Heart Jewelry Choices, Heart Jewellery Allure

If you could only have one piece of heart jewelry which one would you choose?  Would you pick a gold heart locket, an open heart pendant or silver heart earrings or one of the many other items of heart jewelry that are available?  My choice would be a heart charm.

I would choose a heart charm because it is such a versatile piece of jewelry.  If I added it to a chain to wear as a necklace it is suitable to wear every day with work clothes or at weekends with more casual outfits.  For more formal events it would complement other pieces of jewelry like earrings, watch and bracelet as well as the little black dress that most women have in their closet.  The look could be changed by having different lengths of chains to wear with different necklines.

Another way I would choose to wear it is by adding it to a bracelet to turn it into a charm bracelet.   This could be added to with either more heart charms or some of the other beautiful and unusual charms that are available.  If I chose to continue with a heart charm theme I may look for different styles of heart shaped charms like an open heart design, one with my birthstone set into it, perhaps a heart locket charm that could contain a picture of my family.  Or I might decide to collect all the same sort of heart charms to give it a more uniform look.

Alternatively, a heart shaped “I love New York” charm could be the first one on a charm bracelet that could be added to as a reminder of places and events that are special to me. Because I love to travel, finding charms of the places I visit would be a great reminder of the special memories I have from these vacations.  I would have charms of the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building in New York, and the Capitol and the White House in Washington DC.  Then there would be one of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and a casino in Las Vegas.  From trips to Europe I would add Buckingham Palace in London, the Acropolis in Athens and the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy, the list is endless. All of these and more would bring back the happiness I felt when vacationing in these places.

On the other hand, I might decide to choose to have a Disney heart charm and collect other Disney charms to make a fun charm bracelet.  As my favorite books as a child were Winnie the Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne, I would probably start my bracelet with a Winnie the Pooh heart charm and then add charms of all the wonderful characters in the books like Piglet, Tigger, Eyore, Owl and Christopher Robin just to name a few.  Of course there are lots of other Disney characters to choose from so you could make a charm bracelet with your favorites.

Then again, a heart charm commemorating a special event in my life could lead to a collection of lots of different charms charting other momentous occasions.  Some of the ones I can think of are: reaching the age of majority charm, a graduation charm, a wedding cake charm to celebrate marriage, a baby carriage or baby footprint charm to mark the birth of children, a silver wedding anniversary charm, a Mom charm or Grandma charm.  Everybody has different events in their lives and there are any number of charms  you can buy to celebrate them.

So you see, if I could only have one piece of heart jewelry I would have to choose a heart charm because there are so many ways you can add to it that will evoke lasting memories.  What piece of heart jewelry would you choose and why?

When you want to express your appreciation for someone, words are not always enough to convey how much you value them.  Often it is nice to give them a gift to show them how much you care and a gift of jewelry makes the ideal gift for women of all ages.   Although heart jewelry is usually associated with love between a man and a woman, it is also ideal to give to others who you care deeply about such as a sister, daughter, Mom, Grandma or special friend.

There is an amazingly varied range of heart jewelry on the market to suit any style and virtually any taste.  Whether her style is traditional, contemporary, or maybe just young at heart, there will be a pair of gold heart earrings, a heart locket necklace or gold heart bracelet to precisely fit her style and taste.

Jewelry is particularly suitable to give to members of a wedding party.  For instance, a pair of gold heart earrings would be a very loving wedding treasure for the bride if given by her parents to show that although her heart now belongs to another she is still in their heart. A piece of heart jewelry is a thoughtful memento for a bride to give to her bridesmaids to say thank you to them for being such a special part of her wedding. For grown up bridesmaids an open heart pendant or sterling silver heart bracelet would make a lovely present.  And for the younger girls, a dainty silver heart locket or a silver heart charm with a fine chain or perhaps worn on a ribbon to complement their gown would fit the bill.

What better way to express your love and appreciation for Mom or Grandma than a gift of heart jewelry?  While a diamond heart shaped pendant would be ideal, there are a large selection of heart jewelry items which are far easier on the finances. Heart necklaces can be purchased in various metals, including yellow gold, white gold or silver and can be set with genuine or man-made gems. Since the choice is vast you’re sure to be able to find the perfect heart jewelry gift for those special ladies.  To ensure you get something that will complement her other pieces of jewelry take a note of the other jewelry she has in her collection to see which precious metal she usually wears.

