For a lot of people, things like rings, earrings, and necklaces are just good things to give as a gift, whereas for others, they can be considered investments or just a form of expressing status and quality of life.
Still, if the pieces of jewelry are gifted at the right time or for the right occasion, they can be perceived as things that are filled with stories and memories for both parties involved.
But what can be considered as jewelry, and how do you gift the perfect piece of jewelry to your significant other, family member, friend, or important person? Are there some steps you should follow, or slices of information you should be aware of before purchasing something?
Don’t worry, in this article, I will guide you through the process of choosing a gift for someone you really care about, to provide an object that will not only be perceived as something beautiful but as something that is filled with good intentions and memories as well.
First of All, What is Jewelry?
As mentioned in this article, jewelry can be described as items that are used for decorative purposes, worn by someone in the form of a ring, necklace, pendant, brooch, earring, bracelet, and many other variations.
They can either be attached to a piece of clothing or directly placed on the body, such as the case of rings and necklaces. A brooch is often placed on top of a piece of clothing, for example.
Just so you know, jewelry has been part of our history as human beings for the longest time, even used thousand of years before our current society. In ancient times and for cultures like the Egyptian, Chinese, Japanese and Greek culture, they were used to convey a sense of status, wealth, and value as a member of society, commonly used by nobles and royalty.
Nowadays, they are perceived as decorations and also investments for people, but they can also be gifted to commemorate special occasions, like a graduation, a proposal, or a wedding.
The Materials Used to Create Jewelry
These ornaments are often created through the use of what we known as precious metals, limited minerals found all around the world that are very malleable and pleasing to the eye. The process of creating a piece of jewelry depends entirely on the precious metal used for its creation, but some steps are similar between materials.
Gold, silver, and platinum are the most commonly used precious metals out there, and there’s a reason for that: they are the most common among all the usable metals in the world, the most resistant, and very easy to work with.
Of course, its durability depends on the level of purity of the piece of work that will be derived from said metals, since it is very common to create an alloy combination of different metals combined with the main mineral used for the creation of the piece of jewelry.
A good example of this is the several categories of gold we can find.
- 24K is known as 100% pure gold, commonly used for storing gold instead of using because of its great level of fragility.
- 22K is known as 92% gold combined with 8% of metal alloys. This is one is used for gold decorations that stay in a single location and is rare to be used in jewelry pieces because although is more resistant than 25K gold, it’s still fragile.
- 18K is 75% gold and 25% alloyed metals, with this one being the highest quality of jewelry we can achieve thanks to it being very resistant. Still, pieces of jewelry of this quality are often recommended to be used for special occasions only.
- 14K is 58% gold and 42% alloyed metals, and this one is the most recommended category for rings, necklaces, and anything that will be used on a daily basis, thanks to its very resistant nature.
The same can be said from other precious metals since their purity decides their value in the market, but it also decides how practical the piece of jewelry will be. This is important to know because it will help you pick a gif during the choosing process.
Considering Precious Stones
If you visit the websites of antique jewelry experts, you’ll notice that several of their options are decorated with precious stones. Also known as gemstones, these are minerals with beautiful colors, but they are different from precious metals, just because of the way they are prepared to be used for pieces of jewelry.
Metals can be bent thanks to chemical reactions or heat, but gemstones can only be shaped through very specific processes, like cutting or polishing. A good example of this is how diamonds are cut by lasers, and emeralds and amethysts are polished into specific shapes with pieces of machinery.
Gemstones provide a very unique personality to a piece of jewelry and enhance its beauty depending on the design and combination of gemstones applied to the work. If you look deep into it, gemstones are said to have supernatural powers capable of achieving certain things and grant health, luck, or even wealth.
Agate, for example, is frequently described as a nourishing gemstone capable of granting strength and health. Alexandrite is said to be a joy stone capable of helping someone find their own happiness. Amber is said to be healing is stone capable of improving the healing capacities within a person, perfect for someone who’s dealing with an illness, or recovering from it.
If you want to give a gift that has meaning, you should take the person’s needs into consideration, or what you want them to enjoy the most, and look for a gemstone that suits your goal. Of course, that’s only if it is inside your capacities.
Finding the Right Gift
Finding the right gift can be difficult, and a very important aspect to consider about purchasing jewelry as a gift is its price. Considering how expensive it can be, our budget when purchasing it will help us determine which options are available for us, and which ones we should completely ignore.
You should try to find out if the person you are giving the gift to is allergic to a specific type of metal. For example, if you look at this article over here, you’ll get an idea of how metal allergies work and what they are capable of.
Always considering what the other party likes is a good way to start since it is a direct answer regarding the options you should consider when buying a ring, necklace, or earrings, but there’s something special about choosing something that the other person won’t expect since it creates a long-lasting impression. The decision is up to you.
Always consider the lifestyle of the person to whom you are giving the gift, too. A necklace for someone who’s constantly doing exercises or running, for example, might not be a good idea, but a ring or a bracelet could be excellent gifts for them.
If you know the other party really well and have an idea of the clothes she or he usually wears, you can opt to choose something that can combine with their style. For example, a necklace or earrings will combine perfectly with a dress, whereas a ring or bracelet combines better with casual clothes.
A general rule of thumb, necklaces, and earrings are considered fancy whereas bracelets, rings, and similar jewelry are more considered decorations for daily use, so take that into consideration as well.
