Red Ruby Drop Earrings

Those among you that are blessed enough to have kids already will truly understand that when it comes to birthday presents, it is the thought that counts! We move on from not caring at all about how much our aunties, uncles, grandparents and friends loved us when we were children (and only caring about what was inside that shiny paper!). Eventually we realize that things come and go all the time, and it is more important to just show people that you love them than to spend thousands on gifts. However, there is another dimension to this little truism – if you get someone a gift that they love and use constantly, they’ll be reminded of your love that much more often! This is where jewelry gifts are wonderful – there are plenty of pieces that will be loved and worn over and over again, that won’t break the bank. We have a look at some of our favorite inexpensive jewelry gifts for men and women for August birthdays.

Amethyst Gemstone Drop Earrings

Cream Apricot Pearl Drop Earrings

Fossil Wood Dial Ladies Watch

Fossil Ladies Gold Watch

Rochet Stainless Steel and Ceramic Bracelet

Citizen Men’s Leather Strap Watch

Hot Diamonds ‘Crest’ Diamond Pendant

Pandora Silver Beads

Pandora Gemstone Beads

Usually when we do these monthly ‘budget-friendly’ specials, we look at gifts that are currently priced at or under AU$100. While there certainly is a huge range of these gifts, this month we are going to look at items up to AU$150 … so you can see what is just on the other side of that magical double-zero mark! There are gorgeous items like the red ruby drop earrings though, that fall well within our traditional ‘budget’ range. These are one of the few ruby items that can be had for under AU$500. The red rubies are manufactured, and they are 12mm across and coupled with a myriad of different colored crystals. These will be a great choice for those of you searching for something for Leo women (born between the 1st and 22nd of August), who are traditionally colorful, dramatic, bold and vivacious.

A great alternative to the red ruby earrings, but with genuine mined gemstones, are the similarly-styled amethyst earrings at right. They have that same creative, cascading style, with the main stone 12mm amethyst drops, as well as several amethyst crystals. They are set on sterling silver for easy affordability, and make it well within our traditional under $100 budget range!

For those of you looking for birthday gifts for someone born on or after the 23rd,under Virgo, you will be looking for something a little more reserved, cooler, neater and precisely made. The freshwater cream apricot pearl earrings at right are a wonderfully sleek choice for Virgo women. Freshwater pearls are traditionally very cost effective, as well as coming in a huge variety of colors and sizes. These pearls are 7-7.5mm specimens, and are kept company by eight sparkling cubic zirconias at the top of the earring. Evening wear elegance has never been so affordable – these are currently under AU$70!

Perhaps the category where we most notice the effects of expanding our budget slightly is in the watch section. Moving up from AU$100 to AU$150 gives you more than ten times the number of options for gorgeous gifts. For Leo women, we love the dramatic contrast of wood against metal, two natural but completely opposite substances, in the Fossil watch at right. The metal edging makes for an accent, but one of the watch’s most creative (and therefore appealing) features for a Leo are the cutaways within each link, so you can see through to skin beneath the band. The watch comes with 50m water resistance (will withstand the occasional splash), and has a 2 year manufacturer’s warranty on it.

Virgo women, though, will love the sleek, petite lines of the silver tone Fossil ladies watch at right. This one is currently on special – so while it fits within budget now, you’ll have to be quick … it won’t be so wallet-friendly in three month’s time! It has a simple three hand analog display, and is made entirely of stainless steel. It comes with a two year manufacturer’s warranty, as well as a choice of sizes … Virgos will love having an absolutely perfect fit!

We’ve focused on affordable options for women’s jewelry so far, but men certainly don’t miss out! In fact, just about everything in the men’s range makes it well under budget. The Rochet collection in the men’s range has some great, inexpensive options, like the stainless steel and black rubber bracelet at right. Leo men will love the dramatic color contrasts as well as the creative use of different materials. The bracelet is 23cm long, which is a suitable size for most men’s wrists.

The next men’s piece is one for the Leo lads out there also – the Citizen watch at right, with its dramatically dark personality, actually falls under the AU$100 magical marker currently. Woo hoo! It comes without most of the bells and whistles that Citizen is known for, but certainly has the manufacturer’s trademark quality and precision, as well as a Citizen three year warranty. It has a natural, folksy leather strap that Leos will love, is splash resistant and comes with a stainless steel case.

I’ll bet that you never thought that you could buy your friends and loved ones diamond pendants for under AU$100! Well, Hot Diamonds makes it possible, with just a little bit of diamond but a whole lot of style. Virgo vixens will love the sleek, flowing balance of the Crest pendant at right, with its partially polished, partially brushed finish, its gorgeously petite white diamond in the center, and the lovely middling size that makes it as suitable for work wear as it is for a cocktail party. The sterling silver is rhodium plated, to help prevent tarnishing and enhance shine, and the sterling silver chain pictured comes free with the pendant.

And we would be absolutely remiss if we didn’t let you know about the Pandora range in an affordable gifts article! Altogether, a Pandora bracelet is a luxury item, and many end up as heirloom pieces. However, every bracelet is made up of tiny, very affordable, building blocks! It is preferable, for many people, that the bracelet doesn’t get filled too quickly, so that the charms can represent a broad spectrum of their lives. Check out categories like the silver beads, as well as the gemstone beads (with samples pictured at right), for gifts under AU$30 and AU$40. The Murano glass beads are favorites the world over, and each can be had for less than AU$50. Even the enamel and silver/gold beads are quite affordable for those on a tight budget! There are thousands of products to choose from in the Pandora range, so there is something for everyone.

These inexpensive gift options are by no means the only ones in store. Check out the hundreds of products under AU$150 in the earring category, the pendant category, and the Pandora pages. If you need any help using the search result refinement box (blue box close to the top of the page) to keep to results within your budget, just call out through the Live Help link. We’ll be there right away to fix you up .