Very little says “I love you” or “You matter” or “Thank you for everything you do and are” quite like the gift of jewelry. There is, however, a disclaimer to this statement: it can’t be just any jewelry. Very little says “I love you” or “You matter” or “Thank you for everything you do and are” like the gift of jewelry that has been thoughtfully sourced and even more carefully considered and thought-through. A diamond is all well and good, but does the recipient even care for diamonds (some people don’t – true story!)? Will the giftee wear a statement necklace, no matter how high the karat or big the gem? In other words, you can’t just throw money at a sparkly thing and hope for the best. It really is the thought that counts, which is why we’re here to help you through the thought processes required to gift jewelry they’ll love this Christmas.

Know Your Audience

You’d be amazed at how many jewelry gifts miss the mark thanks to forgetting to ask one simple question: ‘Does XX even wear rings/bracelets/necklaces/diamonds/pearls and so on and so forth. It doesn’t matter how beautiful the piece is, how much money you spent on it, or how perfectly you think it suits the recipient, if it doesn’t fit their personal style, lifestyle or personality, you may as well gift a lump of coal. (Side note: there’s little sadder in the world of gifts than a gorgeous piece of jewelry that goes unworn, instead sitting unnoticed and gathering dust in an underwear draw.)

To avoid both disappointment, and dust-gathering, it’s important to consider your audience, aka, the recipient. So, before rushing out and splurging on jewelry…

Make a list of their likes and dislikes

Don’t fall into the trap of buying jewelry that you like, as opposed to something they might like. You might love rose gold, or platinum, or pearls, but the person you’re gifting it to might hate it! There’s no accounting for taste, but you can take taste into account and gift accordingly. Start by making a list (and checking it twice) of their likes and dislikes. This is easy enough to do if you know them well, but even if your relationship is a new one and you’re not entirely sure of all their pet peeves yet, there are some sure signs you’re on the right or wrong path. Have you ever seen them wearing earrings? No? Perhaps they don’t even have pierced ears. You’ve only ever seen them wearing gold? Silver or platinum is a no-go area. Do rings never make an appearance on their fingers? Perhaps they find them cumbersome or they don’t suit their lifestyle or job (see ‘Consider their lifestyle’ below). Once you have that list in hand you can narrow down the type and style of jewelry you want to buy.

Consider their lifestyle

When purchasing jewelry as a gift it really is very important to try to understand the lifestyle of the person you’re buying for. Are they active? Do they do a lot of high impact, high-touch sports – rock climbing or ice hockey for instance. Do they use their hands for their job? Are they often running, hiking, lifting, loading, doing something physically demanding with the potential to damage any jewelry they might be wearing? If you answered yes to any of these, your recipient (a) might not have much opportunity to wear jewelry, or (b) if they do, it needs to be something more durable than someone who sits at a desk all day. Titanium and diamonds, for example, are way more durable than gold and opals. You might also want to rethink the style of jewelry you gift: a chunky necklace or bracelet might catch on things and get easily broken during high impact activities, where a simple, delicate eternity ring or tiny diamond ear studs will stay the course.

Ponder their personal style

Take a good long look, over the course of a few days or weeks, at their personal style. Do they tend to wear big, bright, bold pieces – be it jewelry or clothing? Or is their style more restrained and delicate? Are they fans of vintage or modern? Do they like to be noticed or prefer to blend into the crowd? Is their personal style classic or trendy, romantic or practical? These are all great indicators as to what type of jewelry they will love to receive and actually wear. A romanticist might, for example, go for a delicate lacy charm bracelet, whereas the pragmatist might prefer a watch with a personalized engraving. Don’t give them what you think they’d look  good in – it’s tantamount to telling them you don’t like their style. Give them what they’ll actually wear, what fits with their personal aesthetic – which tells them you love them for exactly who they are and how they look.

Read the Relationship

Will a ring box make the recipient jump to a conclusion you haven’t quite reached yet? Enough said. Gift the jewelry that is appropriate for the moment, the person, and your relationship.

Size Matters

No! We’re not saying bigger is better, and no we’re not talking about the size of the diamond… amongst other things ;). We’re talking about the actual, physical size of a ring finger or a wrist. If you’re going to be buying rings or bracelets, make sure you know the recipients ring size or wrist size. For a bracelet, using a flexible measuring tape, measure just above (towards your elbow) the wrist bone, then add approximately ¼ inch to 1 inch to the measurement, depending how fitted you want your bracelet to be. The resulting size is the size of the bracelet you need. For rings, wrap a string around the finger it’s intended for (make up some excuse if necessary!) then mark the exact measurement on the string with your finger or a marker. Now measure the string to the mark with a measuring tape in millimeters. Make sure you leave a little wiggle room by adding a little bit to account for hot days and emergencies (like pandemic pounds!). You can then use this measurement in mm to correspond to a ring sizing chart.

Bespoke Jewelry Wins the Gifting Season

Time permitting – it’s probably too late this year, but it’s never too early to start planning for next! – bespoke jewelry, custom designed and made specifically with the recipient in mind, is by far and away the most thoughtful, meaningful gift you can give. With the help of a trusted jewelry designer, and taking all the above pointers into consideration – likes and dislikes, lifestyle, personal style, your relationship etc – you can create a piece of jewelry that will sparkle long after the twinkle of holiday lights has dimmed, and which the recipient will cherish for years to come. Of course, the key is to use a trusted, reputable jeweler. Great ones can walk you through the process, and work with you to create exactly the right piece for the right person. Even if you don’t have time and are hoping for something extra special for this Christmas, check in with a jewelry designer to see if they have custom-designed pieces ready to sell which may work perfectly for you! Inspired, creative jewelers have a way of knowing just the kinds of pieces to design which will speak to many people on many levels.

Trust Yourself

If you’re gifting jewelry, you’re probably at a stage in your relationship with the giftee, whatever that relationship may be – partner, spouse, sibling, parent, child – where you know and love them better than anyone else. Trust that feeling, trust your instincts, and go with the piece you think will make them happy. And remember: if you think something is poor quality, trust your gut on that too! A gift given on Christmas morning, and broken by Boxing Day, is worse than no gift at all! Quality jewelry should last a lifetime, just like the sentiment attached to the giving thereof.

At Keezing Kreations we’d be delighted to help you find the perfect jewelry gift for your loved ones this holiday season. With custom designs ready right now, as well as options to start designing the perfect bespoke jewelry item for next year, we can ensure that yours is the gift that keeps on giving, long after the tree is down and the bubbles have popped!

Contact us today: Call 617-650-9934 or email dkeezing@keezingkreations.com.