- Tips from the best Valentine's Day Guide in the Miami Valley
This Valentine’s Day, skip chocolates and flowers: Go for the bling.
Granted, it’s not the easiest task to pick out jewelry for your significant other for Valentine’s Day. For some, the challenge is picking something out for a girlfriend or boyfriend you’re just getting to know. For others, it’s figuring out something fresh after years and years of giving necklaces, rings and earrings.
No matter what your relationship status, hopefully you’ll find some inspiration in the suggestions below from George Steberl, owner of Benchworks Jewelers, Inc. in Centerville; Tracy Feller, owner of Feller’s Greenhouse and Gifts in Dayton; Julie Fox, owner of Fox Gallery in Germantown; Jim Johnson, owner of Johnson’s Fine Jewelry in Xenia; Ethel Baruxes at Magnolias on Main in Springboro; and Sheryl Rife Merker, manager of Wm. Rife Company Jewelers in Oakwood.
Inexpensive
At Fox Gallery in Germantown, owner Julie Fox recommended getting a bracelet by Chamilia, which features jewelry that can be personalized with beads. “Valentine’s is a good time to start a bracelet, if they don’t already have one, and you can add to it for later holidays,” she said. You can get a silver Chamilia bracelet for $65; the beads are priced starting at $20.
It is Valentine’s Day, so it wouldn’t hurt to present your sweetie with heart-shaped jewelry. “When men come in, they like anything that is heart-shaped. It’s a nice, romantic item,” said Merker, of William Rife Company Jewelers.
He said it’s possible to get a silver heart-shaped pendant necklace for $20 to $30. At Fox Gallery, Fox carries a necklace with a sterling silver heart-shaped pendant studded with cubic zirconia for $40.
Feller’s Greenhouse and Gifts offers Native American jewelry. Silver post earrings, with malachite or black onyx stone, start at $16.99 at Silver and turquoise necklaces start at $19.99. The handmade pieces are all made in Arizona by Navajo artists.
Instead of silver or gold, what about pearls? They may be more affordable than you think. Freshwater pearls are considerably less expensive than saltwater pearls, said Jim Johnson of Johnson’s Fine Jewelry. The pearls come in black, chocolate or white. A pearl bracelet with a width three pearls wide starts at $40 to $45 dollars. A single-strand necklace costs around $120 to $130.
Mid-range
Pandora jewelry, which specializes in beads and charms which can personalize jewelry, is very popular right now. Their products are available at numerous stores locally and online. For Valentine’s Day, Baruxes at Magnolias on Main recommends the company’s 2012 Valentine’s Day release, a $240 sterling silver bead decorated with rhodolite garnet that has a dangling heart studded with pink cubic zirconia gems.
At Benchworks in Centerville, Steberl carries a similar product to Pandora. “We concentrate on Murano glass or Swarovski crystal. They’re a little more colorful,” he said. “If a guy doesn’t want to jump in with a bracelet, we sell a couple of silver hoop earrings that the beads will work on. Later, you can always come in and get a bracelet. They also work really well on a chain.”
The style can vary greatly, but Merker said getting jewelry featuring red stones can be a nice touch for Valentine’s Day. “Ruby or garnet gemstones are good choices,” she said. She also suggested making your gift extra special by getting it engraved. Put a special message to your loved one on a bracelet, necklace or ring, or even directly onto a charm.
About the Author