Wooing is very much on the agenda as the most romantic day of the year approaches, but what do you buy the jewellery lover in your life? There’s nothing wrong with the tried-and-true classics – diamonds will always be gratefully received – but there’s one trend that lends itself perfectly to Valentine’s Day: script jewellery.
Spelling out your feelings in jewels is the modern-day equivalent of a love letter, whether your message is hidden on the inside of a bracelet or designed to dangle from the earlobes.
Last year, Stephen Webster collaborated with his long-time friend Tracey Emin on a romantic jewellery collection with not a cliché in sight. Featuring phrases like “With you I breathe” and “More passion”, picked out in gold and diamonds in Emin’s distinctive handwriting, the jewels are heartfelt without being mushy.
A new addition to the collection is the Neon Bangle, top, with the message “I Promise to Love You” inscribed on the inside, the hinged gold design channel-set with rubies.
Milan-based jewellery designer Maria Kovadi has created the perfect Valentine’s gift if you’re in the first flushes of love: a pair of drop earrings, above, that spell out Tell Me You Love Me, below, topped with lip- and heart-shaped studs.
If that’s a little coy for your other half, Lorenz Baumer’s Passion ring sends looping diamond-set letters around the finger.
The queen of quirky cool, Geneva’s Suzanne Syz has created a customisable bracelet for Scrabble fans. This witty, wordy jewel is comprised of tiles crafted from titanium, the diamond-set letters accompanied by their values underneath. A blank canvas for your own message, you can personalise it with the characters of your choice.
If your Valentine’s missive can’t be confined to just nine characters, Venyx’s new Zodiac coins, below, provide much more space to express yourself.
I love that this piece offers three different layers of personalisation. On the front of the pendant, the wearer’s zodiac constellation is depicted in diamonds, while on the reverse, an amethyst - February’s birthstone - is set between two blue sapphires.
Worn close to the heart on a classic twisted gold chain, the blank space surrounding the gems is where your words will appear, engraved by hand in a spiral design.
