The Non-Naff Jewellery That You’ll Actually Want For Valentine’s Day

For most, the dominant emotion surrounding Valentine’s Day is ‘ick’. It feels cringe to go out for dinner, it feels cringe buying a heart-shaped card and it feels cringe (x 1000) to buy anything for the occasion except an M&S meal deal. This cynical AF approach is totally acceptable, but rather seems like a missed opportunity. Whether you’re single or coupled, why not use February 14 as an opportunity to self-gift some non-naff jewellery?

Now I’ve got your attention, note that it’s perfectly acceptable to avoid hearts - although Messika’s diamond ring would tempt the biggest of Valentine’s Day deniers - and on-brand colours like red and pink. You also - praise be! - don’t have to endanger your overdraft in the process. There are plenty of brands like Maria Black, Cornelia Webb, Anni Lu, Alighieri and Miansai that make head-turningly fun pieces that will have friends asking, ‘Where did you get that?’

One of the easiest ways to mix up your jewellery, and something influencers are obsessed with right now, is layering gold necklaces. (No one does them better than Missoma, who has chunky link chokers and snake chains that will stack perfectly with whatever pendant necklaces you’re wearing on repeat, and Alighieri, the fashion editor favourite.)

Hoop earrings have also become something of a jewellery hero. Aeyde’s mishapen style comes with a pistachio-coloured interior, while Maria Black's Baroque Hoopis covered in nine pearls.

Speaking of pearls, banish any thoughts you may have about them being too prim because there's a wealth of brands making some of the coolest pieces on the market. Monica Vinader, for one, has just dropped a new collection of natural pearls, each one unique in shape and size. Olivia & Pearl, meanwhile, offers a contemporary take on classic jewellery – case in point being the Stellar Drop Earrings.

Anni Lu is the ultimate for surfer girl trinkets - think shells, pastel beads and chunks of coral - that will take you back to the last beach you lounged on. And then, of course, there's Completedworks, the sustainable brand that's responsible for the most-Zoomed earrings of 2020thanks to a legion of celebrity fans including Jodie Comer, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Maya Rudolph and Adwoa Aboah.

For those looking for something to last a lifetime, Tiffany & Co. has just launched its new Valentine's collection, full of showstopping pieces that will become modern heirlooms. From Elsa Peretti's suitably named Diamonds By The Yardnecklaces to some of the most incredible cocktail rings featuring gemstones in captivating colours, there has never been a better excuse to give yourself a gift.

Feeling the love? Good.

SHOP: The Non-Naff Jewellery You'll Actually Want For Valentine's Day