Looking for a great present for your mother, the woman who gave birth to you, raised you, and was there for you every step of the way? What can you give her that she would love, and at the same time would remind her of you, and her grandchildren?

Give Mom personalized jewelry – personalized jewelry is a great gift for a Mother and it could be personalized with different things, such as a names, initials, birthstones and many other things. The best thing about it is that it can be personalized with Mother’s name, or names and initials of her kids and grandkids. This will make the piece of jewelry one of a kind, and your Mom will know that you picked the gift just for her.

Here are tips to help you find a perfect piece of personalized jewelry for your Mom. Here are our tips to help you find that perfect personalized jewelry:

- Personalized Rings. Personalized rings make great gifts for Mothers. You may get a personalized ring with Mom’s name on it, or Mom’s initials.

Or, make the ring really memorable, by choosing a ring personalized with birthstones. You may pick a ring personalized with family’s birthstones – Mom’s, Dad’s kids’ and grandkids’ birthstones, all in one ring. Every time Mom looks at the ring, she will think about her family – this personalized ring will be a very special gift, she will always treasure.

- Personalized Necklaces and Pendants. Usually personalized necklaces is something that the younger crowd wears. A necklace, personalized with the person’s first name has been a hot item a few years ago. However, these necklaces are good gifts for Moms too.

There are necklaces that say Mom or Grandma, which will also make a great gift for Mom. Or, you can have a personalized pendant made for Mom, the pendant would be personalized with Mom’s birthstone and the birthstones of her children and grandchildren. How cool is that?

- Personalized Bracelets are also very popular gifts for Mothers, and there are many to choose from. Some bracelets are personalized with Mom’s name. Others may be personalized with Mother’s and childrens names. Yet, others may have her birthstone or a combination of her and childrens’ birthstones on it, making it one of a kind bracelet just for her.

Next time when you are looking for a gift for Mom, get her a personalized piece of jewelry. You will be glad you did – she will love it!

Jewelry can be the perfect gift for mom on Mother’s Day, but there are pitfalls, especially if you rush at the last minute. Procrastination and a lack of knowledge can be rewarded with overpaying for a piece of jewelry or even worse, being ripped-off.

A gift of jewelry can be expensive. Asking friends, family and co-workers if they can recommend a website, brick and mortar store or local crafts person can help. Checking with the better business bureau is also a commendable approach.

When you are shopping, ask the salesperson to write down any information you might rely on to make your purchase and before you buy, ask for the store’s refund and return policy. When ordering online, keep printouts of the web pages with details about the transaction, including refund and return policies if you’re not satisfied.

Six Smart Shopping Tips for Mother’s Day and Beyond

1. There’s a big difference between 14 karat gold and gold-plated jewelry. Fourteen karat (14K) jewelry contains 14 parts of gold, mixed in throughout with 10 parts of base metal. Gold-plated describes jewelry with a layer of at least 10K gold bonded to a base metal. Gold plating eventually wears away, depending on how often the item is worn and how thick the plating is.

2. If you’re buying a watch, determine whether you want one that runs on a battery or one that must be wound daily. Ask if a warranty or guarantee is included, how long it lasts, and what parts and repair problems it covers. Also ask how and where you can get the watch serviced and repaired.

3. Know the difference between laboratory-created gemstones and naturally mined stones. Stones created in the lab are visually identical to stones mined from the earth. The big difference is in the cost: laboratory-created stones are less expensive then naturally mined stones. But because they look must like stones mined from the earth, they must be identified as lab-created. If you want a naturally mined stone, ask if it has been treated. Gemstone treatments– such as heating, dyeing or bleaching– can improve a stone’s appearance or durability. Some treatments are permanent; some may create special care requirements. Treatments also may affect the stone’s value.

4. Ask whether pearls are imitation or real. Real pearls are made by oysters or other mollusks; imitation pearls are man-made. Cultured pearls are made by mollusks with human intervention; and irritant introduced into their shells causes a pearl to grow. Real pearls that are not cultured are fairly rare and expensive. The cost depends on the size, usually stated in millimeters, and the coating or “nacre” on a real pearl, which gives it its iridescence.

5. When you’re buying a diamond, consider four criteria: cut, color, clarity and weight, usually stated as carats. Each factor affects the price. Color is sometimes “graded” on a scale. However, scales are not uniform: a “D” may be the best color for one scale, but not for another. Make sure you know how a particular scale and grade represent the color of the diamond you’re considering. A diamond can be described as “flawless” only if it has no visible surface cracks or other imperfections when viewed under 10-power magnification by a skilled diamond grader.

6. One final tip, Mom’s love longer (i.e. 24″) gold or sterling chains with gemstone pendants. And you can almost never go wrong with the very popular omega-style chains in various widths in sterling silver or gold.