BY DESIGN : A Red- Letter Day : Accents: When it’s time to express feelings, statements can be subtle or quite bold.

For Valentine’s Day, would-be cupids will likely attempt to send pulses racing with jewelry that’s red or shaped like a heart.

“In most jewelry stores, including ours, the heart is by far the most prominent design, not just for Valentine’s Day but year-round,” says Jo Ellen Qualls, vice president and store manager of Tiffany & Co. in South Coast Plaza. “People love hearts, and I think they always will.”

Hearts come in all shapes and sizes.

One of the most famous is the often-copied open heart designed by Elsa Peretti for Tiffany. The simple heart, which appears to float on a chain, has become a classic.

“Elsa designed it in 1976, and it’s still the best-selling heart in our company. At one time it was the most worn piece of jewelry in the world,” Qualls says. “It’s still our No. 1 best-selling single item at Tiffany.”

One reason for the open heart’s success: It comes in gold or silver and in six different sizes, from a dainty mini-heart of sterling ($40) to a large gold heart on a 36-inch chain ($1,595).

“The simplicity and purity of the design appeals to people,” Qualls says.

Italian jeweler Bvlgari, which recently opened a store in South Coast Plaza, has sleek, heart-shaped earrings of gold and a variety of semiprecious stones, including a pure turquoise pair ($2,900), purple amethyst ($5,500) and green tourmaline ($6,900).

Watches with hearts or with red bands are also hot this time of year. Tourneau in South Coast Plaza has everything from Cartier’s “Diablo” style watch with a pave diamond bezel and a red crocodile band ($16,700) to Tourneau’s casual “Safari” style with a red lizard band ($225). Perhaps the most elaborate of the jeweler’s romantic watches is Baum & Mercier’s timepiece with a red crocodile band, a diamond bezel and pave diamond bows, and a cabachon ruby center to mark the 6 and 12 o’clock hours.

Tourneau often sells watches by the pair for Valentine’s Day. Many come in his-and-hers versions.

One can find Valentine’s jewelry at all prices. Apropos in Fashion Island Newport Beach offers assorted cupids and hearts, including heart earrings paved in red crystals for $78, engraved silver heart lockets ($75 to $110) and two-tone sterling and brass hearts with cupid faces ($38).

Says Pat Waxman, owner of Apropos: “It’s nice to be remembered with a heart.”