Jewellery is an obvious choice of gift for Valentine’s Day. One imagines the great silver screen diva Elizabeth Taylor awash in gems from the lovers in her life—seven husbands and eight marriages, if you’re counting. Though her famed trove is nigh impossible to match, the spirit of a great collector like her might be fun to follow in.
Taylor was said to treasure her jewels with a sentimentality for the giver. She wore a heart-shaped diamond pendant gifted by late husband Mike Todd, for example, to her wedding with Eddie Fisher. Todd and Fisher were best friends, but the jewel was worn as a matter of tenderness; and Taylor in fact continued to wear it for many years.
Most of us are not going to have dramatics to match that story, but the sensibility holds true. A well-thought piece of jewellery, given to a loved one on Valentine’s, can hold its meaning for decades. The emotion and passion of a moment in time crystallised for ever.
One of the loveliest new collections to arrive in Singapore this year is Les Acrostiches by Chaumet, a customised bracelet with a message spelt in gemstones. It comes from a tradition when Napoleon Bonaparte would order acrostic bracelets for Empress Joséphine, with the names of their children written in gems.
Though normally only offered from Chaumet’s historic Place Vendôme address, Les Acrostiches is now—blissfully—also available to order in Singapore.
Here, Vogue curates a selection of Valentine’s jewellery gift ideas imbued with meaning—a story, some symbolism, or simply designs that could carry a message.
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Pomellato Together ring in rose gold with diamonds, $4,500
The Pomellato Together collection has a subtle, poignant beauty. Two lines meet or intersect, as a representation of connection between individuals. It’s expressed in the form of two gold bands that come together, bound by a diamond-set link of love. Wear it either diamond side up, or concealed.
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Marie Lichtenberg Love You Spinning Scapular medium necklace in yellow gold with blue enamel and rubies, €8,500
A message of love hidden in plain sight. The scapular spins—with two rubies set on the sides—to reveal the letters ‘I L V O U’ on one face, and ‘O E Y’ on the verso.
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Chaumet Les Acrostiches Jeux de Liens bracelet in rose gold with gemstones, price on request
Perhaps the loveliest way to inscribe a secret message of love comes courtesy of Chaumet. Its Les Acrostiches collection of bracelets is like an acrostic poem written in gemstones. Here’s how it works: In a Chaumet boutique, a beautiful presentation box is brought out with a preview of the coloured gemstones that represent each letter of the alphabet. A for aquamarine, D for diamond, M for mother-of-pearl, and so on; and diamond-set gold discs for numbers and symbols.
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Fred Pretty Woman Sunlight Message necklace in pink gold with diamonds, $6,150
On the surface, this heart-motif Pretty Woman necklace by French jeweller Fred may look straightforward. But a secret message is subtly engraved on its reverse—so subtly, in fact, that you cannot even make it out by sight or touch. The message—options of ‘Amour’, ‘I love you’, or simply ‘Love’—only reveals itself as a reflection when light hits the gold.
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Mociun Memento pendant in gold, from $2,400
How’s a jewel that’s truly one of a kind? New Jork brand Mociun offers a Memento pendant which can be customised with an image or words of your choice. And not merely from a pre-set list of fonts and symbols. Send the brand your own artwork—simple, unshaded line drawings work best, as do handwritten scrawls—and it will apply it to the solid gold plate as a laser engraving to capture it for eternity.
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Van Cleef & Arpels Icône solitaire ring in platinum with diamonds, from $8,700
Have you heard of Victoria Beckham’s collection of 15 engagement rings? Think of it as a way to broaden the choices and options for the everyday jewel on your left ring finger, if you are married. It’s a nice way to build a collection of jewels you’re sure to wear. This Icône design from Van Cleef & Arpels has a subtle, button-like touch, with the choice of centre diamond starting from 0.30-carats, E colour, and VVS2 clarity.
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Laurence Graff Signature ring in white gold with diamonds, $8,450
An eternity ring is a really chic alternative to a solitaire. They are, in some ways, even more stylishly versatile, and less fussy to wear on the daily. Jackie Kennedy, in fact, was said to have an eternity ring she nicknamed her ‘swimming ring’. This Laurence Graff Signature design pairs a row of pavé diamonds with faceted gold—kind of a two-in-one stack that’s sure to be an everyday favourite.
