Buying Jewelry for Your Girlfriend: A Practical Guide
If you are a man, you probably don’t like jewelry very much. Most men, in general, are not. However, maybe it’s your girlfriend’s birthday or it’s Christmas or (God forbid!) It’s Valentine’s Day and you’ve decided you want to gift your special girl with jewelry. Good for you! It’s a wonderful choice, assuming, of course, that you already know that your girlfriend loves and appreciates pretty jewelry. Okay, now what?
Step one: Decide how much you can comfortably afford. Or, if you are accumulating money, decide how much you are willing spend. If you’re barely surviving, don’t beat yourself up for lack of funds or get the idea that unless you’re put in dire financial straits by this purchase, you don’t love her enough. That’s nonsense, and any self-respecting woman will tell you. When it comes to jewelry, we girls know that it is not a man’s cup of tea, that they are out of their reach and they probably fear they have made the wrong decision. We understand. And we appreciate the fact that you’re willing to try.
Second step: Once you have an idea of your budget, decide what form this jewelry gift will take. Will they be pending? A necklace? A bracelet? In ring? If money is an issue, earrings or a pendant necklace, especially when it comes to fine jewelry, are probably the most affordable pieces of jewelry. For the uninitiated, you can translate ‘fine jewelry’ to mean anything that has a K, such as 10k gold, 12k gold, 14k gold, etc. The earrings are self explanatory. A pendant necklace generally means a precious or semi-precious stone or two in a gold or silver setting, suspended by a chain of the same metal.
By the way, there is absolutely nothing wrong with opting for a piece of fine jewelry that is 12k or even 10k gold. The gold content is distributed throughout the jewelry piece, so put aside any fears you may have that the gold will ‘disappear’. If it’s all you can comfortably afford, that’s fine. And it will look good too. This is supposed to be a show of affection and consideration, not a test of how much you care or a measure of how much they value it. We have to lose the notion that someone who receives an 18k gold ring is more loved than someone who receives a 10k ring. It’s ridiculous.
If the budget cannot accommodate a fine jewelry gift, then consider sterling silver jewelry. There are many beautiful pieces of sterling silver available, many with precious semi-precious gemstones. Or you can stick with pure Sterling, without gemstones, and find that your dollar will go a long way. For the same amount of money you’ll pay for a pair of, say, diamond earrings, you can probably buy your little girl a whole new wardrobe of sterling silver jewelry.
When deciding what type of jewelry to buy, keep your girlfriend’s style in mind. If you run in pretty, feminine dresses and dainty clothes, a big, chunky hammered silver and turquoise bracelet probably won’t suit you. And if you know he hates dangle earrings, for Pete’s sake, don’t buy him any! It doesn’t matter if she wore dangle earrings once and you loved it. She is I have to love it. The gift is for their enjoyment, not yours.
Bail: How to say this nicely? Avoid giving rings unless you are serious. Women receive many jewelry gifts throughout their lives; They come from friends (men and women), family, co-workers, bosses, in many ways. And all is well and is acceptable because most of what we receive is similar to ‘impersonal’ jewelry: the earrings, the pins and brooches, the necklaces, the bracelets, none of which convey anything beyond: “Hey. , I like you and I. I think it will suit you “. Rings are an entirely different matter, especially gold rings. And when you put that little box of rings under our noses, our hearts start pounding. Either with dread (if we don’t like you very much) or with enthusiasm (if we like you very much). But it beats. Because a ring, for whatever reason, is a very personal jewel that comes from a man. Send a message. Believe me, even in this age of enlightened communication between the sexes, it sends a message. Unless you’re willing to, stick with earrings or a pretty bracelet.
Now let me complicate things a bit: the entire previous paragraph warning against giving rings goes out the window if your girlfriend is the type who likes sterling silver and semi-precious stones. Sterling silver jewelry is more informal (for example, silver and turquoise or silver and coral jewelry) and does not usually convey any hidden messages. If your girlfriend likes sterling silver and she likes different semi-precious stones, it is perfectly fine to add another ring to her collection.
Step three: Buy, buy, buy! Crawl into a jewelry store and do some searching. Doing the actual purchase online is a great idea and will likely save you money too, as online jewelry stores allow you to easily compare prices and usually don’t have the overhead associated with a brick-and-mortar store, but honestly, nothing. it’s better than actually. see some pieces of jewelry in person. If the thought of setting foot in a jewelry store is puzzling, try a department store. If you see a style that you like, ask what it’s called. “What kind of setting is that? What kind of stone is that? How big is that stone?” are all very good questions. Pay particular attention to the size of the gemstone quoted. It is difficult to imagine a 4mm stone or a 1 carat stone when you are looking at a computer screen. Seeing one in person is an entirely different matter. Take your mental notes on what you’ve seen, then reconnect it to your computer and do some serious comparison shopping. This applies whether you are buying silver or gold, precious or semi-precious stones.
Lastly, when you’re ready to buy, read the fine print. What is the return policy for jewelry? What does the website (or store) say about the quality of the gemstones? Can the ring size be changed (if you decide to buy a ring) easily?
And that is! With a little foresight and planning, you will be able to choose an affordable jewelry gift for your girlfriend that matches her personality and style and is sure to love her. And if you don’t, know the store’s return policy. Happy shopping!