A gift-giver's guide to buying jewelry

Bracelets, anklets, necklaces, rings, hoop earrings, post earrings, dangly earrings - and the list goes on. With so many jewelry options, it's useful to know what's in style to ensure you pick the perfect gift for your loved one this holiday season.

Jewelry trend forecaster Rocks Paper Metal began as a website in 2011. Because of its success, it has since launched its own jewelry line.

Rocks Paper Metal's co-founder, Diana Rochford, said big jewelry pieces will remain in style this holiday season. This could mean either one big statement piece of jewelry or many smaller pieces of jewelry that have been layered on top of each other.

With regard to jewelry materials, crystal colored with deep purples, blues and greens is very big this upcoming season. Midnight blues, deep plum and especially emerald are all good colors to shop for during the fall and winter seasons. You can also add this crystal to a pendant for a more complete look.

Metals such as silver, titanium and rose gold are very in this season, as well, said Ruth Batson, executive director and CEO of the American Gem Society. "There's a whole punk-girl trend going on with mixing materials that you wouldn't have seen before," Rochford said. "You see a lot of pearls mixed with crystal and spikes."

 The geometric look is also trending: Triangles and spikes are both very hot. The geometric look can also be created with repetitions of patterns of circles, squares and triangles.

However, Rochford warned to stay away from Aztec and tribal pieces, as that trend is on its way out.

To determine jewelry trends, the forecasters at Rocks Paper Metal look at collections from big-name designers a year before they hit the market. Rocks Paper Metal is a global company, so they look at trends everywhere from Los Angeles to London.

Usually, they focus on big-name costume jewelry companies, such as Topshop, that have quick turnarounds for products. These quicker turnarounds allow costume jewelry companies to pick up on trends they think are coming into fashion, of which Rocks Paper Metal takes note.

"It's not rocket science," Rochford said. "It's not like the trend changes magically from season to season. There's always a progression."

Professional jewelry companies like Jewelers of America and the American Gem Society also have knowledge of industry trends because they work very closely with many jewelers.

For gift buyers who plan to make a big investment in jewelry, timeless pieces and looks should be considered, as well. Mixing black and white metals, either as one piece or as two pieces stacked on each other, is a timeless look, said Amanda Gizzi, spokesperson for Jewelers of America.

Earrings, particularly studs, and diamonds are other examples of timeless pieces, Batson said. Before purchasing a diamond, ask for a diamond grading report by a not-for-profit diamond grading laboratory, which will evaluate the diamond's karat weight, colour, clarity and cut.

"The cut of the diamond can be the biggest factor on its value because that's what makes the diamond sparkle," Batson said.

After determining the type of jewelry to buy, it's important to be mindful of the quality of the jewelry, especially if making a significant investment.

Start with finding a reputable jeweler, Batson said. You can do this by researching online before visiting the jeweler in person. A good place to start is with jewelers who belong to the American Gem Society or other reputable jewelry groups. Members of the American Gem Society go through rigorous education about their products and must be re-certified each year to maintain membership, Batson said. These are businesses that want to protect their good name and are more likely to do honest business with you.

Other tips for buying jewelry are to ask for the return policy up front and to know what price range is reasonable.

"Don't be dazzled by discounts," Gizzi said. "Anytime you see some place that always has incredible sales, be cautious about that, because if a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

It's that Time of the Year!

We are close to some very special moments in our lives. We found some advice for you :)

Do you prefer to shop online or in stores?

People spend a lot of money during the holiday season. 

eCommerce is turning out to be a bright spot, a stark contrast to Black Friday sales, which fell from last year. 

Despite those slumping numbers, one Massachusetts company is conducting an experiment to see if pop-up stores can survive in this digital landscape. 

Time, convenience and other shopping trends are being closely monitored by Janet Holian, CEO of Gemvara, an online jewelry business born out of the idea that people cannot get exactly what they want from a local jeweler. 