The great thing about giving heart jewelry is that you don’t need a special day to give it.  It makes a wonderful “just because” or “thank you” gift.  If you have been going through a particularly difficult time and, say, your sister or friend have been there for you giving them a gift of jewelry will reinforce how grateful you are for their support. Practically all girls like earrings and heart earrings can easily be bought in silver or gold and can also be set with diamonds if you wish to be extravagant. Obviously you have to take into account the individual personality of the lady who will receive the surprise. Hoops and dangly earrings are great for the extrovert person whereas a pair of delicate stud earrings may be more practical for wearing to work. Take notice of the kind of jewelry she already wears as this can provide an idea of the colors and styles she favors.

A classic gold or silver heart design charm bracelet makes a magnificent gift for a young woman that she’s going to always treasure.  Most are sold with many charms actually positioned and this can be a great choice if you’re buying for a girl who wants to keep up with the latest trends.  The original locked heart is one “must have” adornment to the old classic form of charm bracelet in which charms are added gradually over a period of time. This particular approach makes it easy to buy further gifts for that girl later on because she would want to collect fresh charms to attach to her bracelet.

Finally, it doesn’t take too much thought to realize that an item of heart design jewelry can make the perfect gift when you want to show someone how much you value and care for them. Even here though the wide selection of items available can be so enormous that you need to give think carefully before deciding exactly what piece of jewelry you should get. While you cannot go wrong if you choose gold heart earrings, there are a limitless amount of other pieces of heart jewelry such as heart charms, heart rings and heart bracelets which will convey the message just as well.

Most little girls from a very early age dream of being a princess like Cinderella or Ariel or Belle, especially if they have watched the Disney movies.  They love to dress up as their favorite character either in specially bought dressing up clothes or, as I used to do when I was little, in Mom’s clothes.  And of course every princess needs lots of sparkling romantic heart jewelry to wear with her beautiful gown for when she meets her prince at the ball.

If your little princess has been fortunate enough to visit Disney World, or the huge Disney store in Downtown Disney in Florida, then she may have had the opportunity to visit the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique to have her hair, make up and nails done just like a real princess.  If money is no object (it could be as much as $200) then you will want to add all the extras such as her favorite princess’s dress, shoes and a photograph to commemorate the event.  Then of course she needs a tiara and all the other jewelry to match, such as a necklace, ring, earrings and bracelet. Depending on her age and your budget (if you haven’t overspent already!) the jewelry can be a mixture of cheap and cheerful glass beads with perhaps something more elaborate, like a silver heart charm bracelet, a silver heart locket, or a silver heart ring.

These items of jewelry can be a memento of her magical vacation but they can also be something to wear as she gets older.  For example, if you choose to buy a silver heart charm bracelet she can add a new charm from every place that she goes on vacation as a child and as an adult.  Charms could include a flip flop charm to remind her of a beach vacation or perhaps a charm of the Tower of London or the Eiffel Tower if she visited Europe.  Just imagine what memories it will evoke and what an interesting topic of conversation it will be when people admire it when she wears it as she gets older.  Disney pins on a lanyard may be great for when you are wanting to trade them but are hardly the height of elegance, whereas a silver heart charm bracelet can be worn with casual or formal outfits.

Obviously as she grows from a child into an adult she will accumulate a lot more jewelry to add to her collection whether it is fashion jewelry that she has bought for herself or more personal items that other people have bought for her on birthdays and other special days. And while she will not be playing at “dressing up” any more she will still enjoy the feeling of looking like a princess when she dresses in the gown she has chosen for special events such as her junior or senior prom.

But then the “Big Day” arrives and the little girl’s dream turns into reality and she really is a princess walking down the aisle to marry her prince.  All eyes are on her as she glides into the room wearing the most beautiful wedding dress and the most sparkling jewelry.  This time the jewelry may have been bought for her by her future husband and may consist of a heart shaped engagement ring, gold heart earrings, a gold heart necklace and a gold heart bracelet which he has given her as a token of his undying love. The great thing about heart jewelry is that it can be worn everyday even after the big event.  It looks equally good when worn to the office or for a posh night out or even when you are wearing casual clothes such as jeans and sweatshirt.

And why not start a tradition among the other princesses in the family – buy each of them a heart charm bracelet when they are young and let them choose the theme they want to continue  on it over time.  These items of jewelry will be great to hand down over the generations as they will have such a story to tell.

One of the frequent reasons for buying a gift, almost any sort of gift, is because it represents the positive feelings you have for that person.  Of course, some gifts are simply a matter of routine (be honest now, I bet that you have bought gifts for relatives you just don’t really like but that you had to for the sake of family harmony, or you’ve contributed to a leaving present for a colleague that you’re pleased to see the back of).

