Jewellery Gift Guide
Choosing jewellery for someone else feels risky, and it does not need to be. Almost every worry about gifting jewellery comes down to three questions: will she like the style, will it fit, and can it be changed if it is not right. This guide answers all three, so you can buy with confidence.
How do you choose jewellery as a gift?
Choose jewellery as a gift by matching three things: the occasion, the metal colour she already wears, and a piece that does not depend on an exact size. Earrings, pendants and adjustable necklaces suit almost everyone. If you are unsure of her taste, a gift card lets her choose the piece herself.
How to choose a jewellery gift in five steps
Look at what she already wears.
Open a recent photo. Note whether her jewellery is yellow gold, white gold or rose gold, and whether she wears delicate pieces or bolder ones. Matching her existing metal colour is the single biggest factor in whether a gift gets worn.
Match the piece to the occasion.
A first anniversary calls for something different from a milestone birthday. The table below maps common occasions to the pieces that suit them.
Pick a stone with meaning.
Diamonds for milestones, coloured gemstones for birth months and personal significance, pearls for classic everyday elegance.
Check how it arrives and what happens if it is wrong.
Gift wrapping, a gift receipt that hides the price, and a clear exchange window all matter more than most people expect.
Can’t Decide?
Confused about whether your choice is the right one for this gift?
With La Marquise's gift cards give the gift of choice instead. Our digital gift cards are sent straight to the receiver's email and can be redeemed at checkout when buying online or at any of our boutiques simply by showing the gift card email to a member of our retail team.
That’s a wrap
It doesn’t get easier than this. When you select your order as a gift at checkout, we make sure to gift wrap the box and add a card with your personalised message.
Which jewellery suits which occasion?
| Occasion | Best pieces | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Birthday | Birthday gifts, pendants, hoops and huggies | No sizing needed, and a birthstone makes it personal |
| Anniversary | Anniversary gifts, tennis bracelets, diamond rings | Marks a milestone with a piece meant to last |
| Engagement | Solitaires, engagement jewellery | The centrepiece purchase, worth taking time over |
| Wedding and bridal | Bridal jewellery, pearl jewellery | Complements the dress without competing with it |
| Graduation or new job | Daily wear, office wear | Something she can wear every day from day one |
| Just because | Most gifted, best sellers | Proven pieces that suit a wide range of tastes |
| Mother's Day or a thank you | Bracelets, pearl jewellery | Understated, wearable and easy to layer |
Jewellery gifts that do not need a size
If you do not know her ring or bangle size, choose a piece where size does not matter. These four categories fit almost everyone:
- Earrings. Studs, hoops and huggies and drops all fit regardless of measurements. The safest gift in fine jewellery.
- Pendants. A pendant on a chain works on every neck. Many of our chains include an adjustable ball mechanism so she can shorten the length herself.
- Necklaces. Standard lengths suit most people, and layering pieces are forgiving. See our size guide for where each length sits.
- Anklets. Anklets are typically adjustable and make an unexpected gift.
Bracelets sit in between. Many of our bracelets have adjustable links, so one piece covers several wrist sizes.
How to find out her ring size without asking
If you have your heart set on a ring, there are three quiet ways to get the size:
- Borrow a ring she already wears. Take one from the same finger, measure the inside diameter in millimetres, and check it against the chart in our size guide. A ring worn on a different finger will give you the wrong answer.
- Press a ring into soap or clay. The impression gives you an inside circumference you can measure with a ruler.
- Ask someone she tells everything to. A sister or close friend can usually find out without raising suspicion.
Diamonds, gemstones or pearls?
Our full jewellery care guide explains how to look after each of these, and it is worth reading before you buy if she has never owned fine jewellery before.
| Best for | Everyday wearability | Care needed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diamonds | Milestones, engagements, anniversaries | Very high | Low. Warm soapy water and a soft brush |
| Coloured gemstones | Birth months, personal meaning, colour | High, with care on softer stones | Moderate. Emeralds need gentler handling than rubies or sapphires |
| Pearls | Classic, understated, bridal | High for occasional wear | Higher. Never use chemicals or ultrasonic cleaners |
When you cannot decide: gift cards
A digital gift card removes the guesswork entirely. It is sent straight to the recipient's email address and can be redeemed at checkout online or at any of our boutiques by showing the gift card email to a member of the retail team. You can add a personalised note to it.
How your gift arrives
Every piece is presented in a luxury box that includes the laboratory certificate where applicable, a polishing cloth and a printed care guide. When you mark your order as a gift at checkout, we gift wrap the box and add a card carrying your personalised message.
You can also request a gift receipt, which shows the item details without the price. It lets the recipient exchange or return the piece if they need to, without ever seeing what you spent.
Delivery, returns and resizing
- Shipping is complimentary worldwide on every order.
- Returns are accepted within 15 days of purchase on eligible in stock and backorder pieces, provided the original tags and packaging are intact.
- Exchanges are available on rings and bangles within 15 days if the size is wrong.
- Made to order, customised and engraved pieces cannot be changed once the order is placed, so check those details carefully before you pay.
Full terms are on our shipping and returns page.
Prefer to see it in person?
If you would rather hold a piece before you commit, our personal shopping team can talk you through options, take measurements and show you the full collection of classic and contemporary jewellery, engagement rings, bridal pieces and high jewellery.
