Valentine’s Day is a great time to gift your loved one with a new piece of jewelry. It’s also the time of year where I feel most regretful over my lack of pierced ears. Valentine’s Day pairs beautifully with a necklace or pair of earrings, and I always swoon over the perfect set of Valentine’s Day earrings — even though I could never wear them.
(Well, until they start making really comfortable clip-ons, at least.)
Let’s talk Valentine’s Day earrings: Materials & more
Retailers can turn out some pretty great sales for Valentine’s Day, so late January is a great time to start looking around for the perfect item. Because it’s a commercial romantic holiday, Valentine’s Day gifts trend toward the classic: demi-fine jewelry pieces with an emphasis on pendant necklaces and earrings. Hearts play a big role in the holiday, and are often found in sterling silver or gold-plated sterling silver.
As long as your wearer has pierced ears (and actually wears earrings on a regular basis; make sure to check), there’s a set out there that’s right for them. Try to take note of what they usually wear. Does your partner prefer small, subtle earrings in high-quality metals? Or do they like dangly fashion earrings with lots of colour and tassels?
An important note about Valentine’s Day purchases is that they should fall in line with your relationship—not your salesperson. That’s one of the reasons why more and more people are buying jewelry online. You get to spend more time comparing prices and fine details, and there’s no pressure to over-purchase. If you’re young college students who’ve just started dating, a small gift is very appropriate; if you’ve been married for years and give a big gift every Valentine’s Day, then the tradition can continue.
Fashion jewelry provides a great introductory point for Valentine’s Day earrings for a young couple. I like to turn towards fashion designers like Betsey Johnson (who features plenty of chunky hearts in her designs) when it comes to gifts for a younger crowd.
Hoop-shaped Valentine’s Day earrings
I’ve always been a little bit enamoured by stud earrings, drop earrings, and dangle earrings… But hoops are growing on me. The Mean Girls days of big, thin hoops are largely over, and I love the look of a small, compact hoop.
Best Buy’s selection of hoop earrings are great for Valentine’s Day, and they totally skip over the heart theme. That makes them a great choice for something timeless, but there’s a lot of variation throughout. A hoop earring with coloured gemstones is a little more casual, while your classic gold-and-diamond combination fits right in at a corporate office or a swanky night out.
Rose gold can offer a modern twist to this classic design, as shown here, while gold, white gold, and silver stand out a little more against the skin. Look to your loved one’s jewelry box (or their wedding band) to see which tone they prefer.
Traditional Valentine’s Day earrings: The simple stud
Diamond stud earrings are a constant classic, and they really shine at Valentine’s Day. Studs offer a lot of options: you can go small and subtle, for daily wear, or choose a different gemstone for a bit of fun. Heart-shaped studs (like the ones that called out Donna in The Office’s season 6 “The Cover-Up” episode) are a gift that no one ever buys for themselves. They’re a classic Valentine’s Day gift, frequently in fashion jewelry or semi-precious form, and they wear well with very little risk of getting tangled in anyone’s hair.
Look to brands like Amour for heart-shaped stud earrings, and don’t be afraid to opt for non-traditional choices. Synthetic gemstones, cubic zirconia, and crystal options offer a great gift selection without breaking the bank! It just depends on your love language. If it’s important to you and your partner to show your love through a big gift, then now is the perfect time to get a great deal on fine jewelry. If it’s important to you and your partner to show your love through labour (like it is for me), then a small pair of earrings alongside a string of post-it notes and a home cooked dinner make for a much more impressive gift.
For small gifts like earrings, I think that presentation plays a key role in how the gift is received. Think of it as “gift foreplay.” Start by wrapping the present carefully (fabric ribbon is always a nice touch), and invest time into the evening. Try your best to show up on time and unhurried, but above all, don’t leave it for the next day!
Show-stopping dangle earrings for Valentine’s Day
Dangle earrings are another great option for Valentine’s Day earrings. I like them because I find them to be the most flexible earring category. They can be big or small, colourful or subtle — a great dangle earring can be as large as a wire hoop or as compact as an offset stud.
I find that colour stands out the most in dangle earrings, making them the best choice if you’re going with a coloured gemstone. Synthetic rubies and garnets (or even coloured crystal) look great against any metal, and they really stand out in a dangle earring. Keep your partner’s fashion sense in mind when purchasing: if they tend to wear high-cut shirts with their hair up, perhaps a smaller dangle earring would be best. Conversely, if they love deep-cut tops or dresses, a low dangle makes a big impact.
Long, teardrop-shaped designs tend to pair well with evening dresses, while smaller dangle earrings (look for designs with a small stone at the base of the earring connecting directly to a centre stone) are more appropriate for daily wear. Mimic the “shape” of your partner’s wardrobe when purchasing, with long earrings for long dresses or simple earrings for simple sweater-sets or blouses.
Dangle earrings are common in both fine and fashion jewelry, so you’ll often find interesting designs in a high-quality sterling silver or gold-plated metal. Look for celtic designs, avant-garde florals, or even graphic arrows and symbols. The ones featured here are a demi-fine set with cushion-cut amethysts and a “secret” set of upside-down, heart-shaped, lilac purple Rose de France amethysts.
Shop Valentine’s Day earrings at Best Buy today.
