The jewellery you wear says a lot about who you are. Gone are the days of the standard string of pearls: with so much handcrafted bling out there, it’s possible to find a piece to suit every personality. With that in mind, here are some glittery gift ideas, from the locally forged to the internationally trendy, from the understated to the luxe.

For the renaissance woman
With their antique coins, oxidized silver links, and white-marble-look beads, Shereen de Rousseau’s necklaces look like the sort of thing Marie Antoinette might have worn if she’d been born in the era of rock ’n’ roll. Romantic, age-old elements mix with the cutting-edge chic of mismatched, multilayered chains. Look to the Marbre Gris collection, whose howlite stones evoke the marble statues of the Italian Renaissance, or the more glam Médallions Antiques series, with its large polished-silver links and charms. Prices range from $225 to $375. (At Provide [529 Beatty Street])

For the seasonally affected woman
What better jolt to these grey days—not just in terms of weather, but fashion too—than the electric hues of solrojo’s Argentine designs. Chunky but lightweight, the funky geometric bangles, necklaces, earrings, and rings—brought in locally by Kerida Designs—are made from ultracontemporary resin. Hothouse hues like fuchsia, violet, flame-red, and bright turquoise put a little tango into any outfit—from simple T to cocktail dress. Prices range from about $25 for a ring up to about $98 for a necklace. (At Vancouver Special [3612 Main Street] and By 3be Clothing [45 Powell Street])

For the woman who needs direction
Vancouver’s Even Design builds real, working compasses into sleek silver designs. Jeweller Judi Patson’s rings, pendants, and cuff links may help your favourite person find their way (about $150 to $180). (At Chachkas [2423 Granville Street], Object Design Gallery [1551 Johnston Street, Granville Island], Mooncruise Gallery [225 Carrall Street], and the Vancouver Art Gallery Store [750 Hornby Street])

For the human pretzel
Yoga buffs will bliss out over Sonja Picard Collection’s new Couture line, featuring motifs like lotus buds, Shiva Lingam, and the serpent queen Nagakanya. Sculpted from 14-karat gold and sterling silver, as well as semiprecious stones and rose-cut white and rose sapphires, the Ladner Village–based artist’s luxe, 80-piece series mixes ancient spiritual imagery with contemporary design. One serene Shiva Lingam necklace features a 14-karat-gold pendant with a 22-karat wrapped rose-cut sapphire and a Shiva mantra inscription, while the bolder Nagakanya rings have gold or silver snake goddesses curving up each side, holding a small diamond in their hands and supporting a giant oval blue topaz, citrine, or pink quartz stone overhead. Prices start at $1,200 for a solid-gold drop necklace. (By appointment at 4860 Chisholm Street, Delta, 604-952-5242)

For the art-history major
Vancouver metalsmith Dina González Mascaró has created a series of animal-head pendants taken from the paintings of the old masters. Pablo Picasso roosters and cats, Albrecht Dí¼rer rabbits, and Stefan Lochner donkeys are just some of the iconic beasts she casts in sterling silver or bronze. Our favourite? A crooked-faced bull straight out of Guernica. Prices range from about $300 to $550; all are limited editions. (At JewellerBau [2408 Main Street])

For the good girl/bad girl
All-the-rage Hollywood designer Tarina Tarantino has a new Wizard of Oz–inspired collection that can be tailored to both the angelic and the bad-ass on your Christmas list. Dainty pearl and crystal bracelets come bedecked with either a pop-arty Good Witch or Bad Witch. But the most versatile is the one that features both, allowing the wearer to flip from face to face depending on her mood swings; there’s also a long, multibead pendant necklace with puff hearts and Lucite bows ($120 for the bracelet, $325 for the necklace). (At Blue Ruby [various locations])

For the traveller, the sports buff, the musician
Tiffany & Co.’s collectible charms have a motif for just about any obsession. Crafted in sterling silver, gold, and platinum, some accented with gems, they span everything from tennis rackets and ice skates to airplanes, suitcases, and violins. Get even more personal with chic lock charms that allow an infinite combination of letters or numbers—names, dates, or your own secret code; they can snap on and off purses, key rings, or the company’s chain necklaces and bracelets. Prices span a huge range, from about $100 to as high as $2,400 for, say, this year’s platinum Christmas tree with gemstones. (At 723 Burrard Street)