When considering jewelry gift options, the most difficult part is choosing what type of jewelry to buy. Most women like to wear several different types of jewelry -- from earrings, to necklaces, bracelets, and charms -- and most do not have a single favorite type. On the contrary, many women like to have items that they can match and combine in creative and colorful ways. However, what a lot of men don't realize about jewelry is that there is, in fact, one type of jewelry that ties all the rest together. In short, jewelry begins and ends with rings.

Indeed, among the different types of jewelry, rings are by far the most meaningful and symbolic, especially when they are given as gifts. There are good reasons, for example, why rings are most often used to symbolize the permanent bond between two married people; they are versatile, durable, and can be fitted exactly to the dimensions of the wearer's finger.

Because of this multiplicity of possibilities, rings come in thousands of different shapes and sizes, and they serve a tremendous variety of functions. Of course, they not only serve as wedding rings and bands; they can also commemorate a wide array of other occasions and anniversaries. Meanwhile, due to their simplicity, rings are often worn simply as decorative accessories. After all, what good is jewelry that doesn't look good?

As a material for rings, gold is perhaps the finest and most popular choice. Fourteen karat gold, in particular, provides the perfect balance of luster, shine, and versatility. Before giving your gift, of course, you might want to find out if your giftee prefers yellow gold or white gold. You might be surprised how vehemently many women prefer one over the other. Fortunately, both yellow gold rings and white gold rings come in 14k gold.

Once you've decided upon gold, it's a good idea to find out whether the special woman in your life prefers simple designs, or if her jewelry preferences lean toward the ornate and highly decorative. If the answer is the latter, many gold rings come in finely detailed designs, and many are set with a wide variety of gemstones, such as diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald, or opal. Before choosing what to buy, you might want to do a little research into birthstones, to find out which type of stone correlates with your gift recipient's birthday. Of course, you can also simply choose something based on her favorite color, which is just as valid.

When choosing your gift, it's important to remember that rings are highly symbolic, and have been for centuries. In most cases, it's not necessary to go to the library and research the specific meanings of the design or gemstone of the ring you want to buy. Rather, simply consider what you want to say with your gift, and consider whether the ring you are looking at says that. Imagine how you want her to react when she receives her gift, and imagine what she will look like wearing it. Think about the jewelry that she already wears, and try not to go too far outside of her tastes. It's really not so difficult to choose a ring.

Plus, these days the Internet makes jewelry shopping easier than ever. Are you unsure about what type of ring you want to buy? First, the Internet holds a wealth of information about which types of rings symbolize what. Second, the Web also has thousands of jewelry websites, on which you can browse through pictures and descriptions of rings, and even purchase your gift. After all, it can be a hassle to go to in-person jewelry stores. It's best to take your time, and to carefully deliberate when choosing your gift.