewelry items were bracelets and she wore two or three at a time varying from plain bangle types to charm bracelets and a mixture of costume jewelry and more expensive ones.  I thought she would therefore choose a heart bracelet as her choice for heart jewelry, especially as she was wearing a very pretty one on the day I spoke to her, but that was not the case.  Instead she suggested that a delicate and tasteful pair of silver heart earrings would probably be her favorite because she could wear them every day and they would go with any outfit.

Her Mom also said that her favorite jewelry pieces were bracelets and even if she didn’t wear any other item of jewelry she felt “bare” and as if something was missing if she didn’t have a bracelet on.  Not surprisingly she said that she would choose a heart bracelet in either silver or white gold as they were her precious metals of choice.  If it was to be a gift from her husband she said she would have to tell him exactly which one she wanted and where to buy it from so that she received the right one as her tastes and his differed so much.

Talking to my friends and family made me realize that women choose their jewelry for a variety of reasons and what one likes may not be right for everybody.  It also showed me that not every woman shares a love of jewelry.  One thing they all agreed on, though, was that if someone bought them a heart shaped necklace, heart earrings or any other piece of heart jewelry it would show how much that person loved them.

For many people, showing their true feelings may not be easy – especially when those feelings involve love or affection.  While words are the easiest way to convey a message, confessing one’s love should ideally be one in a romantic way.  And this might be a hard task for someone who is too shy show off his or her true emotions.

However, what the words cannot say, a gift can frequently explain. It’s worth remembering that, in order to set up the most romantic atmosphere possible, preparing a present that will not only touch the heart of the person you love but also be a memory to cherish for a lifetime can go a long way to ensuring success.  In particular, heart jewelry (for example) is definitely that one style that can explain what you truly feel right at an instant.

So what is the significance of giving this type of jewelry? Heart bracelets, heart necklaces, heart earrings and heart brooches are all enormously in demand, but why?  Perhaps it is because the heart has become the universal symbol of love. Being the primary source of life for most living beings, the word has become synonymous with a deeper emotion and an in depth understanding of feelings and spirituality. Because of it’s popularity, there are various types of heart jewelry available in the market today and these can express love in a variety of ways. For a more personal touch, make sure to find a piece that truly describes the characteristics of the person. A heart shaped locket is usually the preferred choice for a gift and if you are considering getting one, take a few moments to examine your options in order to be sure that you are making the right purchase.

Find the perfect moment or an occasion where it is fitting. A wedding, for example, being the most romantic event for a couple is a great venue to display this classic piece of jewelry. Choosing a design can also have an impact on the message you are trying to convey. Other events such as a birthday or Valentine’s Day are also ideal, although for the hopeless romantic, no reason is needed to give a precious gift to a special someone. A heart shaped locket can be made from various materials such as white gold and silver and it can also be encrusted with other gems for an added appeal. Choose a style that will complement her personality. For a classic look, a yellow gold would be the right choice, while for a more casual feel  silver is the best option.

Customized items are also available. Visit a jewelry store and look at the items they offer. Your budget can also affect your jewelry buying. Set a specific amount that you are willing to spend. Local stores can help you in your search and will showcase their items in store. If this is not sufficient, the Internet is the best place to widen the variety of your options. Several online sites also offer great discounts and customized options. If you are looking for a vintage piece, then participate in a web auction where you are most likely to find the best type of investment. An expert jewelry designer can also help you if you have a specific concept in mind. Just be ready to spend a little extra on specialized heart jewelry.

In order to make the selection easier, observe the type of accessories that the person wears on a daily basis. This will give you an idea about their personal taste; it will give you an idea on what color and style to pick. If you are thinking of ordering online, just exercise caution and make sure that you are dealing with an authorized jeweler. Also, make sure to check the feedback and reviews given by previous clients.

The basic premise in finding the perfect item of heart jewelry such as a heart shaped locket for the one you love is by putting her preference first when it comes to design. It should be the type and style of item that will speak not only about your true emotions but will enhance the personality of the one you love. This is a classic investment that can last for a long time.