“My wife never wears the gifts I give her,” say some
men.
Your Jewelry Doctor creates a lot of gifts (and provides others from
her sources). They always get rave reviews. Now yours can, too.
What’s the secret? Well, remember
the “reconnaissance mission”?
“If
you’ll excuse me, Doctor, that operation is used in war. We’re talking
about love.”
True.
But “gaining intelligence”—here, about your special someone’s taste in
jewelry—makes the difference in both worlds.
Here’s
how it works: on a date, or across the breakfast table, notice what kinds
of things your sweetheart loves to wear.
Color
Earth
tones or jewel tones? Warm colors or cool colors? Pastels or
true colors? Does she wear a lot of black? Does she like colors
that blend, sharp contrast, or a bit of both?
Shape
Now
let's consider the outline of the kinds of jewelry she loves. What kinds
of shapes does she choose? Round? Oval? Pear-shaped?
Triangular? (We call those "trillion.") Rectangular? (We
call the long ones "emerald," and the square,
"princess.") Does she prefer soft lines, or crisper ones--more
"Art Nouveau," or more Deco?
Environment (and Personal Style)
Let's
think about how she likes to wear the jewelry. Does her style tend toward
suits, or a more casual look? Does she wear necklaces with a lot of
texture or a mix of shapes, or something simple and elegant, like a solitaire
pendant or a strand of pearls? Are her earrings flush against the ear—we
call that a “button post” or a “stud”—or a dangle? How long a dangle does she like?
When
Lights Are Low
You’d
be amazed how much information you can pick up over breakfast. And if you
want to step up your game, go out for a romantic dinner. Does her jewelry
change? Obviously, it’ll be dressier. But does she also choose
different colors and/or shapes for special times?
What
She Chooses for Herself
Next
time you’re home alone, take a look at her jewelry box. Notice any
patterns? Just as men often buy the same kinds of ties with slight
variation, women often favor, say, a simple gold pendant on a chain. You
might see three or four of these, each with a different gemstone. Look to
see if there are coordinating earrings. Does she prefer matching jewelry,
or what we could call “counterpoint”—i.e., jewelry that coordinates, but doesn’t
repeat the same exact pattern?
A
Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words
Make
some notes. And take a picture of your special someone, if you don’t have
a recent one. It not only feels great to have that with you, it makes a
big difference when you shop. I’ve helped people choose gifts for loved
ones across the country, using the clothes they’re wearing in a snapshot to
determine their style. (And those clothes are usually in the colors they
prefer, too.)
Putting
It Into Practice
So
don’t be afraid to shop. You’re no longer groping around in the
dark. Now when you go looking for gifts, you’re halfway there: you
already know what she likes!
What’s
your next special occasion? Anniversary on the horizon? Is her
birthday coming up soon? Or is the woman in your life a mother?
Mother’s Day is just two weeks away. Call your friendly neighborhood*
Jewelry Doctor at 415/796-3969, and let’s put our heads together.
San
Francisco Jewelry Doctor. We make gift-shopping fun.
*If
you can read this, we’re in the neighborhood.
©2014
Laynie Tzena.
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