Buy what you know SHE likes – not what YOU like.

How would you describe this woman’s jewelry style? Would you be able to pick out a piece of jewelry she would probably wear?
Source: earl53 at MorgueFile.com

This mistake is one I saw men make over and over again in my store, even when I tried to lead them to make different choices. And almost inevitably it would result in them returning to the store, often with their loved one along, in order to exchange the jewelry after Valentine’s Day.

Such a gentleman, when first shopping for a Valentine’s Day gift, would see some big, colorful piece of jewelry on display and say to me, “Wow, I like that! It’s perfect for her.”

When I would ask him if their girlfriend/wife generally liked to wear big jewelry pieces, he would then say, “No, she usually wears very small and delicate pieces.” Yet despite my trying to lead him toward something more appropriate, he would stick with the piece HE liked the best – only to come in to return it after the holiday because nope, she didn’t like it at all even though he did.

So before you go looking for a Valentine’s Day jewelry gift, spend some time actually looking at the jewelry your loved one wears regularly. Ask yourself these questions and be ready to answer them when you go shopping:

• Does she have certain colors she prefers in both her jewelry and her clothing?
• What kind of jewelry items does she tend to wear a lot or not at all (ie, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, pins, etc)?
• Does she tend to wear silver more than gold, or have certain metal allergies that limit the jewelry she can wear?
• Does she like small, delicate pieces or large ones that make a bold statement?
• Is she extremely fashion-conscious and like to wear the hottest current styles? Or does she prefer classic styles over trendy ones?
• Is she a conscious shopper who prefers hand-made, artisanal clothing and accessories over mass-produced items? If so, you might want to check out local arts collectives, craft boutiques, or online sites like Etsy for unique items that suit her ethics as well as style.

What may appeal to your eye may be entirely different from the kinds of jewelry she regularly wears, so it’s important to shop with her tastes in mind and not your own. And if you’re not sure, let the salesperson at the jewelry store help guide your selection based on the how you can answer the questions above.

Here’s a test/example: Say you know your Valentine loves amber and wears a lot of amber jewelry. Which of the pieces below looks like something she normally would wear, or seems to fit her style? There are lots of possibilities so be sure you have some sense of what she normally likes before just buying something you think looks cool/expensive/extravagant.

Steampunk FIRE necklace – pendant charm locket jewelry- GREAT GIFT-silver amberCHECK PRICE

BALTIC AMBER AND STERLING SILVER 925 PENDANT NECKLACECHECK PRICE

Multicolor Amber Sterling Silver Flower Pendant Rolo Chain 18 InchesCHECK PRICE

Natural Healing Multicolor Baltic Amber Beaded NecklaceCHECK PRICE

Be Sure You’re Buying The Real Thing – Not a Cheap Knock-Off

Your woman will know the difference…

If it doesn’t have the Tiffany & Co name on it, it’s not the real thing. Photo by Stephan Mazurov on Flickr, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic.

Here’s another tip: If you know your special someone likes designer jewelry? Don’t buy her a cheap imitation piece for Valentine’s Day; be sure to buy the real thing.

For instance, Tiffany & Co. is one of the most famous jewelry designers out there today – and also one of the most imitated. If something says it is “Tiffany-inspired”, then it’s not the real thing. It might even be illegal. So shop with authorized retailers or be very cautious in reading item descriptions on-line.

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