edit: i should have begun by wishing you a happy tenth anniversary! 
This forum is heavily weighted towards branded jewelry (Cartier, VCA, Graff, Bulgari) or bling (upgrading diamonds etc)
branded jewelry best holds its value (regarding resale), but I prefer to get my value back via cost per wear/daily use.
if you want to go for a classic gift, then by all means, a strand of pearls, an upgraded ring or eternity band; a watch (Cartier or Rolex seem to be the TPF favorites). Another favorite is diamond stud earrings which are very popular, or a halo surround, or even a removable halo jacket which can give some versatility.
I believe all brands mentioned above have a bracelet (suitable for stacking or wearing singly) in the rough price range.
similarly, TPF is split as to whether to go branded for diamonds or otherwise. For example: Cartier love, enclou, JUC, clash; VCA Alhambra 5 motifs or signature bangle; Bulgari serpenti, b zerol; Hermes — I think the CDC and Kelly come in plain yg. . , etc.
Pearls are a special taste. Many people prefer to go larger (SS, +12mm) color is important. I personally prefer grey tones, but there are white, balck, pink, champagne, a variety of hues. I don’t think they will hold their value unless they are rare or branded. The most popular brand is Mikimoto, and I believe they are known for Akoya cultured, which tend to be smaller mm. I own a lot of pearls, but I like to have fun with them and go for large, lustrous, but relatively inexpensive baroque shapes.
re watches: tiffany would not be my first choice (I’ve owned two of them years ago; never wore them; and gave the gold bracelet one to my mom, the leather strapped one to a cousin) So, I don’t think that the fact she doesn’t wear Tiffany should permanently disqualify the entire watch genre, unless she is of the age that exclusively seems to check time on a phone
style matters: is she a lover of vintage clothing, bags, jewels or modern. Is she a minimalist, or does she love color; white gold or yellow gold. Bold or dainty. The fact that she focuses on rings and bracelets doesn’t necessarily mean she would not treasure a special necklace. . . Etc.
I have been married thirty years, and I can say, I am not fond of surprises, and my taste, although evolving, is very particular (for example, I recently determined that I was a YG not WG person; that I loved bling but in color; and I liked bold bracelets and not dainty diamonds. all of that was a complete turn around and a new discovery). What was also a revelation was that I liked branded jewelry. In addition, if she does not have a lot of jewelry, some items may seem like a good idea, but not be great when she tries them on. If I wanted a present (and there were many years I skipped), I strongly prefer to select my own presents. Especially when I started on TPF, I would rather have bags or other items (georg Jensen silverware) than jewelry.
depending on your geographic location and your ability and tolerance to take time to shop, it may be worthwhile to visit some branded boutiques as well as some independent jewelers.
JMO of course! I look forward to hearing your progress and hope you will update as your thought process evolves
happy shopping!
This forum is heavily weighted towards branded jewelry (Cartier, VCA, Graff, Bulgari) or bling (upgrading diamonds etc)
branded jewelry best holds its value (regarding resale), but I prefer to get my value back via cost per wear/daily use.
if you want to go for a classic gift, then by all means, a strand of pearls, an upgraded ring or eternity band; a watch (Cartier or Rolex seem to be the TPF favorites). Another favorite is diamond stud earrings which are very popular, or a halo surround, or even a removable halo jacket which can give some versatility.
I believe all brands mentioned above have a bracelet (suitable for stacking or wearing singly) in the rough price range.
similarly, TPF is split as to whether to go branded for diamonds or otherwise. For example: Cartier love, enclou, JUC, clash; VCA Alhambra 5 motifs or signature bangle; Bulgari serpenti, b zerol; Hermes — I think the CDC and Kelly come in plain yg. . , etc.
Pearls are a special taste. Many people prefer to go larger (SS, +12mm) color is important. I personally prefer grey tones, but there are white, balck, pink, champagne, a variety of hues. I don’t think they will hold their value unless they are rare or branded. The most popular brand is Mikimoto, and I believe they are known for Akoya cultured, which tend to be smaller mm. I own a lot of pearls, but I like to have fun with them and go for large, lustrous, but relatively inexpensive baroque shapes.
re watches: tiffany would not be my first choice (I’ve owned two of them years ago; never wore them; and gave the gold bracelet one to my mom, the leather strapped one to a cousin) So, I don’t think that the fact she doesn’t wear Tiffany should permanently disqualify the entire watch genre, unless she is of the age that exclusively seems to check time on a phone
style matters: is she a lover of vintage clothing, bags, jewels or modern. Is she a minimalist, or does she love color; white gold or yellow gold. Bold or dainty. The fact that she focuses on rings and bracelets doesn’t necessarily mean she would not treasure a special necklace. . . Etc.
I have been married thirty years, and I can say, I am not fond of surprises, and my taste, although evolving, is very particular (for example, I recently determined that I was a YG not WG person; that I loved bling but in color; and I liked bold bracelets and not dainty diamonds. all of that was a complete turn around and a new discovery). What was also a revelation was that I liked branded jewelry. In addition, if she does not have a lot of jewelry, some items may seem like a good idea, but not be great when she tries them on. If I wanted a present (and there were many years I skipped), I strongly prefer to select my own presents. Especially when I started on TPF, I would rather have bags or other items (georg Jensen silverware) than jewelry.
depending on your geographic location and your ability and tolerance to take time to shop, it may be worthwhile to visit some branded boutiques as well as some independent jewelers.
JMO of course! I look forward to hearing your progress and hope you will update as your thought process evolves
happy shopping!
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