Purchasing jewellery to gift to a loved one in your life can be the most lovely gesture but can also be an extremely daunting task. You may ask yourself, what if they don't like it? how do I choose something when there is so much to choose from? and will the Christmas surprise be ruined if I get it wrong?.
Here at Sonny's Jewellers we have come up with a simple, short jewellery gift guide to help you figure it all out, making it much more simple and a less daunting task, because nobody wants to feel like that on Christmas. We want to ensure you have the best time and help you get a gift your loved one will adore and cherish forever.
Tip 1 - Get Inspiration
Get inspired by looking at that special persons existing jewellery pieces and for more inspiration take a look at our Instagram account Sonny's Jewellers. Ask yourself what you see, do you see lots of chains? if so, what type of chains do you see?(Get some help here on chain styles) Do they wear rings and what kind of stones are within those rings. You could think about a single piece that they always wear, a good idea would be to get something that matches that. For example, if let's say your sister, is always wearing blue topaz gemstone stud earrings you could use those as a starting point to go out and get her a blue topaz necklace. Try and determine your loved ones style and usual go to pieces that they wear all the time, or even that one special piece that they only wear on special occasions.
There are a few main points to try to find out before purchasing jewellery for them.
1 - What is their Birthstone - Birthstones make a lovely personalised statement
2 - What is their size - It's good to have a rough idea of the receivers ring size especially if you are buying a ring
3 - Think about their life style - This will help determine what precious metal you will purchase.
It's a great idea to do this step first, this way there's definitely no way you could get it wrong.
Tip 2 - Think about their individual style
We've all done it before, see something you love and think to yourself, my loved one would look great in that. This is a definite no-no, trying to change someone's style in jewellery, clothes and fashion or even makeup is the only way you will fail. This takes us back to Tip 1, try to look into their style, what they like and how they wear their most loved jewellery. Just keep in mind that changing someone else's style is not the way to go.
Tip 3 - Ask Friends
Another useful tip is to ask friends who know the person you wish to buy jewellery for. For example, if you want to buy something for your niece, maybe asking their sibling or a similar ages friend of theirs (so long as they know how to keep a secret) what kind of items they are interested in. It wouldn't always be a great idea to ask your nieces parents what she likes because again they may think more about what they would like their child to wear rather than what the child would like. Remember any information they give you is not the be all and end all, you would of at this point had some ideas of you own to go by too. This step is just to give you an insight of what your loved ones other close ones think.
Tip 4 - Watch them shop
Another great way to find out what the receiver is into, is to simply watch them shop. What do they gravitate too when out shopping. When window shopping what do they point out. Keep secretive though, you don't want them to know you are watching them.
Tip 5 - What are you trying to say
A piece of jewellery can say a thousand words. It's always wise to have a sit down and think about what you are trying to say through the item. With that in mind it's not the best idea to purchase a diamond ring for someone that you don't wish to propose to. Let's take a look at some fool proof options.
1 - Lockets - Lockets are great piece to gift where a picture or a lock of hair can be put inside, making it a meaningful gesture.
2 - Gemstone Jewellery - Gemstones are linked to birth months. Every single month has its own gemstone allocated to it. This would make a thoughtful gesture to any loved one in your life
3 - Initial Pendants - Many people love the idea of wearing their first name initial or an initial of someone they love hanging from a chain close to their hearts.
4 - Something Religious - There are many religious earrings, pendants, necklaces and rings available to purchase and would make a great gift to a loved one who is religious.
The list goes on, but you get the picture.
Tip 6 - Your budget
Your budget is really important, so that you know how much you have to spend. The Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham has the best prices and value for money in the UK in regards to jewellery, with many people travelling from many different cities, far and wide, to come over, experience the many fun activities there are, to eat and to purchase their pieces. With over 700 stores and independent retailers, The Jewellery Quarter is one of the most unique destinations.
Tip 7 - Shop for the jewellery early
Jewellery can take a while when it needs to be ordered in from a third source, sometimes as much as 8 weeks. And even longer if the piece is bespoke. Unless you find what you are looking for on the shop floor the wait time will be long especially at this time of year. Always shop for your jewellery gift as early as possible is the only way to diminish the risk of your piece not arriving on time. And if for any reason you do leave it late, here at Sonny's Jewellers we have the largest range of stock so will still have a wide range of options available to you. You can check out our website or other social media accounts not only instore.
Tip 8 - Understand the materials
Precious metals each have their own strengths and some are more durable than others. It's wise to think about how the receiver will wear the piece you purchase for them, which in turn will help you choose which material you purchase. Take a look at our Metal Education to help you understand more about precious metals.
Tip 9 - Keep your receipt
Not only is this important for if anything happens to the piece but great if for any reason you purchase the wrong size, or the receiver isn't happy with the item, you can always return or exchange your piece. Here at Sonny's, if you buy a ring we can size it up or down two sizes for free if it doesn't quite fit. We also allow exchanges which helps if the receiver would like to get something else instead.
Tip 10 - Last but not least, Enjoy the process
Here at Sonny's Jewellers enjoying the process of shopping for, right through to purchasing Jewellery is our main goal, with many items to choose from we understand it can be a stressful scenario but we are always at hand to assist you with any questions, thoughts or queries you may have. Either contact us or give us a call on 0121 236 2426.
Final Thoughts
Choosing a jewellery item to gift to a loved one, no matter who, can be a hard and daunting task and the worry behind getting it right for that person can be intense. Here at Sonny's Jewellers we strive in making it a stress-free and enjoyable time. With a large range of stock of many different, unique and beautiful items to choose from or create we can assure you we will help you find what you require. Follow our guide and you won't regret it.
Merry Christmas from all of us here at Sonny's Jewellers.