Boys Buying Bling: 5 things guys get wrong shopping for jewelry
By Mort Fertel. Posted on .
Okay, Mr. hunter-gatherer. You may have mastered most of the basic survival skills, like changing your own oil, re-heating left-over pizza and catching the “big game” on your smart phone, but when it comes to the notion of buying jewelry, like a wedding ring, for that special lady in your life, you’re a knuckle-dragging Neanderthal. Still, as crazy as it sounds, guys have been successfully buying engagement rings and other pieces of jewelry for their women throughout the ages. You can do it too, as long as you avoid the mistakes most often made by your jewelry buying brothers.
Mistake #1: Jewelry is just a gift: Yeah, right. And the Mona Lisa is just an oil painting. The truth is, no other gift on this planet comes with more hidden or implied meanings and expectations than jewelry. A nice piece of jewelry given too soon is a great way to kill a relationship. The trick, then, is to give her just the right gift at the right time. But how do you pick that perfect gift?
Mistake #2: She’ll like it ‘cuz I bought it: She’s a woman and it’s jewelry so, how hard can it be, right? Never assume that, just because you’re in a relationship with a woman who, for whatever reason, actually likes you, that this somehow makes you an authority on picking out jewelry she will like and wear. Jewelry is a very personal item and must be selected with careful consideration of a woman’s needs, wants, and tastes. One of the best ways to make a more informed buying decision is to observe the amount and type of jewelry she is already wearing. Does she wear bracelets, watches, necklaces or earrings? Does she favor silver or gold or a little of both? Depending on your comfort level, you can also ask a female friend or family member what they think might be appropriate for the occasion, which brings us to…
Mistake #3: Giving jewelry is like giving flowers: As far as thoughtful, spontaneous gifts go, nothing beats a bouquet of flowers. You can spring them on a lady almost anywhere at anytime and they’ll usually be cheerfully received. Sadly, apart from the price tags, many guys don’t get it that unlike daisies, diamonds demand an occasion. Luckily, several no-brainer occasions already exist, like Valentine’s Day, a wedding anniversary, a special birthday or Christmas. Depending on the depth of your relationship you’ll score points for recognizing less obvious occasions, like the anniversary of the day you first met or some other significant milestone. And let’s not forget the biggest jewelry-giving occasion of them all, when a guy pops the question and those three magic words, “timing is everything”, become more important than ever.
Next: Two more common jewlery-buying mistakes...
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