Jewelry.com posted a great article written by a frustrated fella who vents about his fears when buying jewelry. Sounds like he knows a thing or two as well. Enjoy guys...and get those Valentine's Day plans in gear!

A Guy Tells it Like it is

What really strikes fear into men's hearts is trying to buy a gift for a spouse or a girlfriend. What does she like? What does she need? What's her size? Will this gift really knock her out?

Left to our own devices, we men too often come home with "safe" gifts - flowers, chocolates, fashion, items for the house - that require little or no knowledge of what she really desires.

#1: Not asking for help
It's no secret that we hate asking for directions. Most men would rather drive around in circles for hours rather than stop and ask someone how to get somewhere. It's hard to tell if this is some biological imperative imprinted into our genes, or a behavioral thing impressed upon us almost from the time of birth. Maybe a combination of both. But the fact remains that, if you're a guy, you're supposed to be in charge: a leader, a navigator, an expert at map reading, with an innate sense of direction. Woe to the traitor that breaks this code.

Well let's face it... This "predisposition" can be very dangerous when trying to buy a jewelry gift for a girlfriend, daughter or wife. It is necessary to seek help in these cases. The first thing you need to do is help yourself by doing some research... Pay attention to the jewelry she wears now. Pay attention to the clothes she wears most often, and make sure you pick jewelry that matches and complements them. Finally, go snooping in her jewelry box, and look at what's in there that she has but doesn't wear. Look for items that are missing a piece - does she have a ring and necklace in a particular gemstone, but no earrings to match?

#2: Not educating yourself
Buying a gift for a loved one can be a daunting experience. And buying jewelry as a gift is even scary at times. Jewelry is probably the most intimidating gift a man could purchase. Many of us don't know the first thing about the "4Cs," much less all the different stones and types of metal available. And we definitely cringe at the thought of facing a salesperson without being prepared.

So, before hitting the store to come home completely discouraged, do your homework in our "Education" section. Learn as much as you can about jewelry - metals, precious, semi-precious or lab-created gems, pearls, prices, retailers in your area, etc. Information on jewelry will make walking into a store a comfortable experience. And the results will be rewarding; your purchases will be intelligent and very personal. It will be easy to dazzle a loved one with your knowledge, which will again show how much thought you put into this.

#3: Not pre-shopping
It's a known fact that men hate to shop. Take us to a car dealership, the local Sharper Image store or Best Buy, and chances are we'll cruise along like kids in a candy store. But watch a guy in a supermarket wandering up and down the aisles looking for olives, or some hapless, dazed soul trying to find his way around a mall or department store. You get the idea! The problem is that there is no substitute for pre-shopping.

Once you've figured out what "she" would like, done your homework and learned all you ever wanted to know about jewelry; it is necessary to see what's out there and who has the best selection for your needs. One big reason we built Jewelry.com is so you can browse through a wide assortment from many reputable retailers at your leisure, in the comfort of your own home (in your bathrobe, unshaven if you like!). Since you will have done your homework before pre-shopping, you'll realize that it's much easier when you know white gold from platinum and tanzanite from garnets!

#4: Not choosing the right retailer
Regardless of where dad bought mom's engagement ring, a larger jeweler is often the best bet. They buy in volume, and so get better pricing. They have multiple locations, so even if you move, change jobs, etc., it's no problem. They have a solid, clear return/refund policy. They have a complete quality control policy. Finally, they are established companies that are going to be there to serve you for the long haul..

#5: Not buying jewelry because it's "too expensive"
Jewelry is the gift a man can never go wrong with. After all, it's beautiful, valuable, romantic, lasting, versatile (the same piece can be appropriate for many different outfits and occasions), and the ultimate symbol of love.

One of the biggest mistakes is to think that you need to be Rockefeller to buy fine jewelry. Actually there is a wide variety of fine jewelry for $100-$200. That's not to say you shouldn't spend more for that "special something." It's just that as an educated consumer, you can decide what to get. You'll know the different karatages of gold can have as much of an impact on price as the carat weight of a gemstone. You'll know there are beautiful and very popular semi-precious stones that will please just as much as precious stones, and cost a lot less.

Flowers Aren't Forever... If you follow these simple rules, your gift-giving experience will be greatly rewarding. It is a pleasure to see a loved one's face light up when receiving that little box. It's even better to see her face light up again 10 years from now when she remembers the trouble you went to (sure, let her believe it was a hassle...) to get that special something. After all, great things come in small packages.