When it comes to picking out the perfect piece of jewelry for a best friend, it can be tough to find something that is meaningful and unique.
After all, your best friend is probably one of a kind!
Lucky for you, we have put together a list of some of the most meaningful jewelry ideas for your best friend.
Buying a piece of jewelry for your bestie should not break your budget even if she has high-falutin tastes.
Once you go overboard, there is no going back without appearing as if your relationship has “changed”.
This goes for buying jewelry for anyone close to you because the gift will be seen as a reflection of not only your budget vs extravagance, but of your feelings towards them.
We have come up with several different types of gifts that should be able to fit your budget. From personalized necklaces to engraved bracelets, we have something for everyone!
So what are you waiting for?
Start shopping for the perfect meaningful gift today!
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What To Avoid When Selecting Jewelry For A Friend
We should probably mention that it really matters if the friend is of the opposite sex before you pick out a gift.
If this is the case, then the gift you choose can send the wrong meaning.
Additionally, even if you are wealthy, you would not want to spend thousands of dollars on a gift for someone that you have no romantic feelings towards.
Doing so can create a misunderstanding, and then once you have to delicately straighten that issue out, the gift will then have lost its meaning or may even be resented.
Full stop.
Keeping this fact in mind, let’s look at the kinds of jewelry gifts to not give to a best friend:
Avoid Diamond Jewelry
Do not give diamonds to a friend because it sets a precedent for the value of future gifts.
Most people instinctively know to avoid giving costly gifts to others except for their spouse, parents or children.
Once you go down the road of purchasing expensive gifts or any kind, then the next time you want to buy a gift, it will be overshadowed by the previous more expensive one.
Your finances can take a turn for the worse and your bestie may have hidden feelings of entitlement regardless of your new circumstance.
If the diamonds are small simple accents and accompany a design, then that is a safer bet.
Avoid Jewelry Greater in Value Than What Their Spouse Would Give
Do not give into the temptation to give your bestie a gift that is more expensive than what their own partner would give to them.
This, while perhaps being well meaning, can cause your friend to have a resentment towards their spouse who elected not to spend as much, or who gave your friend a toaster instead of something personal.
Conversely, even if your friend would love to have something nicer than what their own spouse gave, their spouse can build a resentment towards you for stealing their thunder and this can cause problems down the road especially if you repeat it.
Avoid Engraved Jewelry
It stands to reason that jewelry will eventually be passed down to a family member who would not want it.
As cold as this may seem, our friends’ children most often do not hold the same depth of sentiment to our friends as we think they might.
If you engrave your name on a piece of jewelry, chances are that your friend’s children will inherit it at some point and will want to sell it.
Jewelry that has engraving details will make the piece lose value, except for the gold, silver or gemstone content.
Avoid Jewelry That Indicates Romance
There are some pieces of jewelry that have a romantic overtone to them regardless of price.
Anything that is heart shaped, and rings that resemble wedding bands regardless of what stones may or may not be in them are two things that come to mind.
Lockets that have your picture in them next to the picture of your friend can also interpreted to be romantic, even if they are not heart shaped.
Avoid Double Gifting
Maybe your friend was hoping to get a certain pair of earrings from their own mother or sister (and hinted to them specifically), but then you go out and buy them for her instead.
This, while being a sweet gesture, could cause your friend to believe that you are trying to usurp a place in her heart that she had hoped to be left open for that other person to fill.
If both of you bought the same pair of earrings, then one would have to be returned for exchange.
Whose would it be?
Avoid Jewelry Valued More Than What They’d Spend on You
We do not want to start a competition or give something that is going to make her feel like she has to reciprocate in kind as far as costs.
Be careful to never go overboard.
You want your friend to feel special, not obligated.
Meaningful Jewelry For Your Best Friend
While it seems as if giving a gift of jewelry to a bestie is fraught with dangers, it really is simple.
You are best friends because you know each other well and are willing to express yourselves in a way that exposes the most transparency.
This means that you know each other’s taste in jewelry down to the tee. Keeping the “don’ts” in mind, let’s have a look at some meaningful jewelry ideas for your best friend:
Fashion Earrings
Keeping your budget in mind, you can go for the sterling silver earrings, the 14k earrings, or perhaps even a pair of vintage or antique earrings.
Never buy anything that you are unsure of without having a written exchange policy from the store.
Even though you may know the style, you may not know if she might be wanting to have a different color.
A pair of earrings, if chosen with your friends taste and style in mind, can be a very heartwarming thing – especially if it goes with an outfit they like to wear.
Engraved Pendant
Although we mentioned not to get anything engraved, an exception can be made for a pendant that has their name on it, which may even be cherished by their children one day.
You can always find a pendant that has room for engraving, if you do so early enough for the occasion.
Shop a month or two in advance so that you can have time to engrave your friends name on it.
A locket will have plenty of room for engraving and can be passed down to your friend’s children who would keep it as long as it only has their mothers name on it and no one else’s.
Initial Bracelet
Giving your friend a piece of jewelry that has their initial on it is very personal and thoughtful.
These can be found in her style and in silver or gold.
Stylized initials are always a welcome gift because they always seem to go well with other jewelry and do not clash with the colors of clothes like colored gemstones otherwise might.
You can go into a jewelry store and look through their books to find the size and style that she likes.
It can take a week to get, so make sure to order with enough extra time to be able to send it back for a replacement if you are not happy with it.
Birthstone Jewelry
If you know that your friend loves her birthstone, then how about buying a piece of jewelry that has her birthstone in it? If it is April (diamond) then you can substitute it for a Moissanite or a white sapphire to keep costs down.
Any birthstone gift can be chosen with a synthetic or lab created stone set into sterling silver or gold to save costs.
Charms
These can be worn on a necklace or on a bracelet, or even on an ankle bracelet.
The charm should signify an event that you and she enjoyed together. If you went to a wine tasting girls weekend, then perhaps a cluster of grapes, or a wine glass charm.
Final Thoughts
Since this is your best friend and the friendship has withstood the test of time and personality, then be certain to not duplicate the gift for someone else.
Part of being a best friend is the ability to be honest with each other, so if you are unsure as to what would be meaningful, ask!
Your friends taste in jewelry may have changed since you last went shopping together and she will be more than happy to give you guidance.
The most important part is that it comes from the heart.