The Year of Heart Jewelry - 2024

The trend forecasters say that 2024 will be a huge year for heart jewelry. We're always happy to hear such pronouncements, as we're incredibly proud of our Calming Heart Necklace (more about that later). In creating the Stimm Collection, however, we spent a lot of time studying the history of jewelry design. From the very start, we wanted to create a collection that was classic in feel and not subject to the whimsy of fashion (mantra: classic design stands the test of time). In exploring this ethos, it became evident that - actually - heart jewelry has always been huge.

As Shakespeare still resonates with us after 400 years, because he wrote about universal themes, so heart jewelry - symbolizing love, friendship and affection - has never gone out of fashion. The earliest examples of heart-shaped jewels appear in the late medieval period, often in rings and brooches. Hearts continued to gain popularity, over the next three centuries, with the associated romantic message of 'giving your heart to another'. Then came those lovely golden Irish Claddagh rings, showing two hands holding a heart: I hold your heart in my hands.

The nineteenth century saw the Victorians, swept up by a wave of sentimentality, adopt the heart locket as a way of carrying the memory of a loved one.

And, fast-forwarding into the twentieth century, Tiffany made the heart necklace their iconic design statement, with the launch of the 'return to Tiffany' heart pendant.

So, although we're happy that the world's shakers and groovers will pay special attention to heart jewelry, over the coming year, we've always known that those bejeweled hearts - and the love that they carry - have never gone away. 

Which brings us back to Stimm's Calming Heart Necklace. Simple in design, it carries an ethereal chime - when gently shaken - designed to help relieve stress and dispel anxiety. It's the perfect piece of jewelry for stimming, for both teenagers and adults, and its smooth polished form is pleasing to the touch. We added the element of sound to a classic heart pendant - but that's just another step in the long history of heart jewelry design.