Getting the perfect gift

By Michael J. DeCicco

Unlike Cupid, most of us don’t carry Valentine gifts wherever we go, in a backpack quiver full of love-tipped arrows. The search for the best way to touch our loved one’s heartstrings is a little harder for the rest of us. Luckily, we have places like downtown and the west end of New Bedford for finding truly unique Valentine jewelry and other gifts.

Nothing is weird in the jewelry business

For that most serious of Valentine Day gifts, an engagement ring, go to Art in Gold, at 411 Bolton Street. This West End jewelry shop offers on-premises custom jewelry design services as well as sales, repairs, and appraisals.

Susan Antunes, co-owner with husband Antonio Antunes said customers interested in a custom-designed ring, even an engagement or wedding band, can simply come in with a picture or a rough sketch of what they have in mind, and the finished piece can be ready in, at the most, a few weeks.

Orders for these unique pieces increase around both Valentines Day and Christmas time, she said, but also around Mothers Day and the wedding and graduation seasons.

She said she and her husband, who does the actual jewelry work, will suggest necessary changes to improve upon the customer’s initial idea and will take into account whether the customer will wear the jewelry daily or only occasionally.

“We build upon the design ideas they bring in,” she said, “and sometimes they’ll say we made the piece look even better.”

The shop also repairs and refurbishes jewelry and sells both Portuguese and American gold. Asked if any design she’s been asked to create stands out in her mind as the most difficult or the most peculiar, she said, “Nothing is weird in the jewelry business. We can do anything. Anything they ask we will do. It’s fun work. It doesn’t get boring. If the customer leaves happy, then we’re happy”

We promote the love of art and artists here

The Drawing Room is located at 36 N. Water St. and offers something for everyone. Owner Anthi Frangiadis has carefully chosen everything in her shop featuring handcrafted pieces by local artisans. If you’re looking for Valentine’s Day, she has the usual (jewelry, cards, and chocolates) and the unusual (artwork, ceramics, cast bronze bottle openers in nautical designs, paintings and textiles). “We promote the love of art and artists here,” Frangiadis says. She’s the artists’ biggest fan.

She can tell you the stories behind those unique door knockers cast by a local artist, the artist who painted that oil painting, the textile artist who created the scarf you’re admiring.

“And if all else fails,” she adds with a laugh, “buy the wine and beer.” She has Westport Rivers wines and champagnes, local beer from Jamaica Plain’s Turtles Swamp and fun “Sassy Lady” bottles of sangria from the Sangria Lady. Can’t get to the shop? Check out her website (anthifrangiadis.com) and do your shopping from home.

This year will be unpredictable but we keep busy

To find Valentine gift jewelry with more of an international flair, go to BeJeweled, at 26 Centre Street.

The deceptively small shop near the corner of North Water Street offers an eclectic mix of limited-edition designer jewelry from around the world. Shop owner Pamela Arruda noted that what she offers is available both in her shop and on her website, shopbejeweledonline.com.

For Valentines Day gift giving this year she is featuring sterling silver and 14-carat gold jewelry with a variety of nautical sea glass designs from both local and international designers, from rings and necklaces to earrings and bracelets.

She noted that she sells such a variety of jewelry pieces from around the world each year that there’s no one best seller during Valentine season.

Referring to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on her bottom line, she said, “Sales go up at this time of year. This year it will be unpredictable, but I am happy that we keep busy. We are fortunate to have the support of our local customers.”