But let’s focus for a few minutes on those gifts that you buy because you want to express your love for someone.  You have many choices – too many, really, in this day and age and often so many that it becomes confusing.  However, one tried and true way to express your love for a lady (and maybe even a man, depending on your relationship and his particular style!) is to give a piece of heart jewelry.

Even if you haven’t given much thought to it before, it is easy to see why a piece of heart shaped jewelry can make the right gift for your loved one. However, there is an enormous variety of pieces and it can be so extensive that you simply must give some thought to what specific piece of jewelry you should buy. So should you buy a gold heart necklace, a silver heart bracelet or a simple heart brooch?

In fact, the answer is really obvious, isn’t it?  For the maximum impact and to deliver the message you really want to send, you need to match the gift to the lucky recipient.  For example:

• If your woman favors silver or white gold, then a white gold heart necklace or a sterling silver heart locket could be a perfect option.

• Or what about a vintage heart locket that contains your photo as an ultimate depiction of your feelings for her?

• Practically all ladies like earrings and heart design earrings can easily be bought in silver or gold and can also be encrusted with gems if you want to be extravagant.

Naturally you need to think about the individual taste of the woman who will receive the surprise. Take notice of the kind of jewelry she already wears as this can provide an idea of the colors and styles she favors.  Here are some further thoughts to help you along:

• One major trend that many observers have commented on is the increasing popularity of silver heart jewelry.  Sterling silver’s physical qualities allow it to be made into an almost limitless range of jewelry designs, ranging from delicate silver heart earrings to big bracelets and chains. One big advantage that silver has is that it’s color gives the appearance of white gold or platinum at a fraction of the cost. Silver creates a superb setting for nearly any color of gem, making it an ideal choice for moderately priced heart pendants, rings and earrings with either precious or semi-precious stones. A range of birthstones such as amethyst, garnet and topaz regularly appear in stunning silver heart jewelry designs. Nowadays, synthetic and created jewels look so good that once set in silver they can look as if they cost an absolute fortune.

• As mentioned before, the beauty of heart jewelry is that you are not limited to just one type of metal or just one style of jewelry – and this variety results in jewelry products that can match almost any budget.  Despite the likelihood that a diamond heart pendant would be perfect for the lady in your life, there are a huge selection of other heart jewelry items which can be much easier on the finances. Heart shaped necklaces can be found in various precious metals, such as white and yellow gold or sterling silver and can be set with real or artificial gemstones. As the selection is so diverse, you’re certain to manage to discover the perfect heart jewelry gift for a loved one.

• A particular celebration to which a piece of heart jewelry is best suited is a wedding anniversary. It’s a gift which will demonstrate to your wife how much you really care. Take note of whether she usually wears silver or white gold or if perhaps she prefers classic yellow gold. A little detective work in advance will ensure you opt for the ultimate heart shaped jewelry gift.

• A timeless silver or gold charm bracelet makes a fantastic gift for a girl that she’ll treasure forever. These vintage jewelry items are experiencing great demand because they have become the favorites of celebrities. The traditional heart design lock is the essential accent to the vintage form of charm bracelet where the charms are usually added gradually over time. That type makes it easy to buy gifts for the young lady later on as she would want to acquire new charms to increase her bracelet. Although, the modern epoch of designer heart charm bracelets come with several charms actually in position and it is a top selection for the designer conscious female.

So as you can see – whether it’s a gold heart necklace, a pair of silver heart earrings or a diamond heart pendant, heart jewelry can indeed solve your problems when you need a special gift for that special person!

A sterling silver heart charm bracelet might be just the solution you’re looking for if  you are ever invited to a little girl’s christening or other such naming ceremony and you are wondering what would be an appropriate gift.  If you are fortunate enough to have been chosen as one of the little girl’s godparents then you want a gift that is going to last and one that will remind her of that special day as she gets older.  For this reason you need to think about something more long lasting than simply buying a beautiful outfit of clothes which she will outgrow in a matter of weeks.

One excellent gift to consider is a sterling silver heart charm bracelet, because this is a gift that she will treasure for years to come and one which can be added to over and over again throughout her lifetime.  In case you need some help in deciding:

1. There are lots of different styles of heart charm bracelets on the market, whether you are searching in the Mall jewelry stores or clicking from one to another of the many retailers found on the Internet.  Because of the wide variety available it might be that there are a number of things you might like to consider before making your final choice.  Although your gift is for a baby it might be as well to buy a bracelet that is slightly larger or that can have links added so that it grows with her.

