This image depicts the words that most commonly appeared in all of your stories!

I really want to thank everyone who shared their touching stories for the “Nic Picks Your Most Romantic Story Contest”, I truly enjoyed reading each and every one!!!  Whether it was a friend, a spouse or family member, each story centered around one of my favorite themes, LOVE. As usual, everyone who shared made it impossible to pick a winner, as each story so romantic in its own way.  I really connected with Margaret Motto’s story about Jim and her sister Anne.  I love how fate brought them together in the end even though they had been right in front of each other the whole time.  I hope you all enjoy their’s story as much as I did (and Margaret, I hope you LOVE your new necklace!  Be sure to share it with Anne from time to time!).

In the Fall of 1998 my mother, a teacher, was assigned to hall duty during 7th period. A young man teaching 4th grade happened to have 7th period free as well and socialized with her in the hall. She had been his teacher years prior and having gone from teacher and student to then colleauges presented an interesting relationship. My mother would say to him ” you’re such a nice guy, why don’t you have a girlfriend”. He replied that in our small town there were not a lot of eligible ladies. My mother said “I have a daugher coming home from college for Christmas”.  It was all set. Jim, the younger teacher had been given the daughter’s phone number and the rest was “up to him”.
December 23, 1998 Anne, having arrived via train from college earlier in the day, was eating dinner with her family when the phone rang. Anne, the youngest, knew the call was coming and in hopes to avoid the ears of her siblings took the call in a quiet room. They talked for 45 minutes in which Jim asked Anne for a date on the day after Christmas and to a concert a month later. Anne was surprised that this guy was so eager to spend time with her when they had not even met, but she was excited and the anticipation of meeting him filled her for the next few days.
On December 26 Jim picked Anne up in the early afternoon. They spent a 2 hour car ride together talking easily as they drove to their destination. Jim planned a view from a lighthouse as the sunset, dinner at a nice restaurant, and a place with live music to top off the night. They returned to Anne’s house at midnight and continued to stay up talking until 3 am. The date lasted over 10 hours and they had not run out of conversation.

There was this feeling inside them that they were meant to be together. The conversation was easy but fruitful. The attraction to the whole person was there and they kept saying to themselves that it was uncanny that Anne’s mother had introduced them. And more surprising having grown up in the same small town and attended rival high schools they had many friends in common but had never met.

In July of 2003 Anne and Jim marry. In September of 2009 they welcomed their son, Samuel into the world. In June of 2009 Anne’s mother retired from teaching and in her retirement speach she thanked the school for having given her a job for so many years, the joy of the staff and the students and giving her a son-in-law she loves very much. She said in her speach – you never know when your destiny is putting people in your life or situations in front of you to prompt you to unite with what was always meant to be.

While Anne’s mother did the “matchmaking” Anne and Jim believe that their meeting was predetermined Divinely. And, they have the proof.   June of 1997, a year and 6 months before their first date Jim attended a party at a friend’s house. It was the last day of school for Jim and the end of his first year as a teacher. A photograph from that night has Jim standing with his arms in the air on his friend’s backyard patio. His smile fills the picture.   And underneath his right arm, sitting on a bench not too far away, is Anne.   As a gift to Anne, Jim framed the photo and gave it to her as a wedding gift because he said he wanted her to know that she was his destiny.

Thanks again to everyone who took the time to share their stories with us and I cannot wait for the next Nic Pick’s You Contest here on The Honora Blog.  Let us know what you think of Jim and Anne’s story below and feel free to share your own in the comments section!

It doesn’t matter if you love or hate Lady Gaga’s fashion sense, but you cannot help but admire the risks she takes.  At Honora, we’ve always worked hard to live up to our motto of A Fresh New Look At Pearls and we have to commend Gaga on taking a Freshwater Pearl look to the next level.

Lady Gaga, you looked amazing decked out in all of those pearls, but we have to make one tiny suggestion.  Next time, give us a call and add in some of our pearl colors!  We are always here if you need us.

