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Trends in Gift Giving – Jewelry
a Timeless Favorite
Trends in Gift Giving – Jewelry
a Timeless Favorite
http://specialgifts.com/Articles/article-trends-in-giftgiving-jewelry.htm
by: M J Plaster
In times of rapid change, constants lend comfort to our lives.
Since ancient times, jewelry has been one of the most popular
gifts to give and to receive, and it still ranks among the
top gifts as a universal, particularly pearls and birthstones.
Jewelry ranks just beneath flowers as the gift that says "I
love you," and it ranks just above flowers as a gift
to convey that the recipient is someone special. A gift of
jewelry delights the recipient and evokes a genuine smile.
It's the Style…
It's not the price; it's the style that determines whether
your gift of jewelry is received in the same spirit in which
it is given. To give jewelry that delights, match the gift
to the recipient's style. Jewelry is one area where you cannot
give a gift that you would love to own. Your idea of a fashionable
bauble may be another's idea of junk. Is the intended's style
casual or more formal, traditional or contemporary? You wouldn't
give a Swatch watch to your great-grandmother any more than
you would give a diamond tennis bracelet to your Goth niece.
Select a compatible style and your gift will stand out among
the recipient's favorites and ensure that the gift never finds
its way to the regifting closet.
The Many Faces of Pearls
Any woman over the age of 30 appreciates a fine strand of
pearls. They're elegant, timeless, and suitable for most occasions.
Think back to your favorite old movies; most leading ladies
wore pearls at some point during the movie.
Pearls are the only gemstone created within another living
organism. Natural pearls are grown without any human intervention
when a speck of sand or other irritant lodges itself inside
an oyster. Deteriorating environmental conditions have rendered
natural pearls all but obsolete.
Cultured pearls have quickly filled the void. The only difference
between a natural pearl and a cultured pearl is that human
intervention is required to place the irritant inside the
oyster shell. By controlling the size and shape of the irritant
as well as the environmental factors, cultured pearls guarantee
greater quality control. You’ll find pearls in many
hues ranging from white South Sea pearls to black Tahitian
pearls, and covering a lot of territory in between: pink,
green, blue and ivory.
Freshwater pearls sport a combination of interesting shapes
and hues not usually found in saltwater varieties. Freshwater
pearls come from Chinese rivers and lakes where the Hyriopsis
cumingi mussels can produce 50 pearls at once. They are usually
less expensive than saltwater pearls, but no less elegant
than their saltwater counterpart.
Birthstones
Precious and semi-precious gems linked to birthdays date as
far back as the 15th century. Unlike today, early birthstones
were linked to the signs of the Zodiac instead of to calendar
months. Almost everyone appreciates a birthstone, and it shows
that you actually put some thought into the gift. Many people
believe that wearing their birthstone protects them and brings
them good luck. When giving a birthstone as a gift, think
beyond rings to bracelets, pendants, earrings, pins and chokers.
The chart below contains the official modern birthstones,
as established in 1912 by the National Association of Jewelers.
Some birthstones have many legends associated with them; you'll
find a brief summary below. This official list applies only
to the United States. Several other birthstone lists exist,
such as the mystical birthstones, which originated in Tibet
and the Ayurvedic birthstones, which originated in India.
Enclose a card with the gift explaining the meaning of the
birthstone. While most people know their birthstone, few know
the significance attached to it.
If you want to give jewelry as a gift, but you’re at
a loss for what to give, pearls and birthstones provide two
safe options that are sure to please and make a lasting impression.
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