2. Choose a heart charm that can be personalized, perhaps one with her birthstone set into it so that it can be engraved with either her birthday or her Christening date on it. You might even want to choose a heart locket so that a photograph of her on her special day can be put inside.

3. Make sure that other charms can be added to the links. By giving this gift you can add a charm to it for memorable occasions throughout her life making it into a history of her growing up.  For instance, on her first birthday you could add a birthday charm or in December of the year she is born, buy her one for her first Christmas.  Memorable events during her school days could be commemorated with a charm.  Maybe even her first boyfriend could add to it by giving her a heart charm on their first Valentine’s Day.

4. Other special days that spring to mind are of course her Graduation Day when you could present her with a charm depicting a graduation cap and the year she achieved her diploma or even a diploma charm.  Another special day would perhaps be to get her a car charm for when she gets her driving license or yet another, buying a number charm for when she reaches the age of majority.

5. Then of course as she gets to the stage in life when she is contemplating marriage, a charm depicting a wedding would be very appropriate.  And as her family grows, charms can be added to mark these happy events.

6. Another reason for choosing a sterling silver heart charm bracelet is that it complements other heart jewelry such as heart earrings or a heart pendant that she may well receive as gifts as she grows up.

Of course there are other Christening gifts that you could choose for that special little girl, such as a personalized brush and comb set or a first tooth and first curl gift set or even a silver cup with her name on.  But giving a silver heart charm bracelet is a gift that will keep on giving in memories throughout the years and one which she can pass on to her own children as a part of family history.  You can be sure that your Goddaughter or niece or even friends baby girl will remember you every time she wears that special piece of jewelry.

Since ancient times the heart symbol has been associated with love.  Many of the ancient cultures used it as a design on jewelry pieces but perhaps the most romantic era when heart jewelry came into its own was Victorian times.  One of the most romantic pieces of jewelry of this period was the silver heart locket. Although lockets had been used for centuries as good luck charms, or to carry poison or even to carry curative powders, their use as a symbol of love or condolence increased a great deal during the reign of Queen Victoria in the 19th century.

At first lockets were given to women who had lost a loved one so that they had a keepsake in which they could put a photograph or a lock of hair of their loved one.  Often these lockets would be worn on a pin close to the heart as a sign that although the person was no longer with them they were still in their heart and would not be forgotten.  They were also worn on chains round the neck or on charm bracelet.

As is the case today, Victorian lockets came in many different shapes: some were book shaped, some were round and of course the heart shape was popular.  They were made of different metals such as gold, silver, brass and copper.  Silver was a more common choice compared to gold due to the lower cost of that metal, a situation that remains valid today.  But is was favored more than brass and copper because the look and feel was superior.

Many of these lockets had intricate designs engraved into them and most often they had the  initials of the owner or the loved one or perhaps both of these (see left for an example of a modern engraved silver heart locket and click on the picture for more details).  Some even had precious and semi-precious stones set in them.  These lockets were often passed down in families as heirlooms and I’m sure that if you go to some of the second hand jewelry stores or antique shops, especially in England, you will be able to find some of these beautiful pieces of history.

Heart lockets soon became a favorite gift to give to a loved one as the ultimate romantic symbol of love. And what could be nicer than one that has a personalized message on it, like this one on the right (click on the picture for more information)? The photograph, lock of hair or other piece of personal memorabilia contained in the locket would serve as a reminder of the loved one even if they were far apart.  From the time of the American Civil War and the Boer War in the nineteenth century, the two world wars of the twentieth century to the conflicts that are raging today, wives, sweethearts, moms and sisters have worn heart lockets with pictures of their loved one inside as a means of keeping them close at all times.

But why the heart shape?  Jewelry designs come and go but heart charms (and jewelry with heart designs on them) have never been out of fashion since they were introduced by the ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians.  The heart shape is thought to have originated from the shape of the seed pod of the now extinct Silphium plant.  The Greeks and Romans believed that the plant was a gift from Apollo and it that it contained many magical properties.  Not only was it used as a seasoning in many of the Mediterranean dishes of the time, it was also used for medicinal purposes to cure anything from a cold to more serious illnesses.  But one of its main uses was as a contraceptive and this is perhaps why the shape of its seed pods (very much like a human heart) led to it becoming the symbol of love.

