Heart Jewelry Choices, Heart Jewellery Allure

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.

Making jewelry pieces using pure silver is not feasible, because pure silver is not hard and sturdy enough. Therefore, to make silver jewelry, a small quantity of copper is mixed with silver. The silver so produced is called sterling silver. In technical terms, sterling silver has 92.5% silver and the rest 7.5% copper. All kinds of jewelry items like bracelets, rings and necklaces are made using sterling silver, but a sterling silver heart necklace requires a special mention because of it’s irresistible appeal.

Why choose a sterling silver heart necklace?  There are many reasons why one should choose a sterling silver heart necklace over other options in necklaces. To begin with, these necklaces are less expensive than other necklaces such as those made from gold. The heart shaped pendant is ideal to be given to one’s beloved since women have been found to fall in love at first sight with a sterling silver heart pendant necklace. If maintained properly, sterling silver retains its charm and beauty for years. In addition, even if the silver is tarnished after years of wear, one can easily get it polished and make it appear as new as it was in the beginning.

There are many designs available within these heart necklaces. For example, there are double heart pendant designs in which two intertwined hearts, symbolizing the love between two souls, are asymmetrically interconnected. Now, with a sterling silver heart charm necklace, one can also personalize the pendant by getting one’s own and one’s beloved’s name engraved on each of the hearts along with birthstones. Another beautiful design is the one where a solid heart dangles through a hollow heart. With this pendant, one can easily adjust how deep the solid heart drops on one’s neck.

In addition to these popular designs, one can also find a number of sterling silver necklaces of different lengths with a pendant decorated with different stones. Though depending on the stone used, these necklace pendants will cost you more; they are worth considering because of their sheer timeless beauty.

Whom would these necklaces suit?  Heart sterling silver necklaces are meant for both adult women and teenage girls. Since sterling silver has an elegant white shine, these necklaces would suit females of all skin colors, whether white, dusky or dark. These necklaces are perfect for not only big parties and events, they can even be worn to casual dates and parties and even to office as well. These pendant necklaces go well with all kinds of dresses as well, be it an expensive evening gown or a casual party dress.

If you are a male and are looking for a beautiful piece of jewelry to give to any woman in your life, be it your mother, wife, girlfriend or daughter, then you need not look further than these sophisticated heart shaped silver necklaces and pendants. Not only will the woman you give the necklace to be pleasantly surprised and genuinely grateful for your gift, even you would feel a sense of satisfaction seeing the heart shaped mark of your love and affection adorning her beautiful neck and bringing a smile to her face.

Where should you buy these necklaces?  You can easily buy a beautiful heart pendant and sterling silver necklace as well as other types of heart jewelry from a jewelry store. However, a better place to look for it is the web, because it will allow you to check out the available products at different sites and compare prices. Many companies will offer you a 30-day money back guarantee on your purchase, so it is also safe to buy a pendant necklace online. Buying online will also avoid you moving away from the comfort of your own home, as the necklace would be delivered at your doorstep in a couple of days.

So take a look at the sterling silver heart necklace choices you have the next time you decide to buy and do yourself a favor!

When it comes to romantic styles of jewelry, there is nothing as timeless as the heart locket. This style is not only romantic, it is also feminine and can come in some very dainty and delicate designs. This makes this particular piece of jewelry a good item to give a young girl as her first real piece of good jewelry. A heart locket necklace is available in several different types of metal so it is easy to select the design you want to purchase. The necklaces created from gold can vary in the weight of the gold used. You may find some items that are 10 karats and others made of 24-karat gold. The difference in weight dictates how much actual gold was used in making the locket.

You will see the weight variations in the silver lockets as well. This also refers to how much silver was used in making the final piece, although the weight increments may be different from those used for gold. This weight will only apply to the locket itself and not to the chain to which it is attached. The chain will often be the same material and weight as the heart locket is, but it can also be different. Most silver hearts are placed on sterling silver chains to create a coordinated and flowing design and a sterling silver heart locket is a favorite too . A silver heart locket can come as a highly polished item with only the silver used as the outer surface or it can have some accent items on it.

