A Legacy to Be Proud of Since 1909
The heart symbol is one we all recognize, from the little sketched hearts we drew as children, this beautiful icon represents the love between two people dates back centuries and still continues today. One thing for sure there is love in this ‘Valentines’ month of February!
Whenever Cupid comes calling, love can be many things from infatuation, passion to deep eternal love. When King Edward VII wanted to show his love Wallis Simpson the depth of his feelings for the woman who would motivate him to abdicate the British Crown, he gave her a heart charm which opened to reveal the words ‘The Heart Has Its Reasons’.
On Valentine’s Day, the Victorians concentrated on the theme of maximalism. So, the bigger the card, the painting, the pressed flowers or a handmade puzzle purse (similar to origami, this was made from a single piece of paper, decorated and folded to conceal a secret message) the better at getting the romantic point across.
So, whilst in this Victorian philosophy for Valentines was ‘more is more’, I think today the subtlety of ‘less is more’ and thoughtfully chosen Jewellery can say “just you and me”. It’s a very simple and clear message and my favourite Scottish designer Linda Macdonald does this so well with her very own collection of distinctive heart jewellery. I love the two solid hearts, one in silver, and the other in gold.
In jewellery, the heart shape padlock was used on a bracelet and in a subtle way conveyed the message “you hold the key to my heart”. To illustrate, I love this chunky modern-day version of the classic charm bracelet which uses the padlock as the main feature along with a larger ring to the centre for a charm or personalized disc for engraving a special message.
Like padlocks, lockets have been used for centuries as they can be traced back as far as the 16th century and interestingly worn by both men and women. Over the years, I have become more sentimental about special pieces of jewellery and the locket is one of these. My gold locket was given to me by my twins when they were five (now 30!) and for an extra personal touch – engraved on the back. A locket particularly a heart shaped one will be a cherished keepsake to celebrate love.
There is always something truly special when giving a token of our feeling and jewellery whether big or small is undoubtedly one of the most enduring ways of conveying an expression of love particularly on Valentine’s Day.
Happy Valentines….Sally x
