Jewelry Gifts Under $250
Sometimes we need a little extra inspiration for those on our gift lists this time of year. Over the course of the year, I will be putting together some fine jewelry gift-giving references (gift guides) based on a number of factors with the first factor being the price point. The less expensive the price point, the more difficult it becomes to get a timeless piece of fine jewelry because you have far fewer options.
Despite this, it seems that $250 and under is one of the most popular price points when people come into my shop looking for jewelry gifts for loved ones. Don’t get me wrong, you can get fine jewelry for this price, but you have to keep an open mind. Some things that you won’t be able to get in this price range include:
- Gold bracelets with stones. These are labor intensive, heavy, and costly. Most bracelets with gemstones or diamonds start around the $300 range and can go up dramatically from there.
- Large diamond sizes. Unless you are purchasing an incredibly poor quality diamond which I wouldn’t recommend, the largest diamond you are going to be able to get in the $250 and under range are likely 1/4ct and less. You may be able to score some cluster items with more total carat weight, but the diamonds themselves will be much smaller.
- Lots of gold. A lot of the less expensive fine jewelry on the market today is made in sterling silver because of how costly gold has gotten the past few years. If you want to get solid gold for less than $250, you are likely going to get something that is 10k or really lightweight.
Now onto the fun stuff that you can actually get in the $250 or less price range…
 Personalized Monogram Jewelry Depending on your metal choice, there are a ton of options for monogram jewelry for less than $250. They are affordable because the pieces are lightweight and usually don’t have any stones, but the cool part is they can all be customized! |
 Sterling or Gold Lockets Lockets are sentimental, and there isn’t much to them which makes them a popular jewelry gift that isn’t too expensive. |
 Birthstone Rings Birthstone rings come in a range of price points, but synthetic birthstone options are available for even less. |
 Antique Gold Filled Jewelry The older antique gold-filled pieces contain a lot more actual gold than some modern, and vintage gold-filled pieces. I consider pieces of this quality that contain much more than the standard 1/20th gold weight to be fine heirloom quality jewelry. |
 Diamond Stud Earrings Diamond stud earrings are a staple and can be bought for less than $250. Since they are on your ears and not seen up close, diamond color and clarity are not as important as when the stone is on a ring. In this price range, you won’t get anything extremely large, but you will be able to score genuine diamonds in solid gold. |
 Estate Rings One way to stay within your budget is to buy a ring on the second-hand market. Generally, rings are less expensive than necklaces, bracelets, and earrings because there is less to them. You can find estate rings from all different jewelry eras to suit anyone’s taste. |
 Antique Lavaliers Antique necklaces are so pretty and have always remained very affordable. Many are from the turn of the 19th century and come in a variety of shapes and colors. The majority of these 10K gold beauties are priced well under $250 and feature pearls, amethyst, peridot, diamonds, and other very popular stones. |