Heart Jewelry Choices, Heart Jewellery Allure

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.

Sterling Silver Hand Engraved Heart Locket, 13/16 wide by 13/16

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.

Small Sterling Silver Hand Engraved Heart Locket, 5/8 in. (16mm) Wide and 5/8 in. (16mm) Tall

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 , text or Amazon button 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 next one (click on the picture, text or Amazon button for more information)?

St. Silver Tri Color I Love You Heart Shaped Locket 20x19mm – $25 Coupon Today

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.