Why Fine Jewelry Gifts Are Perfect for the Holiday Season

by Nancy Plante December 16, 2019

Why Fine Jewelry Gifts Are Perfect for the Holiday Season

Choosing the perfect gift to give during the holidays can be stressful—with so many different options, you want to make sure your gift of choice is both meaningful and beautiful. This is especially true when you are buying for that special woman in your life. Why not knock her off her feet with fine jewelry gifts this year?

Jewelry is the perfect gift for the holidays for several reasons. First, just like the holiday season itself, jewelry is sparkly, festive, and fun! Second, holiday jewelry gives her the opportunity to show off her new jewelry at holiday parties (it’s a gift that keeps giving all season long). Third, fine jewelry is not something that all women will buy for themselves, making fine jewelry gifts an extra-special surprise. 

Finally, fine jewelry is everlasting. Pieces are often kept for decades or generations and passed along to children and grandchildren. The attached memories that accompany even the simplest pieces will always be treasured, from one owner to the next.

But finding the right holiday jewelry to give isn’t always easy. If you don’t know how to buy fine jewelry, don’t despair—this is exactly where the guidance of a knowledgeable, expert jeweler comes in! At Plante Jewelers, when we help shoppers select luxury holiday gifts, we find that the jewelry of choice typically falls into one of two categories:

  • Something that she will wear every day
  • A special piece that she can put on when going out for special occasions

(Of course, it’s extra fun when one of our customers typically gives their loved one everyday gifts—and then suddenly surprises her with the diamonds she has always wished for!)

In the sections below, we’ll share our favorite tips and tricks for finding the best gift for the special woman in your life to create a truly memorable gift-giving experience.

How to Choose An Everyday Fine Jewelry Gift

If you want to buy everyday jewelry as a gift, start by asking yourself these questions:

Will she wear it to work? 

If your lady will wear her jewelry to work, you’ll want to keep in mind her work environment. Does her workplace prohibit her from wearing a lot of jewelry? If her dress code includes jewelry, a pair of small studs or a simple pendant might be the perfect addition to her everyday wardrobe. 

Will sitting at a computer and typing all day make it difficult for her to wear a large or heavy ring? Functionality is just as important, so keep her everyday work schedule and responsibilities in mind. A light, understated ring with a small gemstone will make it easy for her to add a fine jewelry gift to her everyday wardrobe.

Is she around small children?

Children love sparkly, shiny pieces of jewelry, almost as much as we do! If she has small children (or works with small children), you will want to avoid dangly earrings that can be pulled by little hands. You may also want to avoid long, sparkly lariat necklaces, since those can be easily yanked, damaging her neck and the jewelry itself.

One of our customers with a young family recently bought his wife three pairs of different stud earrings. They were the perfect mix of beauty and function—she now has a new jewelry wardrobe to choose from and switch out each day without worrying about whether they will be damaged while caring for her children.

Does she prefer a certain metal?

We all tend to gravitate towards a certain metal. Your individual skin tone is what tends to determine whether you feel you look best in yellow metals or silver metals, but it also comes down to personal preference. 

Take a look at the kind of metal that she currently wears. If her jewelry collection is filled with yellow gold, you will want to ensure that your holiday jewelry gift follows her preference. Conversely, if she prefers white metals (such as white gold or silver), use that as your guide when coming up with holiday jewelry ideas. 

Care is also something to consider in the metal you choose, since some jewelry pieces will require more care than others. If she prefers jewelry with minimal maintenance, you can choose a piece with a finish that won’t tarnish (and doesn’t need to be cleaned frequently).

December Showstopper opal ring

How to Choose A Special Occasion Fine Jewelry Gift

Buying a special occasion fine jewelry piece can be a fun experience—both for you as the gift-giver and for the recipient! You can choose an elegant piece or a bold piece to make a statement for your next dinner out, a holiday party, an upcoming wedding, and more. When choosing a jewelry piece for a special occasion, ask yourself these questions: 

How does she typically dress for special occasions?

Every woman has their own unique taste, so choosing a fine jewelry gift for a special occasion is all about knowing her style. It might not be easy to pin down a piece that works with all special occasions—for example, she may dress differently for a date night at a five-star wedding than she would at an outdoor, backyard wedding. Don’t try and choose something for every kind of special occasion—instead, choose one type of outing that she might wear her fine jewelry to, and think about how she typically dresses for those times. 

If she likes a bohemian style, you can choose layered pieces, jingly bracelets, or dangly earrings to compliment her look. Large, colored gemstones or turquoise will also work well for a bohemian look. If her style is more elegant, you may want to choose a piece that has more classic or contemporary lines. Bracelets with sleek, simple designs can be a great addition to any elegant look. And a designer or handmade bracelet (something that she might not buy for herself) will be an extra-special surprise!