So, what do you think of Gaga’s one-of-a-kind pearl look?  Let us know in the poll below or in the comments section!

I cannot wait to read your entries and may even be inspired to share my own!  Don’t worry if this has nothing to do with our Freshwater Pearls, we just really would love to hear your own romantic story.  As it has been a while since our last contest, we have something special for the winner!  The author of my favorite story will receive one of our newest Cherry pieces, a 13-14MM Coin Freshwater Pearl 36″ Necklace valued at $490 MSRP that is pictured in this post.  This item is so new, that it isn’t even featured on our Pearl Jewelry Collection pages yet!

Please tell us your story in the comments section below to ensure that you are entered into the contest.  We will accept entries through Wednesday, February 17th and I will feature the winner and their romantic story here on The Honora Blog the very next day.  If you haven’t joined us on our Facebook Fan Page, be sure to check it out and be on the lookout for my weekly pics!  I am looking forward to a difficult decision!

While a few offered up suggestions, we were surprised by how many women simply bought themselves whatever they wanted and thanked their husband for footing the bill.  While efficient, it isn’t exactly romantic and we think guys need to put in some effort this year.  Here are a few suggestions that will help even the clueless figure out the perfect gift to ensure romance (and brownie points) on Valentine’s Day.

Ask Her Friend For Help – This is a terrific approach on two fronts: The first obviously being that her female friend will more than likely have a far greater ability to recognize and select a present your significant other will actually like. The second, more long-term (and mildly selfish) strategy is that her friends can make terrific allies for you in the future and it never hurts to make a good impression with her girls.

Make Her Feel Unique – While most men like to play it safe, you might consider taking a small risk that might pay off. We have to stress: nothing over the top, but introducing some color and flair into the gift (based on her taste) shows confidence and understanding of her unique personality.

Web History – Short of being creepy, the occasional glance at your significant other’s web history can provide insight and gift ideas.  Many women consider online browsing to be a recreational hobby and you might just get lucky.

Thought Trumps Price – As cheesy as the saying is, it’s really the thought that counts, especially when you take the time to figure out what she would want.  Find something you know she’ll love that she probably wouldn’t buy herself.  That doesn’t mean you have to spend an arm and a leg, just show that you listen and understand her and it’ll mean so much more.

Just Ask Her – This is a shockingly well-received approach for the man without a clue. Usually a good 10 ideas are in the chamber, just waiting for you to pull the trigger and ask… but let’s call this a last resort.

We know this is an overwhelming task, so always feel free to call in an expert.  In fact, if she happens to like pearl jewelry, we are happy to help!  You can always check out our latest collections here and call The Honora Store fashionistas for professional advice at 212.308.8707 or email them at retail57@honora.com.  Either way, we wish you the best at wowing her on February 14th!  Good luck Guys!

Tell Your Friends – A trusted best friend always knows what her bestie (that is best friend for any guys who might read this) wants or needs.  If you know that your significant other has a good relationship with one of your friends, than it is a safe bet that this is one of the first places he is likely to go.

Web History Is Your Friend – While guys often go out of their way to hide their browsing history, this can be an ideal way for you to drop a hint.  Making sure that ideal gift is high up on your browsing history (you may even want to stop by that page a few times) can go a long way towards getting a gift suggestion on his radar.

Point It Out – If you are out and shopping with your significant other and see something you might like, point it out.  We wont lie, these “subtle” hints can often get missed by husbands and boyfriends, but occasionally they take note and will think back to those moments when figuring out what to get you.

Ask Him What He Wants – It is almost a given that once you ask, he will undoubtedly ask you in return.  While this is a bit underhanded, it is effective and also helps you figure out exactly what he is looking for as well.  That is certainly a win/win for everyone!

Just Tell Him – This really depends on the kind of relationship you have with your loved one, but often times simply telling them what you want can take a lot of pressure off of them and help you get that perfect present.  More often than not, he will appreciate the direction!

