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Teaching Your Significant Other How To Pick Out The Jewelry You Really Want!

The purple fuzzy sweater three sizes too large. The rhinestone encrusted barbecue tongs. The lamp that was so ugly even its mother couldn’t love it.

Yes, we’ve all received gifts that are less than perfect. Sometimes it’s possible to do what etiquette experts recommend and accept the item with a gracious Thank You -- especially if there’s an empty spot in the hall closet just waiting to be filled.

It’s a different story when you’re talking about jewelry. Fine jewelry does more than sparkle on a finger or glitter along your neckline. The right jewelry enhances your appearance, conveying vital information about your self, spirit and style to everyone who sees you.

How can you help your sweetheart pick out the perfect piece of jewelry -- a piece that complements your personality, reflects your unique sense of style and adds a little shine to your day?

You know that your sweetheart wants to make you happy -- but they also want to surprise and delight you!

You can have the best of both worlds. Communication is key. It is possible to help your sweetheart pick the perfect piece of jewelry without them knowing you’re helping. Best of all, your jewelry collection can grow with pieces you adore without you ever appearing controlling, pushy, or demanding.

Here’s how:

Abandon Telepathy
Your sweetheart will not know what you want unless you tell them. Give up the concept that your partner ‘should’ know what you want just because they love you. Fine jewelry is available in such a dizzying, dazzling array that it is impossible to predict what will appeal to any one individual. Resolve to communicate clearly and often with your partner about your likes and dislikes.

Embrace Compliments
Make a point of complimenting pieces of jewelry your friends and colleagues have that especially appeal to your sense of style -- where your partner can hear it! Use comments like “Julia’s necklace was fabulous, wasn’t it?” in conversations with your sweetheart. This is a subtle way to train your partner’s eye to see what you find attractive.

Make Use of Technology
Online registries and wishlists are beautiful ways to let your sweetheart know what items have caught your eye. Many, many women use online registries and wishlists as a form of window shopping -- but they also make a great go-to point for partners desperate to come up with the perfect gift.

If you’re particularly forgetful, it’s always handy to post a list of your online registry and wishlists near your computer.

Enlist Allies
If there’s a particular piece you’d love to have, mention it to mutual friends and relatives -- especially those your sweetheart might discuss gift purchases with! Be specific and limit this strategy to one or two items -- simplicity is key to this strategy.

Be Direct
Make life easy for your sweetheart! Some of us have partners who want nothing more than to be told specifically where to go and what to buy. In that case, a simple list with web address and item number, perhaps with a picture, can be the recipe for success!