Okay, maybe this will be the last time I feature hearts before Valentine’s Day. Though, if the collections keep up the way they’ve been going, that’s unlikely.
Because while consumers have, for years, been demanding all manner of celestial jewelry (and getting it in brilliant, beautiful ways), maybe this is the year that the heart eclipses those great icons of the sky. I don’t know if I’m just more attuned to it because I feel a special affinity for hearts this year, but it just seems like the symbol of love is more prominent than ever.
One such example is the new, limited-edition collection by Emily P. Wheeler. With only two or three pieces available in each style, the creations are extra special and ultra-glam.
If you’re at all familiar with Wheeler’s work, you’ll recognize the Los Angeles–based jeweler’s penchant for colorful gemstones, laid out in vivid, jubilant ways that make the heart happy. In this capsule, the heart-themed styles have that same cheerful attention to color, with an ombré palette of pink, purple, and gray Madagascar sapphires.
My favorite is probably what would be considered the centerpiece of the collection, a choker called For Eternity (at top). Its clever name—which also describes the eternity bands pictured here—plays on the notion of love, and the fact that the piece’s setting is laid all the way around its 15.25-inch length with gemstones, just over 28 cts. of them.
The heart-shape collection makes its debut at the ideal time, just before Valentine’s Day, but it’s positively timeless in nature. The heart icon is and always will be a central theme in jewelry, and it’s wonderful to see it come up in increasingly compelling ways.
“I’ve always loved hearts as a shape in general—there is something perfectly kitschy about them,” says Wheeler. “A heart-shape diamond or sapphire is just the right amount of playful. To me, there is something extra glamorous about bringing a little playful energy to something as elevated as fine jewelry. It’s a whole new level of luxury. This collection came at the right time, I think. We all need a little extra love and play right now.”
Indeed.
Top: For Eternity choker in 18k rose gold with 28.14 cts. t.w. pink, violet, and gray Madagascar sapphires, $38,000; Emily P. Wheeler
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