BONUS TIP: Just Buy It – This one comes courtesy of all of our friends on The Honora Facebook Fan Page.  We thought we were bold, but we have nothing on these savvy ladies.  They just buy exactly what they want and thank their husbands when it arrives!  So kudos to women who know what they want and know how to get it!

It’s not an exact science, but maybe, just maybe our collective wisdom will help you get that perfect gift this year.  Ladies, if you feel that your guy is going to need a bit of extra help, rest assured that we are going to be offering some suggestions that you can pass along to him a little later this week!  If you have any suggestions we may have left off, be sure to leave them in the comments section!

The need for aid in Haiti is clear and Honora wants to help.  With this in mind we have created a pearl necklace from the colors of Haiti’s flag and will donate 100% of the proceeds to the ongoing efforts.

Inspired by initiatives from our friends at 12for12K, we will donate all proceeds from our 36″ 7-8MM Cherry and Navy Blue Freshwater Pearl Necklace to the Naples, FL based charity, Hope for Haiti.

For nearly 20 years, this amazing charity has improved the quality of life in Haiti and they have been working tirelessly since the earthquake in Port-Au-Prince.  We chose Hope for Haiti as they have been engaged in improving life in Haiti long before the human disasters of the past month.  Thanks to their immense volunteer base, they are able to give $0.95 of every dollar directly to humanitarian program needs.   You can read Hope For Haiti’s press release about their aid program here.

Nicole is wearing the Sterling Silver 7-8MM Freshwater Pearl Hope For Haiti Necklace, $140 MSRP

Honora will donate 100% of the proceeds from every purchase of the Hope For Haiti necklace directly to their charitable efforts.  This necklace is only available through The Honora Store in New York City and can be ordered via phone at 212.308.8707 or through email at retail57@honora.com.

If you would rather make a personal contribution directly to the charity, simply use the widget below and 100% of your donation will go to Hope For Haiti (12for12K is a fully volunteer-based call-to-action with no admin costs).

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As we start working on new posts for 2010 we would really appreciate it if you could take the time to answer a few brief questions for us.  Your feedback will ensure that we are sending you the most interesting and relevant content, so answering these questions will go a long way toward making sure we are on the right track.  If you would like to take the survey, please click here!

We look forward to telling you a lot more about Honora, our pearl jewelry and the Freshwater Pearls that we are so passionate about in the upcoming year!

This evocative color collection of Cultured Pearls felt like the perfect way to start the new year.  Our Sr. Merchandising Manager, Larry Lippert, “L’array”, who creates our color combinations, had this to say, “Denim is center-stage in fashion again and I wanted to work with our newest blue tones to make a statement, even when dressing casually.”

We think you will love the 8-9 MM selection featured in our NY Times ad.  You can click here to see our entire selection of Blue Moon designs on our Collections Page.  These items are available now at our retail store on Madison Avenue and at your local authorized Honora dealer.

You can always reach us for more information by calling us at 212.308.8707, emailing us at retail57@honora.com or go to our Where to Buy page for your local retailer.

It has been an exciting year for both Honora and for the Freshwater Pearls we are so passionate about and we truly appreciate all of your support and feedback.  We have lots of exciting and new pearl jewelry planned for everyone in 2010 and cannot wait to show you the latest pearl colors and designs that L’array and the team at Honora have dreamed up.

There are lots of exciting plans here on The Honora Blog for the coming year, but be sure to let us know if there are things you would like to hear more about in the comments section.  For now, thank you so much for an amazing 2009 and here is to a fantastic and colorful 2010!

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Get a sneak peek at what you can expect to see on Honora TV in 2010!  Thank you so much to everyone who has been watching and we look forward to showing you a lot more about Freshwater Pearls and Pearl Jewelry when we return in January.

On behalf of Honora TV Host, Anna Swanson and all of us here at Honora we wish you a very Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!  We will see you all again in 2010!

Let us know your favorite episode or tell us what you would like to learn more about next year in the comments section.