If you’re a bloke buying a gift for the woman in your life, it can be pretty tricky to get it right. Believe me I know.

Jewellery is such a personal thing, you’re on dangerous ground before you start. Get it wrong, and your lady is likely to think your lack of jewellery knowledge is more like a lack of understanding of her … and we all now where that leads, right lads? But, like most high risk strategies, get it right and the rewards far outweigh the cost. Showing that you understand her taste and style is worth a million bucks in anyone’s language.

It is entirely possible, and even quite likely, the answer lies somewhere on this site. But where? With so many different ranges and styles to choose from, where do you start?

Personally, I always think the best way to start is do a bit of clandestine research at home. What jewellery does she wear now? See if you can sneak a look in her jewellery box or accessory drawer (yes, she DOES have one somewhere) for clues. If there’s a particular colour or style that re-occurs, and you know she wears them, that’s your starting point.

What are the colours she likes to wear? Many women love black because of the slimming illusions it automatically applies, and if your lady is in this camp, you’re in luck because most of the colours in the collections contrast beautifully with black and make a statement piece really stand out. As long as you get her actual style right, you start in a good place. If she’s more into colours, you need to spend a bit of extra time understanding which colours complement or totally contrast with them, because you can’t get anything that ‘almost’ matches as it’ll clash terribly. Some of those colours are surprising combinations – a grey necklace would beautifully contrast with a pink top, whereas yellow would go well with purple. Try it, it works. And if you want to learn more about colours that go with other colours, there's a nice little section on Wikipedia about colour wheels. Have a look here.

Is she flamboyant and outgoing, or quiet and reserved? If she’s the former, she’ll more likely want something bright and chunky that says ‘look at me’, if she’s the latter, she’ll wants something a little smaller that acts only as a finisher to a favourite outfit. Only you can tell, but now you’re aware, you can tailor your searches accordingly.

The next one is a tough one for us blokes, but can also pay dividends; listen to conversations she has when she meets her friends. Does she ever say ‘Oh I LOVE that necklace/bracelet/set of earrings’ (delete as appropriate) If so, take a good look, and make a mental note of the colour and style. Chances are she’s sending a message at some level. If she doesn’t, you could always try a bit of subtle detective work yourself. Ask the question, when the context is right, and say something like ‘what did you think of the necklace so and so was wearing?’. She’ll have noticed, don’t you worry about that. Women do.

Don’t discount the obvious either. If she never wears bracelets, there’s probably a reason for that and buying her a nice big, fat Karl Lagerfeld special isn’t going to work. Does she wear clips ons or does she have pierced ears? You’ve got to check! And do it subtly, so she doesn’t think she’s having some sort of examination. Remember, to get the maximum benefit, she mustn’t be on to you at any stage …

As for the current styles? Well, this is a tough job for even the most fashion conscious amongst us. Luckily, here at Jackie Brazil, we do that bit for you. Bright, resin based jewellery is bang on trend, and this year’s metallic colours complement some of the ranges very nicely. Check out Sobral's Kandinsky range if you’re looking for something funky, different and on–style. If she’s a style guru, she’ll know where you’re coming from.

All our products come individually packaged with tag and Jackie Brazil bag, so the wrapping is taken care of too. That means, all you’ve got to do is get your choice right, and hopefully this little article will help you along with that!

Oh, and if you’re looking for the ultimate ‘I Love you’ gift, try one of the complete sets … women love to have entire neat packages, in this case earrings, necklace, bracelet and rings or any combination thereof as it negates the need for working out other matching accessories around a central piece. Click here to check them out …

If you're still stuck, why not ask Clare? She has a pretty good track record for picking just the right gift and may be able to point you in the right direction. Check out her customer feedback here

Of course, there IS the ultimate Emergency Backup if you just can't quite nail it - Gift Vouchers. At first glance, they may seem a little impersonal, but, like most things, it's about HOW you present them. Saying 'I couldn't decide between THIS set or THAT set, so I got the vouchers so YOU can decide' is infinitely better than forwarding an email with a voucher code in. It shows thought and understanding and most women love that. If you're going that route, you can select pretty much any value you want so click here to go to the Gift Voucher page.

Oh, and one final thing. There are three dates that a man must never forget, under any circumstances, at any time, ever. There can never be an excuse, unless you've actually expired in the meantime, and even that's not likely to get you off completely. Those three dates are 1) her birthday 2) your anniversary (the importance of this one often underestimated to the chagrin of many unfortunate souls) and 3) Valentine's day. Given that compliance is obligatory and resistance is futile, my view has always been to turn those events into something very personal, by spending the time and effort finding something individual and unique just for her and presenting it in a fun and exciting way. Here at Jackie Brazil World, we sincerely believe we can help you with at least part of that.

Good luck, my friend, and may your efforts bring you joy …

JD