{swank} review & giveaway: Luxe Design Modern Heirloom Jewelry #giveaway

After I had Lil J, I became obsessed with personalized mom jewelry.  What a sweet way to pay tribute to your babies, I thought.  I searched a bunch of sites that offered personalized jewelry and put together designs in my head about what they would say.  I then realized that it made sense to wait until after my second child was born {at the time I wasn't even pregnant - I just knew I wanted another child} before I ordered anything set in stone {or, in this case, I should say silver}.

Luxe Design is a beautiful collection of modern heirloom jewelry made locally in beautiful Vancouver, BC.  The woman behind this boutique online shop is lead designer Joanne Hart, who started Luxe Design in 1995 with a partner but now solely runs the business herself and her designs can also be found in finer boutiques, catalogs, galleries and department stores.

Luxe Design offers a number of different pieces in sterling silver and 14 karat yellow gold with various price ranges  - a perfect fit for anyone's budget!  You can choose between ready-to-wear pieces or personalized jewelry, all of which are hand stamped and assembled to order at Luxe Design's studio.  If you live in Vancouver, there is a local pick-up option available.

Sterling Silver MOM Necklace
Ready-To-Wear Collection

Sterling Silver Personalized
Name Open Circle Charm

I chose to make a personalized necklace because I wanted something that meant something to me and also something that no one else would have.  Something unique.  When choosing my charms and the words I wanted hand-stamped, all I could think of was that this necklace would be a tribute to my kids.  I chose the popular Sterling Silver Curb Chain 18" Curb Chain Necklace with a lobster claw closure {I highly recommend the lobster claw instead of the standard spring ring closure}, Personalized Names Open Circle Charm which has Lil J and Baby Z's names plus the saying "My Loves", Small Heart Charm with my hubby and my initials separated with a heart, Medium Oval Charm with Miss S' name, Key to My Heart Charm, Flower Birthstone Charm in Emerald which represents Baby Z's birth month of May and a Heart Birthstone Charm in Alexandrite which represents Lil J's birth month of June {the photos below seem to have a yellowish tint but the colour of the charms are silver}.

The gorgeous charms

I was worried that all of the charms would make my necklace too crowded but once I opened the box and saw the necklace, I was in awe at how gorgeous it turned out.  It looks like an expensive, classic piece that I will definitely treasure forever.  The intricate charms were small but big enough to make an elegant statement {in other words, the perfect size!}.  The quality of the silver and the delicate chain are amazing - the pictures do not do it justice!

The thing I like the most about my Luxe Design necklace is that every time I look in the mirror, it looks different each time.  The charms are in their own place but not necessarily in the same place which makes the necklace truly unique.

Same necklace, different look!

To be honest with you, I don't typically wear necklaces on a daily basis ever but since I received my Luxe Design creation, it has has been semi-attached to my neck {except for showers and bedtime}.  I am in love with my necklace and have gotten many compliments on it.  It's definitely fun for me to share the story of my necklace with others and I would highly recommend going the personalized route.

{Win It!}

Luxe Design is generously offering one lucky winner a chance to tell their own story with a $100 gift certificate to their online store.  To enter, please use the Rafflecopter entry form below.  This giveaway is open to Canadian residents only and ends at 9pm PST on Thursday, October 11, 2012. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure:  The views expressed in this review are my own and do not represent the opinions or views of Luxe Design.  We received a sample from Luxe Design free of charge in order to conduct this review.  The winner will be responsible for any extra costs associated with their online order, including shipping, once it exceeds the gift certificate value.  Note that {swank}mama does not accept responsibility for sponsors that do not fulfill their giveaway duties.  Winner will be contacted via email and will have 48 hours to respond, otherwise, a new winner will be chosen.