Why jewellery is always the best gift for your girlfriend/ wife and how to shop for it.

For long term partners or new flames looking to spoil their wife or girlfriend, jewellery can feel like a gift that has been done time and time again. There may be a fear that it has lost its ‘charm‘, that it might fall short on the excitement scale for the one you’re aiming to please. However, as familiar as a jewellery gift may seem, the endearment that comes along with a new piece, selected with the guidance of wholesome affections, makes it a timeless gesture.

When should I buy my girlfriend jewellery?
Jewellery is traditionally gifted as something to mark milestones in a romantic relationship. Therefore, speaking from a traditional point of view, you should buy your girlfriend/ wife jewellery on your anniversary, but there are many other milestones you can mark with jewellery. Such as, moving in to your first place together, your first time travelling together, when you accomplish joint goals together, when she accomplishes her personal goals, making up after your first big argument, making up after your 50th big argument, finding out you're expecting, the list goes on and on.
Outside of milestones, typical gifting occasions like birthdays, christmas, valentines day and mothers day are also a great time to splurge on some jewellery!

Is jewellery an intimate gift?
For generations jewellery has been a symbol of affection, passed between lovers and friends alike to display an array of emotions, from pride to compassion. Jewellery can speak the sweetness that gets caught in our throats and never quite translates. A silent but screaming ‘I love you’, made tangible. There are many reasons jewellery makes the perfect gift, every time. But, without doubt, the sentimental and symbolic value of a piece of jewellery that is passed between lovers, makes it arguably the most romantic gift a woman can receive.

Nevertheless,a lack of intimacy isn’t the blockade that is shrinking womens jewellery collections. The intimidating task of picking the right piece is often the hurdle stopping men from going for jewellery gifts. Therefore, the time has come for some much needed advice and assistance to be shared on this topic.

Men, prepare yourselves. You are about to decode the mystery of female accessorisation.

In true ‘female world being translated for a man’s understanding style’, let’s keep things simple. The key to buying your girlfriend or wife jewellery is to first forget about style and think about materials!

What materials/ metal jewellery should I buy for my girlfriend/wife?

Quality is paramount, but let’s not get technical here. Instead of learning about every variation of gold and silver there are and which are good or which are not so good, there is a quick fix. Just ensure you’re shopping from a brand that solely sells jewellery made from high quality materials. OAT Jewellery takes pride in making jewellery from demi-fine materials only and if you are interested in those materials you can read our blog on alternatives to solid gold! One thing your wife/girlfriend will definitely want in their jewellery is for it to be tarnish resistant, which is a promise that accompanies every piece of jewellery sold by OAT Jewellery! If your partner has sensitive skin (like if her ears get sore after wearing cheap earrings), you should be shopping from a jewellery store that sells only hypoallergenic pieces. OAT Jewellery are proud to say we guarantee every piece we offer is made from nickel free, hypoallergenic materials!

Every piece of OAT Jewellery is assured to last the test of time, being made from high quality, demi-fine materials such as 14-ct gold-fill, sterling silver, rhodium plated silver and gold vermeil. Demi-fine jewellery bridges the gap between fine jewellery, which is definitely not budget friendly (as you will know if you’ve ever shopped for real gold before), and costume jewellery, which is definitely not girlfriend friendly! So, save yourself the expense of real gold and the crash course on the durability of metals and go with demi-fine!

What style of jewellery should I buy for my girlfriend/ wife?
Materials aside, your next challenge is design. Of course, each woman has their own personal style and although you may know everything about your partner's fashion sense, it can be difficult to embody their tastes in your own shopping activities. Unless you’ve been guided to a specific product/ style, advice that will never fail you is to go with something timeless! Think classic, try not to fall into buying trend pieces as this is where your understanding of her style might be more out of tune than you think. To make things easier for you, OAT Jewellery has a collection dedicated to timeless pieces on their website.

Should I buy my girlfriend/ wife personalised jewellery?
As much as personal style restricts all women to their own corners of the fashion world, one front almost all women tend to unite on is personalised jewellery. There is a special place for sentiment in all of us and women are suckers for wanting that sentiment in their jewellery collection. Check out OAT Jewellery’s personalised range for a gift that is guaranteed to delight! There are customisation options such as initials, star signs, birth flowers, names and even custom words/ phrases for earrings, rings, necklaces and bracelets.

Should I buy my girlfriend/wife gold or silver jewellery?
The age old question, which most people should be able to decipher about their partners without saying a word. Which leads to our first piece of advice, take a look at what metals they already wear. Is it silver or gold? Have a look at your partner's jewellery collection, or look through some pictures of them. In an ideal world, you will spot a trend and there is your answer, simple as that! However, we do not always live in an ideal world and this is where you may need to get more creative. As much as which colour metal to wear is a science, it is also a personal preference. Most women just pick their metal based on what they think suits them best, which often links up to colour analysis’ answer by chance. That being said, rather than explaining colour science here, it would be a smarter move for you to do some investigating. If you can contact a family member or friend, they will certainly keep your secret and get you the answer you need. Alternatively, you could go straight to the source and ask your partner directly, ‘Do you wear gold or silver jewellery, hun?’.

How much should I spend on jewellery for my wife/ girlfriend?
Love isn’t spelt in digits. The question of how much to spend on a jewellery gift is tricky. Personal circumstances are a huge player in this query. In a very general sense, since a fashion gift is open to rejection, unless you’ve had help selecting the piece of jewellery from your girlfriend/wife or someone close to her, it would be wise to avoid breaking the bank. However, also avoid cheaping out. Demi-fine jewellery is the ideal compromise, allowing you to keep your budget reasonable without skipping on quality. OAT Jewellery’s Demi-fine pieces range between €45 - €198 and make a perfect gift for any occasion.