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It’s 4:45pm and you need to get a birthday gift for a woman that’s relatively close to you. The jewellery shop closes in five minutes, and even an online order would fail to arrive in time. There’s only one choice – make a quick decision and hope that it’s the right one.

Sound like a familiar situation? Buying birthday gifts, anniversary presents, or tokens of appreciation at a special occasional can be incredibly difficult, especially when paired with a tight time limit. Despite the ongoing recession, many professionals are still working upwards of 50 hours per week, making a trip to the jewellers a difficult side-mission.

These six low-maintenance gifts aren’t designed to be complex or ultra-touching. They’re simple, at least from a giver’s point of view. Next time you’re stuck buying a gift that needs to mean something at the last minute, run through this list, pick one out for the situation, and enjoy simple, low-maintenance gift giving that has lasting positive results.

1.    Charm Bracelets

The old low maintenance favourite is back. Charm bracelets were ultra-popular a couple of decades ago, particularly amongst couples looking for a simple, low-maintenance gift for each other. Now they’re popular again, and hundreds of varieties around around, giving collectors huge choice over what goes on their bracelets. More importantly, givers have a huge amount of choice over what goes on their partner’s bracelets.

Pandora is a popular brand, and a sure-fire hit for Valentine’s Day gifts or anniversary presents. For long-term charm bracelets and cool gifts with a memory attached, give it after a special occasion with the first charm pre-attached. Brands to be on the lookout for include Pandora, Lovelinks, and the ever-popular Nomination.

2.    Rapper Chains

It’s difficult to give jewellery to a male friend. Most rings are considered too feminine – or in the case of marriage, way too personal to talk about with a guy friend. Necklaces can be worthwhile, but most men opt for the simple chain-style necklace – a far cry from anything found in an upscale jewelry store. Finally, watches are the perfect choice, but are almost always too expensive for anything less than a wedding gift or significant birthday present.

That’s where the rapper chain comes into play. Sure, it’s a gag gift, but it’s one that you can wear out to a bar or nightclub without feeling completely ridiculous. Well, you might feel a little bit ridiculous, but it’s the good kind of ridiculous, right? If you want your friends to be the life of the party, pick up a giant rapper chain and set them loose.

3.    Weird Jewellery

Giving good jewellery can be difficult. First you’ve got to consider the person and their preferences – do they like gold or silver? – and then you’ve got to weigh up the occasion. Giving a piece of jewellery that’s too expensive or upscale could send the wrong impression, especially when it’s for a close friend or co-worker.

However, gag gifts are always a great way to stay secure and safe. While t-shirts and weird artwork are definitely the go-to choice for funny gifts and bizarre birthday presents, the occasional weird piece of jewellery can be a good choice. Depending on the person, it could even be something that gets worn reasonably often. Shown is the Margaux Lange “Barbie Jewellery” collection – a sure hit for artsy types and gag gift-givers.

4.    Something Handmade

It’s the thought that counts, not the cost. Handmade gifts have an extra sense to them – they’ve slightly divine and spiritually significant, even if they aren’t any more attractive or impressive than their mass-produced counterparts. Even if they’re not made by you, giving a handmade gift – especially handmade jewellery – sends a very good impression. From diamond rings for a partner, to cool bracelets or watches for a close friend, almost anything that’s available from a jewellery store can be bought as a handmade alternative online.

Etsy is a good place to start. Search on and offline for good gifts, then check online for a handmade alternative. Sometimes the best gift isn’t the most polished, but the most personal.

5.    Something Cultural

Cross-cultural gifts can be touching and interesting. Anyone that’s built a relationship or friendship across cultures knows what an interesting experience it can be, and having a memento of the experience can be an awesome personal boost, not to mention an amazing conversation starter. From ethnic jewellery to cultural clothing and accessories, cultural jewellery is one of the best low-maintenance gift ideas around.

Thousands of online or offline retailers offer cultural jewellery, but the best stuff is always the jewellery that you’ll find in-country. Next time you’re on an overseas trip, whether for business or pleasure, take some time out of your day and search for cool boutique jewellery shops and interesting accessory dealers.

6.    Something Expensive

Let’s face it – if you’re so short on time you need something ultra-simple to give away, you’re probably rich enough to buy something impressive. From luxury watches to diamond jewellery, a whole new world of jewellery gifts opens up once you increase your budget. It’s unlikely that any male friend would be disappointed with a flashy Tag Heuer or Rolex watch, and even less likely that any female friends would object to a set of diamond earrings. If you’ve got the resources, expensive gifts can often require the least maintenance of anything.