Nowadays a locket (whether it’s a gold heart locket, silver heart locket or some other kind) makes a great gift for women of all ages and for all occasions and it would be nice if they once again became family heirlooms.  What could tell a family’s history more than a bracelet filled with heart lockets?  It could start with one with pictures of the bride and groom on their wedding day and then as each momentous milestone in that couple’s relationship is reached a new heart charm locket could be added.  One for each child with perhaps a photograph, their first curl or even a first tooth, ones commemorating each momentous anniversary, others carrying pictures of their children’s wedding days and then of course one to welcome each grandchild.  In this age of technology it would be nice to leave a solid memento of a previous generation for the next generation.

And a silver heart locket is a great compromise that gives you a valuable and long lasting piece of jewelry yet it comes at a price that is lower than the more expensive gold option.

When it comes to choosing a gift for a new baby girl, most people don’t immediately think about jewelry (for example, heart bracelets or charms) but instead they focus on other things such as clothes, blankets, bibs and any number of other practical items.  But babies are made to love and to show the love you feel for this new little person – so what better gift than jewelry, especially heart jewelry?

I particularly like the heart bracelets and heart charms that are available in stores and on-line that can be personalized especially for baby.

Stores such as Things Remembered have some beautiful heart bracelets that you can have engraved with the child’s name or initials.  One I really like is the Birthstone Angel bracelet.  Not only can you have the heart engraved with the baby’s name and birthday but you can buy a matching necklace to go with it.

Another unique gift idea would be a starter charm bracelet that can be added to over time to commemorate milestones in baby’s life.  This truly would be a lasting gift that could become a memories bracelet to pass on to the next generation.

A number of babies have their ears pierced so why not choose from the selection of gold or silver earrings that are available?  Loveivy has a selection of children’ jewellery and you can find some cute birthstone heart earrings.

There are any number of different heart charms to choose from that can be engraved with a special message.  A heart locket engraved with either a name or special date makes a lovely gift.  If a photo of mom and dad is put inside as the little girl gets older she will always have a keepsake of how her parents looked when she was born.

Although it is mostly little girls who wear jewellery there are some pieces that you can buy for a baby boy.  If dad or mom is a soccer fan how about getting a soccer pendant or if they are baseball fans there is the engraved baseball pendant?  Or equally popular for little boys would be a St Christopher pendant.

There are lots of other personalized gifts to choose from that are suitable for both baby girls and baby boys, for instance a personalized piggy bank or “My First Year” album or even a personalized brush and comb set.

Whether you are choosing from a range of heart bracelets, heart earrings, heart charms or sports charms or other assorted items, choosing a personalized gift for that special bundle of joy will show how much you care.

When you give heart charms as a gift it is a way of telling the person you are giving it to that you love them.  The most common date for giving heart related presents is February 14th, St Valentine’s Day.  Stores are filled with heart cakes, heart cookies, heart shaped boxes of chocolates and of course heart jewelry.

Telling someone you love them is not confined to Valentines Day or to that special partner.  There are many occasions that can be commemorated with personalized heart charms.

Give them as a special anniversary gift, for a special Mother’s Day present, to let Grandma know that she is loved or to thank a special friend for just being there. Whether the recipient wears gold or silver jewelry, they are sure to appreciate the fact that you have sought out something special just for them.

How about a heart charm with the birthstone of the recipient set into it?  Or how about giving one to a new mom with the birth date and name of their new baby on it?  And I really like the padlock and key heart charms from Things Remembered that you can have engraved with your own message – there’s a picture to the left and just click on it for more details.  In fact Things Remembered has a whole selection of charms for every occasion in their charm story collection.

The great thing about heart charms is that they can be worn on a bracelet or chain around the neck or even on a keyring.   And there are so many different sorts to choose from depending on your budget and taste.  The saying goes that “diamonds are forever” so maybe the perfect gift for the love of your life would be a diamond studded heart charm.

One of my favorite collections of heart charms is “The Open Heart” designs by Jane Seymour.  These make ideal gifts for friends or family and are really beautiful.  My husband bought me one of these charms for Christmas and I never take it off.  You can now show that special man in your life how much you love him as there are Open Hearts cufflinks in  this collection!

Very popular throughout history have been locket heart charms.  Some ladies kept pictures of their husbands or fiancé in them with a lock of their hair especially if their loved one was in the military and away from home.  Moms often keep photos of their baby and their first curl when it is cut off.  These are lovely keepsakes and very personal as the wearer can keep their loved ones close all the time.

There are many different kinds of heart charms to choose from to suit any occasion so remember you can give your heart to that special someone any time not just on St Valentines Day.