When you are buying jewellery for a woman it normally means that the person is special to you (sister, mother, lover, wife or whatever) and that you might be going to spend quite a large sum of money. Because buying something so personal is never easy we have put some thoughts together on things you should take into account before making the final choice.

You are making a statement of affection to someone by giving them jewellery. It does not have to be an exclusive or expensive gift as focusing on the cost is a recipe for disaster. Also what can you realistically afford? If you try to be flash and she knows you don't really have the cash, once she has got over the shock of how much you have spent she will still won't wear it if she doesn't like it!

So once you have set your budget there are a few basics to take into account:

* Does she have any allergies (eg: does gold or silver bring her out in a rash?) if in doubt opt for platinum which is hypoallergenic.
* What jewellery has she already got lots of? A girl only needs so many diamonds or pearls – and she might prefer coloured gemstones such as emeralds, rubies or sapphires for a change.
* Does she really want costume jewellery? Don't buy her something from Theo Fennell or Butler and Wilson if she really wants you to put a diamond ring on her finger.
* Is she the sort of lady who would prefer something with a bit of tradition behind it? For example the three stone or trinity ring symbolises the past, present and future of a relationship, an eternity ring is what is says it is and a diamond horseshoe or wishbone symbolise good luck.
* What style of jewellery does she wear? Is it contemporary with bold styling or does she prefer the vintage or classic look? The best indication of her taste is the jewellery she wears all the time because these are the pieces she feels most comfortable with.
* Buy jewellery which fits her actual size, not the size you think she is. If she has a short neck she will probably prefer stud or huggy earrings to the long chandelier design; a short neck needs a necklace or pendant that will complement it and not be too tight – remember “choker” is not the literal meaning! Think of the shape of her fingers when buying rings: does she have slim delicate fingers or small square hands? You can get her ring size by tracing around the inside of one of her current rings and measuring this on a ring sizer guide. This has an enormous impact on whether you buy an elaborate, modern or plain ring – although a diamond solitaire looks good on any finger!
* An elongated diamond like a marquise or oval cut can make short fingers look sleeker--but be careful not to overdo the look or it could have the opposite effect.
* A setting that's extremely delicate could get lost on large hands, over-emphasizing their size and making the ring look smaller.
* How will the jewellery fit in with her lifestyle? Does she work in a profession where fussy jewellery would look out of place? A pointed gem with high prong setting could snag clothing (and people) and is harder to keep clean. Save that type of jewellery for gifts that will be worn on special occasions and not every day.
* Is it for a special occasion? Eternity rings are usually given to mark the birth of a child and various named gemstones are accepted as birthstones and anniversary gifts.
* If you are buying pearls take her colouring into account as rose/pink pearls suit pale complexions and blonde hair; off white and cream pearls bring out the tones in dark skin and brunettes and unflattering tones of greens and browns should be avoided.
* Anything with diamonds should be purchased with the 4C's in mind – cut, clarity, carat and colour.

Whatever your final choice, the most important thing is that she feels you have given it some thought, got the right size and made a real effort in selecting the piece of jewellery. So don't blow it on the presentation, every women loves to receive a gift that is beautifully wrapped with some ribbon and bows and give it to her properly and confidently without muttering that she “can change it if she doesn't like it” or “a woman at work has got one just the same and I thought it looked nice on her!”.

Leave her in no doubt that you chose the jewellery yourself and are giving it because you want her to know how much you care about her or love her.