The Fascinating Origins of Valentine's Day and the Tradition of Giving Jewelry
- From the Vault Jewelers
- Feb 11
- 4 min read
Valentine's Day is one of the most celebrated occasions worldwide, known for expressions of love and affection. Among the many customs associated with this day, giving jewelry stands out as a timeless gesture. But where did Valentine's Day come from, and how did jewelry become such a popular gift? This post explores the intriguing history behind Valentine's Day and the tradition of giving jewelry, revealing stories and facts that add meaning to this special day.
The Origins of Valentine’s Day (and How Jewelry Became Part of It)
Valentine’s Day today is mostly a celebration of romantic love, but that wasn’t always the case. Its history blends a few different threads: early Christian martyrs, medieval ideas about love, later commercial traditions, and centuries of changing customs.
Saint Valentine and Early Legends
The holiday is named for Saint Valentine, but there’s no single clear story about who he was. At least two early Christian martyrs named Valentine are associated with February 14, including a Roman priest and a bishop of Terni. Both were executed in the third century under Roman rule for their faith.
Many of the familiar legends, like Valentine secretly marrying couples in defiance of an emperor’s ban or sending a farewell note signed “From your Valentine,” are later embellishments rather than solid historical fact. What we do know is that the name and the date became attached to romance much later.
Lupercalia and Valentine’s Day
There’s a long-held idea that Valentine’s Day grew out of a much older Roman festival called Lupercalia, a fertility and purification ritual held around February 13–15. During Lupercalia, priests called Luperci performed rites that included animal sacrifice and rites thought to promote fertility.
Historians now treat the link between Lupercalia and Valentine’s Day with caution. The festival was mostly about purification and health, not romantic love, and there’s no strong evidence that early Christians deliberately replaced it with a love holiday in February. At best, the timing of Valentine’s feast day — established by the Church by the fifth century — overlapped with older mid-February traditions.
Valentine’s Day in the Middle Ages
The idea of associating February 14 with romantic love takes shape in medieval Europe. Writers like Geoffrey Chaucer in 14th-century England linked Valentine’s Day with courtly love and the belief that birds began mating around that time. That literary connection helped shift the day toward a celebration of lovers, rather than just saints or seasonal rituals.
By the late Middle Ages, people were exchanging handwritten notes and small tokens of affection. In England in the 18th and 19th centuries, printed Valentine’s cards became increasingly common, especially after improvements in postal service made sending cards easier.
How Jewelry Became a Symbol of Love on Valentine’s Day
Jewelry didn’t start as a Valentine’s Day tradition, but it became tied to the holiday over time as gift-giving around love grew more established.
Early Symbolism
Jewelry has been used to signify love, commitment, and status for thousands of years. In ancient Rome, rings were often exchanged as symbols of marriage or partnership — iron rings for everyday commitments and more elaborate metal for wealthier couples.
In the medieval period, nobles and knights would give jewelry or ornate tokens to show devotion — part of the broader culture of courtly love where symbolic gifts mattered more than practical ones.
Renaissance and Beyond
In the Renaissance, jewelry became more detailed and personal, with designs featuring hearts, Cupid, and other romantic motifs. Lockets and pendants allowed people to carry keepsakes close to their bodies — an early form of the sentiment we still value today.
By the time Valentine’s Day was celebrated more widely in the 19th century in England and later in the United States, jewelry was already part of gift culture alongside cards, flowers, and sweets.
Modern Valentine’s Day Jewelry
In the 20th century, jewelry’s role as a Valentine’s gift became even more pronounced. Engagement rings, birthstone pieces, heart-shaped pendants, and personalized designs are marketed as symbols of love and commitment. The diamond industry, in particular, helped cement diamonds as a classic token of lasting affection in gift culture.
Common Valentine’s Jewelry Today
Over time, traditions have expanded to include:
Rings: often engagement rings or promise rings that symbolize ongoing commitment.
Necklaces & Pendants: hearts, lockets, or charms that carry personal meaning.
Bracelets: charm bracelets that reflect memories or shared moments.
Earrings: elegant accents that pair well with other gifts.
These pieces aren’t just accessories. They’re symbols people can wear daily, and they become tied to memory and emotion over time.
What This Tradition Means
Valentine’s Day today is far from a simple commemoration of a third-century martyr. It’s a mix of medieval literature, changing social customs, commercial adoption, and centuries of cultural reinterpretation. Jewelry fits into that story not because it sprang fully formed from history, but because it became a powerful way for people to express commitment, beauty, and love in a physical form.
Next time you choose a piece of jewelry for Valentine’s Day, it helps to remember that you’re participating in a long, layered tradition, one shaped by storytelling, symbolism, and human connection.
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Time Magazine. (2019, February 13). The real origins of Valentine’s Day. https://time.com/5527259/valentines-day-lupercalia/
Victoria & Sterling. (n.d.). The history of giving jewelry on Valentine’s Day. https://www.victoriaandsterling.com/blogs/v-s-blog-1/the-history-of-giving-jewelry-on-valentine-s-day
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Irish Culture & Traditions. (2023). A timeless tradition: The history of gift-giving jewelry on Valentine’s Day. https://irishcultureandtraditions.org/2023/02/02/a-timeless-tradition-the-history-of-gift-giving-jewelry-on-valentines-day/
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