Accenting items can be gemstones. You will find several styles of hearts with various birthstones placed as a single accent on the heart’s surface. The gems are usually positioned in the center of the heart and may have etched designs around them such as radiating lines or curved filigree. The etched styles are also available without gems placed in the surface. These can have delicate etchings of flowers, scrolling leaves or even the person’s name. Some designs are reminiscent of Renaissance styles, while others can have a more baroque appearance. Some heart designs will have a mother of pearl inlay on the surface area that creates a very distinctive and elegant style.

The heart lockets available for young girls can also come in a few unique designs. If your child is an animal lover, you could select one of the styles with paw prints on the heart’s surface. A dainty flower etching is also appropriate for this age as is a birthstone setting. These themed styles also make great Mother’s Day gifts and can be found with the word “Mom” engraved in the surface or set in with an alternate type of metal. The two-toned hearts can be made with a silver surface that has gold inlays around the edges or used as a special ornamental design such as a flower in the center.

Both the gold heart locket and silver locket are available with assorted diamond accents. A diamond can be a single stone accent or several stones created as a band across the front of the piece. Several styles have the entire front section covered with tiny diamonds. This style makes a great bridal necklace as well as a nice anniversary gift. The various lockets will come with one or two inner compartments. The basic design has the locket open to reveal two interior sections into which you can place small photos. The two-compartment style will have an additional divider so the locket opens into four segments to hold four separate photos.

You can find all of these magnificent heart jewelry items available at various department and jewelry stores as well as online.  Whichever one you use, make sure that the retailer is happy to offer a refund ir at the very least an exchange (most are) and you will have a new jewelry item to be proud of – whether it is a gift for a loved one or a treasured item that you have bought for yourself.

What if you had to buy a gift for a lady near and dear to you and you just couldn’t think of the ideal surprise for her?  What if heart jewelry could be the answer?

What if you had been spending a long time trying to come up with an original idea for a present for your significant other for Valentine’s Day (whether she’s your wife or girlfriend) and you are drawing a blank?  You’ve already bought her all of the routine gifts that guys buy, such as flowers and chocolates and champagne.  You’ve been together for a few years so you’ve also bought her the other stuff that men buy for their ladies – clothes, DVDs and CDs, underwear (nervously because you didn’t want to appear stupid in front of the sales assistants!) and perfume.  In fact, you’ve bought each of those more than once, taking into account birthdays and Christmas presents and “just because” gifts.  So it’s becoming a little routine and casual. She’s a smart, professional lady running her own business, so she has to look good and elegant and presentable at all times.  She has some jewelry that she wears on business occasions but some of is is a little too “over the top” for day to day affairs.  Well, how about a white gold heart necklace?  It will express your love and affection for her and it will also be a pretty and effective piece that she can co-ordinate with other items in her jewelry box.  You can buy other heart jewelry pieces for gift buying occasions in the future.

But what if Christmas was approaching and you just couldn’t think what to buy for your Mom?  She’s not only a mom but a Grandma also.  She has three children of her own and five grandchildren, so she’s had a lot of presents bought for her over the years.  She doesn’t have a very active social life because of her age but she does have all of the clothes she could ever wear – her wardrobe it bulging – so clothes are out.  She’s not a great movie or television fan, preferring just a few tried and tested programs such as Frasier that she watches repeatedly, so there’s not too much mileage there.  And book-wise, she is quite religiously minded so you’re always worried about buying the modern tomes with lavish amounts of sex scenes in them  that you know will offend her.  She enjoys reminiscing about her past life and the joys of being with her family.  Ok, how about a heart locket?  You can add in a photo of her husband or her favorite grandchildren and she can remember them every time she looks in the mirror and sees the locket hanging there.

