Beautiful yellow gold plated .925 sterling silver heart studs, $42
Out of all of the gifts that you could choose to give your loved ones this year, we are firm believers that jewelry is the best kind. Whether you want to splurge on something pricier or choose a high-quality piece of vermeil (gold-plated sterling silver), we have a variety of options for you to choose from to treat those you love the most to a gift that will last.
Curious as to why jewelry remains a popular gift to give your loved ones on Valentine’s Day? Read on for a bit of history behind the tradition!
Who was St. Valentine?
St. Valentine was a Christian priest in the 3rd Century AD was was martyred on February 14 in 270 AD under Roman Emperor Claudius. According to popular legend, Claudius had banned marriages for young men, due to a belief that single men were better fighters than married men. Disagreeing strongly with this stance, St. Valentine secretly married couples, which resulted in his arrest and execution. Before his death, a popular story is that he forged a friendship with his jailer’s daughter, and before his execution he left her a note that was signed, “From your Valentine”…and from there, a legend was born. Regardless of how much truth there is to this legend, St. Valentine came to represent exactly what a day dedicated to love stands for: A love that is so strong it defies authority, is full of secret devotion and sacrifice, and choosing love over personal risk.
How did Valentine’s Day become synonymous with giving gifts?
This jaw-dropping ring from our Estate Collection features a vibrant pink sapphire surrounded by brilliant diamonds, all lusciously embraced in platinum. Priced incredibly at $4,500
Since nearly the dawn of time, humans have been exchanging gifts as a symbol of love and affection–this is something that nearly every ancient culture has in common. Several hundred years after the martyrdom of St. Valentine, the Catholic Church officially recognized February 14th as the Feast Day of St. Valentine (it is worth noting that this time of year coincided with the Ancient Roman pagan festival of Lupercalia, a fertility festival). At this point in time, Valentine’s Day was a religious feast day, rather than a day to celebrate romance. In the late 14th Century (the Middle Ages), the concept of “courtly love” was hugely popular, and there was a belief that birds chose their mates in mid-February thanks to the work of Medieval poet Geoffrey Chaucer (see Chaucer’s Parliament of Fowls), and in the 15th Century, people began to associate the Feast Day of St. Valentine with the exchange of small gifts, such as poems, notes, and other small tokens of their affection. It was also around this time that the word “valentine” became associated with someone who was your sweetheart. At this point in time, however, Valentine’s Day was mainly celebrated amongst members of the upper class, and was not yet as commercialized as it was to become later.
It was not until the 18th Century that Valentine’s Day became more like what we think of today. By the 1700s, Valentine’s Day was widely celebrated in England, and the holiday was no longer considered “niche” or elite. In the early to mid 1800s, industrial printed enabled the first mass-produced Valentine’s Day cards, and things we associate with Valentine’s Day today–such as lace, hearts, cupids, etc.–became standard tokens of the holiday. By the Victorian Era, Valentine’s Day was a massively celebrated holiday, one that was both romantic and driven by consumers. Chocolates, flowers, jewelry, and cards were all popular gifts at this point in time, similar to today.
Today, Valentine’s Day is more than just a day–it is a season that is dedicated to love, one that often seems to begin in stores nationwide the day after Christmas. In the jewelry industry, many jewelers go hard with advertising for Valentine’s Day because–what symbolizes an everlasting commitment like a diamond, the hardest natural substance known to man? Jewelry is an obvious choice to demonstrate love for so many reasons–it provides a tangible symbol of your affection, and unlike other gift choices, it won’t die (like flowers) or disappear (like chocolates and candy). Even the shape of jewelry is built on symbolism–from the eternity that the circle of a ring represents to the meaning of gemstones themselves (don’t forget to read our birthstone series each month to learn more about the meaning of different gemstones!) jewelry is designed with passion and personality in mind.
If you have decided that you want to surprise a loved one with a special piece of jewelry to mark this Valentine’s Day, stop in and see us at Gilded Design Studio! From heart-shaped jewelry at a variety of price points (starting under $50 all the way up to a glorious diamond pendant in our Estate Collection case) to birthstone jewelry and everything in between, we are confident we have the perfect gift for your sweetheart. Bonus? We can even wrap it for you–and maybe our resident writer Emily can help you craft an original poem to surprise your person with alongside their new favorite piece of jewelry! 🙂
Stunning diamond pendant, set in 14K white gold, from our Estate Collection. Pendant priced lovingly at $850 (shown with a 14K white gold chain, $580)
We hope that you have enjoyed learning a bit about the history of one of our favorite days to celebrate love! We will be open on Saturday, February 14th, from 10 AM-3 PM, and we look forward to being a part of your celebration of this special day. Until then, may this month of love find you full of joy–we look forward to sparkling you soon!