Gemvara allows consumers to create a custom piece of jewelry online, choosing from 29 different gemstones and nine different metals. 

It's been a lucrative online business since 2010, but as of November of this year, Gemvara has been testing out its first brick and mortar store on Newbury Street in Boston. 

According to Janet, early research tells them that people are more comfortable buying from an eCommerce site, if they know that company has at least one retail location. That's good news for the online sector of her business, but she admits this retail location is still an experiment.

Why the Engagement Ring is the Foundation of Your Marriage

There are a thousand different opinions on rings that symbolize marriage. Some people put a lot of weight behind the meaning of a ring, while others think nothing of it at all. I recently read an article about the engagement ring titled, "Why Engagement Rings are a Joke."

The article, which you can read here, goes on to mock some of the marketing pitches that put so much emphasis on the ring and its correlation to love. While I agree that the marketing tactics can take an over-the-top approach to try and convince a person to buy the biggest, baddest diamond there is, I don't think they are a joke.

 I actually think the engagement ring is the foundation of your marriage. Without a good engagement ring, the wedding ring and all else that follows may not even happen. Or if they do happen, it may not be what you expected.

Let me explain my take on rings. I believe there are 7 rings of marriage, but not everyone is familiar with them, and not everyone gets to wear all 7 marriage rings. The 7 rings of marriage are not actual, physical rings. They are different stages in marriage.

The stages (rings) start from engagement and go through a stage in marriage that only few reach. Here is the list of rings:

Engagement RING

Wedding RING

DiscoveRING

PerseveRING

RestoRING

ProspeRING

MentoRING

Whether you are engaged, a newlywed, or a marriage vet, your marriage is at one of those stages right now. And each ring, or stage, doesn't have a timetable.

But back to the engagement ring, and why I say it is the foundation of your marriage. There is a passage in the Bible which provides a great backdrop for foundations, which the engagement ring is.

The passage talks about a wise man and a foolish man who both build houses. The wise man builds his house on a rock (maybe a diamond *wink*), and the foolish man builds his house on sand. Of course when storms (tough times) came, the wise man's house stood, while the foolish man's house fell.

 Much like the foundation each man built his house on, your engagement ring is the foundation you build your marriage on. You can build on a rock (so many diamond ring companies should be calling me for advertising right now), or sand.

Rings should fit your personality and style, not just your finger

Today, love stories live online. Case in point: the engagement ring.

Nearly 60 percent of brides-to-be share their "we're getting married" news by posting a picture of their engagement ring on Facebook (though about one in five of their fiancees think doing so is tacky), according to a proposal survey from The Knot and Men's Health magazine.

But on the big day — and every day thereafter — the wedding band will have equal billing alongside the engagement ring, even if it might be less sparkly. Brides will want to make sure it is cohesive with the engagement ring and, of course, that it fits their style.

Start with the metal. According to a 2011 study of wedding jewelry by The Knot, 73 percent of engagement rings are white gold, which also makes up 70 percent of wedding bands. Whether the ring is white or yellow gold or platinum or something else altogether, brides would be in good company sticking with the same base metal for the wedding band. About a third of grooms also opt for white gold, according to the jewelry study, but guys increasing are looking to alternative metals like tungsten (27 percent) and titanium (16 percent). Be aware, though, that some alt-metals cannot be resized the way gold can, though some jewelers might offer a ring-replacement plan for an extra fee.

The Knot puts the average cost of wedding bands at $1,126 for brides and $491 for grooms.

Also keep in mind design elements. Full or partial eternity bands, pavé diamonds or accent gemstones can be carried on into the wedding band.

White gold also is popular for the groom, with about one-third of grooms picking a blanco band. However, alternative metals such as tungsten and titanium (think golf clubs) have grown in popularity in recent years, not just because of their unique look, but also for their lower price point.

Another trend: "man-gagement" rings. According to the Knot/the Men's Health survey, 17 percent of men said they would — not necessarily that they do — wear a ring to let the public know they are "off the market."