Valentine’s Day and Its Symbols
The Roman Saint Valentine is said to have secretly conducted marriages for soldiers who were forbidden to wed. Thanks to poets such as Geoffrey Chaucer and William Shakespeare, his legend became a part of modern folklore. And by the 20th century, a veritable annual celebration had taken hold around the newly declared day of love. Greeting cards and flowers became obligatory, and American relationship guides even went so far as to advise a romance be ended should Valentine’s Day be forgotten.
If such a slip-up occurs – the House of Köchert recommends floral jewellery to make everything right again. For centuries, our master goldsmiths have devoted themselves to composing bouquets and individual blossoms that, of course, keep love alive long beyond a single day. Ingenious settings and perfect gemstone carvings bring roses, asters and violets to life, with arrangements ranging from understated monochromatic elegance to exuberant flashes of colour.
Which blooms to choose?
In the early 18th century, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu introduced the “language of flowers” from Istanbul, and in Victorian society, where subtlety was preferred over the obvious, this delicate art found particularly fertile ground.
Red roses speak the familiar language of “I love you”, of course. But did you know that white roses mean “No”? And that the crocus signifies “I must think this over”. And the dahlia conveys “I’m already taken”.
For those unable to choose, a sumptuous array of hearts awaits, in every radiant colour that the gemstone world has revealed. Ideal for any Valentine’s Day, suited to every relationship, and certain to delight long after the day has passed.