I’m thinking maybe a ring or set of earrings. Budget is 50-100 USD. Shipping to Japan or EU, either works (we are in both in the near future).
How should I start? I’m so lost.
If it helps her style is halfway between elegant and hippy (witchy) and she gives off autumn vibes (wears dark greens and maroons a lot, paired with light skin, often wears turtlenecks and dark colours).
I just don’t have a clue what websites to look at, what is considered good or bad etc.
I would start with what she currently wears and try to find something with similar styles and metals.
Yes, metals do matter, some metal coatings don’t work with some people and will cause them problems.
This.
Jewelry gifts are not a time to get wacky. She has made very purposeful choices of what counts as every day wear thus far. If you want to get her something that could be every day wear, take note of the current stuff.
Seconding everything here, but emphasizing point 2. Some folks have metal allergies or sensitivities - nickel is a common one, for example.
Surgical steel is usually safe, but still best to confirm she doesn’t have any particular sensitivities.
Tell her you are going to get her what she wants with the budget you provide? She can pick it out and you know she will be happy with it. Sometimes its the thought that counts, but no woman wants to be stuck with jewelry they think is ugly and they dont want to wear, no matter how thoughtful the person that gifted it to them was.
If she has an Etsy account follow her and buy the things she favourites
This is great advice. My partner does this, and he surprised me with an alexandrite ring I was drooling over. I was so delighted when he gave it to me, and it was such a thoughtful thing to do.
Just ask her to go with you to buy the present. Everything doesn’t need to be a surprise. People have this misconception that every god damn thing (birthday parties, presents, etc) needs to be a surprise. It doesn’t!
Go to a jewelry shop and ask for advice. If they’re any good at their job, they field tons of customers just like you and make recommendations based on what you tell them about your partner and maybe a photo.
Can’t go to shops I’m immunocompromised unfortunately (thanks Covid)
Learn to spell, search Etsy, instead buy mushrooms and trip together.
Costco is a great place to buy jewelry if you have a membership. Their profit is limited to 15%.
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With your price point, I’d highly suggest looking at Swarovski crystal jewelry. You can get much “nicer” looking jewelry at much lower prices, but obviously it’s just crystal rather than gemstones. Almost nobody can tell just by looking at it though.
I guess Etsy could be a good place to look. It has gotten annoying in the last few years, but sadly it’s still the best place for a lot of people to sell their crafts.
She might enjoy a unique handmade piece by a silversmith there just as much or more as a high-end necklace, and unique hand-made designs can be cheaper than diamonds. Maybe you can even reach out to a silversmith and design something together.
I tried searching for #jewelry on mastodon.social, and @kosmimatis@handmade.social was the first thing to pop up. Of course you probably want to look around more, but their latest post is not necessarily a terrible starting point. For illustration purposes of course.
In short, I think it’s possible to go about it looking for a silversmith rather than a jewellery store. What it lacks in expensive stones it makes up for by being potentially personal. :)
At a jewelry store.
Is there a new age store in your area? They often sell jewelry.
When I was dating my wife I got her dangle drop earrings and a necklace, matching, crystal, nothing too spendy but looked super elegant, and told her she was gonna need those, because we’re getting dressed up and going out on the town. And it worked. I could only describe her style as ‘art teacher’, pretty creative and undefined, but I took a gamble and she loved it. Going elegant and using it as a lead up is def an option
I’ve always found earing and necklace sets that they enjoy (they don’t have to be expensive) and are fun to wear are always a hit. Its also a good way to test the water with something relatively cheap (>$50- $100) to identify their style. If possible, I would strongly recommend buying in-person at something like a craft market or farmers market: anything in-person. How something looks online often just does not translate to in-person.
The key here is a set, something they can add in-combination to something they already have.
Etsy has lots of unique and affordable options when it comes to jewelry. You can use keywords about her style and whichever type of jewelry you are considering.
I took a quick look for autumn witchy earrings, and I found a ton of cute options. I will share some of what I liked below, but of course you know her tastes best!