So what if you then need to find a gift for your daughter’s birthday that’s just around the corner?  She’s a typical early teenage years girl.  She loves pop music, boys and chatting with her girl friends.  She has all of the music and movies that she wants – and in any event, how can you possibly figure out what’s currently in and what’s currently out?  The same applies to clothes – whatever Mom and Dad like, she doesn’t.  Everything revolves around IPods, text messaging and romance.  Maybe you can buy her a sterling silver heart charm bracelet.  Include a traditional locked heart charm to symbolize romance.  Buy her more charms for subsequent birthdays and gift buying occasions.  She can wear it for social outings and casual times with her friends and she will come to treasure it as more charms are added over the years.

Do you have any more “what if” moments like these?  Give some thought to heart bracelets, heart brooches and heart necklaces and you may be able to solve some gift buying problems of your own.

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.

Have you ever considered buying second hand jewelry, especially to get a more individual piece than those sold in the modern stores?  For a more authentic item of jewelry, such as a sterling silver heart locket either for yourself or as a gift for someone, it is well worth the effort of seeking out retailers who specialize in used jewelry whether in the Mall, Flea Market or on the Internet.  If you can find an outlet that carries Victorian jewelry you are sure to find some beautiful, intricate detailed heart lockets as it was during this era that these became very popular.

Classic jewelry is an exceptional investment and a piece of antique heart design jewelry is a superb gift for that special person in your life. Currently, the value of gold is at an all-time high and this has generated a great deal of interest in vintage and antique gold jewelry as it can certainly provide much better value. The price of used gold jewelry is likely to be up to one third less expensive than a similar piece bought new today. Plus an additional benefit is that the quality of a vintage jewelry piece can often be substantially superior to it’s modern day counterpart. However, the same does not always apply to gemstone jewelry: diamond cutting techniques are now a long way superior from what was available a century in the past.

If the thought of buying or wearing jewelry pieces that were once worn by someone else does not appeal to you but you want something that looks like the original, there are a plethora of merchants on the Web that sell replica jewelry designs at affordable prices.

Silver heart jewelry is experiencing new interest for a variety of reasons. Sterling silver’s natural traits allow it to be made into an incredible assortment of designs from the tiniest sterling silver heart earring to heavy bracelets and chains. The color and sheen of silver gives it the appearance of ultra-fashionable platinum or white gold at a small fraction of the cost. Sterling silver makes a superb setting for almost any type of gems, making it an ideal choice for reasonably priced heart rings, pendants and earrings with either precious or semi-precious gemstones. A variety of birthstones such as garnet, topaz and amethyst often feature in beautiful silver heart jewelry pieces. With the manufacturing skills that are available today, synthetic and created jewels look so good that once set in silver they can look as though they cost a fortune.

Diamonds are the most prestigious of gemstones and diamond pendants are second only to diamond heart engagement rings in the popularity stakes. The heart design diamond pendant is definitely an extremely “in vogue” design today. In this style, the diamonds are not themselves heart shaped (as this is a particularly difficult and expensive cut) but the gold, silver or platinum heart pendant is set with a few larger sized or numerous small gems. If price is a problem, you could attain an equally impressive look with a silver heart shaped locket embellished with synthetic gemstones or cubic zirconia.

Sterling silver heart jewelry is suitable for every situation as it’s color flatters every outfit, from the little black dress to shorts and T-shirt, with designs that can be subtle and elegant or bold and daring. Lovely pieces of heart jewelry suit everyone and in addition they do not have to have high price tags. Individual, made by hand pieces of sterling silver jewelry with heart shaped symbols can be an inexpensive alternative to precious metal and precious gems. Attractive heart shaped rings or traditional Claddagh rings in silver can be purchased for an often amazingly inexpensive price, particularly if you are happy to purchase pre-owned items. Internet auction sites are a great place to look for fantastic jewelry buys and you can have the heart bracelet, earrings or pendant of your dreams!

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.