Why Jewelry Is A Great Anniversary Gift Idea
It’s not anything women are necessarily proud of although we aren’t clothed in shame with the concept either but the fact remains, anniversaries and jewelry go together like… well, gold and silver! Don’t ever underestimate what a shiny ring, a sparkling bracelet or a stunning necklace can do to ease family tension, celebrate Christmas in style or, most of all, make for one Happy Anniversary!
For many couples, one of the most expensive and one of the first fine pieces of jewelry that a woman is given is the engagement ring. The engagement ring, in modern times, replaced betrothal gifts such as livestock or property but still represent a formal agreement to a future marriage. Usually a gold band with a diamond that is worn on the left hand ring finger which, ancient tradition purports that the fourth finger of the left hand as containing the "vein of love" and is given at the time a man proposes to his future wife.
Through the years of marriage, the giving and receiving of fine jewelry came to symbolize both an investment in the love of the wife as well as an investment in a purchase that is sure to increase in value while offering a gift that can be “traded up” for even nicer and more expensive jewelry in the future. Many husbands resort to giving jewelry because they find that their wives always seem to love any jewelry they receive and, let’s face it, men really do often want to give their wives good gifts! Despite what the wife who receives a blender might think!
I recommend giving jewelry that symbolizes something special – for instance, for my mother’s 65th birthday, I gave her a custom jewelry piece – a heart with five birthstones – one for each of her children. In the top middle, there was the birthstone for my father, a ruby. At 80 years old, she continues to wear this piece of jewelry constantly and calls it her favorite piece. Most assuredly, it is not her most expensive piece but the piece means more than just the value of the stones: the piece symbolizes her family, her cherished children, her beloved husband, her heart exposed and revealed.
A friend of mine gave his wife a slide bracelet – more common in the South, these slide bracelets have been in and out of fashion for decades. Traditional jewelers tend to carry slides that “slide onto” a rope style bracelet (or necklace) and can be added for different events, cherished holidays or special celebrations. I have a slide bracelet and often look at each slide as to the time I received it. It instantly evokes memories and emotions. As my slide bracelet filled, my heart filled with the memories of the events that warranted a slide. There were a few times the slides matched the month I received them (the gemstone for that month) but not always. Some were the gemstones that had a special meaning such as often the case when slides are given that are the birthstones of children. Whatever the occasion, a slide bracelet is also a memorable jewelry gift.
Jewelry is a great gift idea since it is also usually valuable enough that it holds a special place of honor and is a gift that lasts through the years. Flowers are great but a year from now (a week actually!) they are a faded memory. Jewelry is not just a special gift; it can be passed along to generations who also see the sentimental value of the piece almost as quickly as the monetary value. I have my grandmother’s engagement ring and I don’t just see the ring I see a young girl in the 1920s marrying and beginning her dreams. For some reason, the ring feels lucky to me and it has nothing to do with the resale value! After all, you can’t sell memories! And while you can’t sell memories, I suspect, deep down, we can buy a few with a cherished ring that while symbolize the happiest of anniversaries! Happy Jewelry Shopping!