How does she typically style her hair?

Along with her wardrobe style, you’ll also want to consider how she wears her hair for special occasions. This can be helpful if you are having trouble deciding between a pair of earrings or a necklace for a special occasion gift. 

If she typically puts her hair up, she may gravitate more towards a pair of earrings. If she wears her hair down, her earrings might not be visible. In that case, you may want to look for a necklace instead so that she can wear her fine jewelry without worrying about it being hidden. Or, choose a larger pair of earrings that will show up against her hair.

How to Choose A Unique Jewelry Gift

Unique jewelry gifts are often the most memorable—these are typically one-of-a-kind pieces that either can’t be found elsewhere or hold special meaning for the two of you. If you are mulling over a few unique holiday gift ideas, ask yourself the following questions to help narrow it down:

Is there an experience or activity that you two share?

Using something that you share between the two of you is a great way to find a piece of fine jewelry that holds deep, lasting meaning. For example, you could choose a seashell pendant that looks just like the shells you saw on your last beach vacation, or a bracelet with a house charm to represent buying your first home.

You can also use your gift to represent something comical that the two of you joke about; it’s something that will always make her smile every time she wears it. Charms come in an astounding variety of shapes and figures, and can be worn either on a bracelet or on a chain as a pendant. We once helped a customer create a unique charm bracelet that featured a martini glass, a fur coat, and a Tyrannosaurus Rex! (There’s a wonderfully fun story behind this one!)

This type of gift may require a bit of time to make sure that you find the right piece, so don’t forget to start early. And if you have an idea that is starting to form, talk to your jeweler! They can point you in the right direction and bring your ideas to life.

Does she have a wishlist?

Sometimes a woman will put a "fantasy" piece on her Wish List.These kinds of luxury holiday gifts never go out of style, because it was something that she chose just because it appealed to her. If she has created a wish list at the jeweler’s, you’ll find clues to something that she likes (but never actually thought she would have). You can also do a little bit of detective work on her Pinterest page to get ideas. 

A showstopper gift can be classic, such as a diamond tennis bracelet or a pair of diamond earrings. It can also be something more unusual, such as a fabulous, brightly colored gemstone ring that she has been eyeing. And if she loves pearls, you can choose a strand of unique pearls that she will absolutely love (baroque Tahitians are a great choice).

Does she like estate jewelry?

It’s also fun to present her with a rare “find.” If she likes estate jewelry, a one-of-a-kind necklace or bracelet is a great choice. Not only will she know that she has a unique piece of jewelry, but she’ll also know that you took the time to seek it out, creating a truly meaningful gift. 

Creative Ways to Give the Gift of Fine Jewelry

When it comes to fine jewelry Christmas gifts, giving the gift can be half the fun, There are plenty of ways to creatively give your gift. Here are some of the ways that we see most often:

  • Wrap in high-end packaging from your jeweler—You can never go wrong with an elegant box. Ask your jeweler about the types of packaging they provide to ensure that your wrapping matches the beauty and quality of the fine jewelry inside. 
  • Make a scavenger hunt—If you’re feeling really creative, you can put together a mini-scavenger hunt to lead the recipient towards their fine jewelry gift! Start with a note in an envelope, and lead them around the house with clues that lead to important places (or items) to create a truly memorable and sentimental experience.

  • Hide jewelry inside another gift—This can be a great way to surprise the recipient with not one, but two gifts! If the first gift is a purse or wallet, you can hide her fine jewelry within a pocket and tell her to keep digging. Or, if she’s asked for something functional (such as new kitchen or office supplies), you can use that packaging as an opportunity to give her something that she needs, and something that she wants at the same time.

  • Use your surroundings to your advantage—Hiding your gift in plain sight can be a great way to create an unexpected surprise. If she makes coffee every morning, you can place the gift near the coffee maker. Or, you could place it on her nightstand or a countertop that she might not pay attention to otherwise. If she doesn’t find it right away, this is a great way to have some fun and help guide her in the right direction. 

Don’t be afraid to make the gift-giving process into a creative, fun experience. The surprise is as good as the gift itself, creating a lasting memory that she will treasure for years to come. No matter what you choose, you always have a great resource to help you choose, design, and plan every aspect of your gift-giving experience.

Plante Jewelers is ready to help you with the choice and the best presentation to use to ensure that your holiday jewelry will be the perfect gift. Visit our store in Swansea to check out our collections or create your own personalized designs.



Nancy Plante
Nancy Plante

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