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Maison H Jewels pinkie ring in yellow gold with a heart-shape diamond, $2,461
A heart is a timeless, unmistakeable symbol of love. This pinkie ring by Maison H is finished with a heart-shape diamond, and sized daintily to be worn on the pinkie finger—a more everyday style-driven placement, perhaps.
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Harry Winston Heart-Shaped Diamond Solitaire pendant, price on request
Sometimes, a heart sends a clear enough message. And most times, a really good diamond is a treat in and of itself. Consider a fancy cut like a heart-shaped diamond, which Harry Winston offers in a supremely minimalist style. Just a solitaire stone, set with subtle platinum prongs, to be worn as a pendant.
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Buccellati Macri Classica pendant in white gold with diamonds, $7,800
The Macri collection by Buccellati was inspired by third-generation daughter Maria Cristina Buccellati. Her father, Gianmaria, sought to connect the house’s centuries-old handcraft techniques with his daughter’s femininity and sense of style. In this pendant, with a silky rigato finish on gold and a diamond set into a rosette, a tender representation of these values of family, love and craft.
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Tank Louis Cartier small model in yellow gold, $15,200
A red box is terrifically thrilling, but let’s skip the obvious contenders in Cartier’s catalogue for a moment. Why not consider a Tank Louis Cartier, a watch so classical and elegant it is both timepiece and precious object at once. The personal touch comes from having a message engraved on the back. A name, initials, or date work perfectly well; but here’s some poetic inspiration. When Elizabeth Taylor gifted one of her husbands with a Cartier Tank, the back of it said “When time began…”
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Tiffany & Co. Lock by Tiffany bangle in white and rose gold, $11,000
The Tiffany Lock is the New York jeweller’s modern symbol of love. A distilled essence of protection, assurance, and security—highly sentimental, yet extremely stylish. Instead of putting a padlock on a bridge and throwing the key away, why not have your initials inscribed on the inside of this jewel?
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Gunia Project Key to the Heart and Open Heart pendants in rhodium-plated sterling silver, US$395 each
These designs by Gunia Project take inspiration from Ukrainian decorative art. Specifically, a tradition of locks and keys as symbols of enduring love that, naturally, come in pairs.
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Piaget Possession ring in rose gold with diamonds, $5,650
The Possession collection by Piaget features a discrete detail: the house’s signature Possession setting. Diamonds are set without prongs, hugged gently and held in place instead by bands of gold. Think of it as the ideal lover’s embrace–comforting, yet open so the gems can shine.
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Louis Vuitton Les Gastons Puzzle ring in yellow gold and titanium, $7,350
The men need some love too. Louis Vuitton’s Les Gastons is one of a handful of fine jewellery collections fully dedicated to men, and the designs are scaled and sized as such. This Puzzle ring features three movable bands of laser-engraved titanium. Perfect as a fidget jewel that keeps a lover in mind whenever they play with the ring.
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Chanel Coco necklace in beige gold with a ruby and diamond, $10,250
“Red,” said Gabrielle Chanel, “is the colour of life”. The latest designs from the extremely stylish and easy-to-wear Coco Crush collection now feature rubies in them. This pendant embodies passion in a fiery ruby, nestled in an arc of beige gold.
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Boucheron Serpent Bohème toi et moi ring in pink gold with rhodolite garnets, $9,400
The story goes that when jeweller Frédéric Boucheron was about to travel for business, he gifted his wife Gabrielle a snake necklace. It was meant to represent protection, a totem of his love and presence even as he was away. This tender idea is reinterpreted in modern form as the maison’s Serpent Bohème collection, which abstracts the snake inspiration as drop-shaped motifs. And what better way to symbolise togetherness than a linked toi et moi design?
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Marie Mas U & I rings in yellow gold with diamonds, €15,200
This pair of Starlight rings by French designer Marie Cabirou comes as a jacket-style twist on a toi et moi. The middle band can be removed and worn by a partner, as a symbol of parts that complete a whole.
