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(ARA) - One year it's a cuff bracelet, another year it's a cocktail ring - every February, jewelry marketers cleverly position a certain piece as the "must-have" item for Valentine's Day.

"It may be true that every woman welcomes a gift of jewelry, but not every woman wants to receive and wear the same thing everyone else she knows will also be wearing," says Jody Christian from PANDORA Jewelry. "Call it a backlash against the current piece du jour, but some women - a lot of women - will want something unique this Valentine's Day."

So how do you find that perfect blend of wearability, uniqueness and personalization that makes a Valentine's Day jewelry gift truly special? Christian offers some tips:

* Go your - or her - own way. "No matter how lovely an item is, if everyone else is wearing it too, it will lose its cachet for many women," Christian says. Don't just go with the crowd and purchase the ubiquitous gift of the year, especially if it doesn't fit with her personality. How many women received that trendy cuff bracelet when what they really wanted was earrings or a necklace?

* Leave no stone unturned. Some women love diamonds, while others prefer colored gemstones or even simple pearls. Still others don't really care for stones at all, opting for simple, elegant designs in precious metals. "A good way to find out what a woman prefers is to notice what types of jewelry she already wears," Christian says. Does she wear a lot of colored stones? Or is she a diamond-only gal? Is her daily earring choice more likely to be a pearl stud or diamond drops?

* Personalize her gift. One way to ensure you give her a gift she won't see on anyone else is to customize a piece. A charm bracelet, for example, allows her to create and wear something totally unique to her - and that tells her personal "story" in a beautiful way. "PANDORA has created a charm bracelet for today's woman that is completely customizable, with more than 800 charms that fit virtually every budget and taste," Christian notes.  "It's a gift that can 'give' for years to come as she adds new charms."

* Test her metal. Some women think gold conveys an unmatched richness. Or, perhaps she's in love with silver's conservative, timeless durability and beauty. Again, pay attention to what types of metals she already wears and look for a piece that pays homage to her preference. "At PANDORA, we offer bracelets, charms, and other jewelry in a range of metals, including 14k gold and sterling silver - because we know how vast women's preferences are," says Christian.

* A little predictability is OK. "If she really loves bracelets and isn't a big fan of pendants, by all means go with what you know works for her," Christian advises. "Most women agree they can never have too many of their favorite types of jewelry, so don't worry about giving her the 50th bangle in her collection, if that's what she really loves."

Courtesy of ARAcontent

• Give chocolates that will either create a complimentary taste or strive for the "opposites attract" theory.
• Normally a chilled Riesling or Chardonnay would be matched with a light white or milk chocolate, letting the wine rule the taste. However, a strong cacao taste against the lighter wine taste will create the attraction of opposites, letting the chocolate change the taste of the wine.
• More robust wines usually do well with robust chocolates in the 60% to 85% Cacao content. A pure intense chocolate such as Ghirardelli's 60% Cacao will taste decadent when paired with a robust Merlot.
• Make the pairing an event; opening the bottle of wine, pouring the wine to release the wine's aroma and that first taste. After, the wine has imparted the flavors of the grape and winemaker, taste a small piece of chocolate. Note the flavors and contrasts. Taking another sip of wine after having the chocolate will change the taste and feel of the wine on the palate.
• Want to extra points, then add strawberries to the evening. Chocolate dipped strawberries would the best way to bring out the the combination of fruit, chocolate and wine, but just taking a bit of chocolate, a small bite of strawberry and then a cleansing taste of wine. Wow, add candlelight and it's a party!

When creating this Valentine Day chocolate and wine affair, selecting a box of chocolate that offers a range of flavors will ensure that a person receiving the gift will find a combination of chocolate and wine that pleases them. Both Ghirardelli and Green & Black's chocolates are great choices and depending on the availability in a particular area a Chocolate infused wine, Noche, from Cooper Vineyards may be available for a truly decadent gift.