Jewellery is one of the most popular Christmas gifts for a reason. It’s stylish, sentimental, and is cherished for a lifetime. When choosing a Christmas present for your mum, sister, best friend, or partner it can feel a little overwhelming.
There are many jewellery choices, and many designers. You want her to love the piece you choose for her, you want it to suit her, and it must fit with her values.
If you’re buying your loved one a piece of jewellery she’ll treasure this Christmas, Natalia, founder of Pearls & Pomegranates, can help.
As a sustainable jewellery expert, Natalia has collated all her advice on jewellery shopping to help you navigate the tricky parts of choosing jewellery as a Christmas gift. There’s a lot to think about. Style, material, jewellery type, and wearability will all affect how much the recipient will love your gift. But, it’s important to consider the environmental and ethical impacts of the jewellery too.
With this comprehensive Christmas gift jewellery guide you can be confident you’ll choose the perfect piece, and there will be smiles on Christmas morning.
- Every day or special occasion? Think about when she’ll wear it
- Show her you know her! What jewellery does she already wear
- Sustainable ethical jewellery: shop to her values
- Make it custom: work with an independent jewellery designer
- How to choose jewellery for her this Christmas when you’re not confident
- Last but not least: tiny but important jewellery buying tips
Every day or special occasion? Think about when she’ll wear it
This is an important decision to make early on, because it’ll dictate exactly what you’ll buy. Does your loved one tend to wear jewellery every day, or do they usually only wear jewellery on special occasions?
If she’s an everyday jewellery gal, your best option is to choose solid metals and strong gemstones, like this Circinus bar ring in 9ct rose gold, yellow gold, or white gold. You can choose diamond, sapphire, ruby, or emerald gemstones, in a range of sizes.
Or this 9ct or 14ct gold Bright Star pendant necklace, which has a single diamond in the gold disc pendant. It's a gorgeous gift for a woman who loves to wear subtle gold jewellery.
These, though classic and refined, are tough enough for everyday wear. They'll stay as beautiful as the day they're opened. It's important to think about her job and how she spends most of her time. If she has to wear a particular dress code, make sure your gift meets that criterion.
Choosing a piece of jewellery which is plated metal, or one that features opals or pearls, would mean it was a special occasion piece. These materials are softer than their counterparts. They're at risk of being damaged with everyday wear, especially rings. In this case you can go for statement earrings and necklaces, and cocktail rings. This beautiful baroque pearl pendant necklace is made of recycled sterling silver plated with 18ct yellow gold and features a freshwater baroque pearl.
Alternatively, this Litza large brass pendant is a gorgeous accessory. It’s a miniature version of a sculpture by Ines Gerard Cuesta, inspired by the bond between mother and child. It’s a perfect Christmas gift for a mum or daughter.
When you can’t decide what she’d love more, think about her lifestyle. If she often gets dressed up and loves to change her jewellery, then a statement piece would suit her. If she sticks to a couple of treasured pieces, then you know an everyday item would be a wonderful addition to her collection.
Show her you know her! What jewellery does she already wear?
This is a great tip to not only get her a beautiful piece of jewellery but to show her that you notice the little things about her too. If she wears a favourite piece all the time, you can select a Christmas present for her which matches it. For example, if she wears a simple Phase gold ring, you can find another ring which will stack. Or, if you’ve noticed she wears pearl stud earrings, you can buy this lovely Lydia pearl pendant for her to match. Perhaps she loves rose gold, and a Pietra bracelet in her favourite metal, and favourite colour, shows how well you know her.
If you can subtly learn the name of the designer of a piece of jewellery she already loves, you can find a matching piece. Failing that, notice the materials of her favourite jewellery. You can match the style, colour of the metal, or the gemstones.
If you want to set yourself up for a few easy future gifts, you can give her the first piece of a collection and add to it over the coming Christmases. The fine circular detail of the Circinus range means you can choose complementary items for each birthday, anniversary, valentine’s day, and Christmas. There are many options, such as an everyday necklace, a statement lariat necklace, a cluster ring, a solitaire ring, a pair of drop earrings and a pair of stud earrings.
Sustainable, ethical jewellery: Shop to her values
Here’s where spending a little time to think about what she cares about is really important. If she cares deeply about shopping with independent businesses, choosing something from a large online retailer is going to really take the shine off the gift.
Not all jewellery is the same. Jewellery can be vegan, sustainable, and ethical. By choosing a piece from Pearls & Pomegranates means you can find pieces which utilise recycled materials, you can get to know the designer with the ‘meet the maker’, and you can opt to make a charity donation.
If she lives her life being conscious and considerate about the planet, you can make sure your Christmas gift makes a difference too.
Make it custom: work with an independent jewellery designer
When you know exactly what you’re looking for, but you can’t find it, you’ve got one choice. Go custom. Pearls & Pomegranates helps you find an independent jewellery designer and arranges a consultation. This process is generally more expensive and can take a little more time, but you’ll have a completely unique piece of jewellery designed with one person in mind.
How to choose jewellery for her this Christmas when you’re not confident
When you know your loved one will be delighted with a piece of jewellery but you’re feeling a little overwhelmed with all the jewellery choices you’ve got two options.
Option one: buy something classic and simple. An elegant Lyra solid silver bangle, or a simple pair of Lyra gold hoops are classics for a reason. They’re unanimously liked, will be great for everyday wear, and will go with every outfit.
Option two: a gift card. This is a perfect gift if the woman in your life would like to choose her gift with a voucher rather than be surprised.
One of these options isn’t better than the other, it very much depends on what the person you’re buying for would prefer. Think about how she’ll react on Christmas morning when you hand her your gift and let that guide your choice.
Last but not least: tiny but important jewellery buying tips
Here are some seemingly small, but super impactful pieces of jewellery- buying advice. It’s the difference between a good gift, and an amazing one.
Consider allergies
Some people are allergic to certain metals. It can cause the wearer to have itchy, irritated skin and they won’t be able to wear the jewellery. This is most often caused by cheaper metals such as nickel and brass, which is then plated with gold, rose gold, or silver.
If you aren’t sure if she has a metal allergy, it’s best to err on the side of caution and choose solid metal jewellery instead.
Delivery dates
Make sure your Christmas present is ordered with enough time for it to safely arrive well before Christmas. With the increased pressure of Christmas deliveries, and small business owners dealing with the Christmas rush of orders, you should try to be organised in advance.
Make sure the ring fits
If you’re opting for a ring as a Christmas present for her, it’s important that the ring comfortably fits her. She’ll want to immediately wear her new gift all day. If it’s too loose it could be lost, and if it’s too small it won’t be comfortable. You can get a free ring size card and 10% off your first order by subscribing to the newsletter.
Don’t give them the wrong idea!
Think carefully about presenting a ring box on Christmas morning to your partner. It’s a magical, romantic time, and as she spots a perfectly square ring box, she may think you’re proposing! If you do want to buy a ring, but you aren’t planning on asking her to marry you, consider presenting your Christmas gift in a slightly different way.
To conclude
Now you’ve got all the information to buy the perfect piece of jewellery as a Christmas gift. As long as you keep the recipient in your mind and think of their values and what they care about you’re sure to have a hit on your hands.
Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and new year.
Pearls & Pomegranates is an ethical and sustainable jewellery brand based in the UK. We partner with talented independent jewellery designers and makers to change the world.
This SEO-friendly blog was written by Bonnie Harrington, a Bristol-based copywriter and content writer for creative, sustainable, and independent small businesses. If you’d like a blog just like this for your business, get in touch here.
