Jewelry is typically bought as a result of a joint decision between a man and a woman, according to a new study.

The research from the Luxury Institute suggests that, in 78 per cent of households, women express the initial desire for some expensive jewelry.

After this original aspiration has been expressed, however, the percentage of men involved in the purchase process more than doubles. In 54 per cent of households, a man is involved in the final decision and men are actually more likely than women to make the final purchase.

When buying fine china and glassware, the situation is similar at the "desire" stage, with women expressing the original aspiration in 83 per cent of households.

Significantly, however, women then retain the retail domination at the buying stage, with 81 per cent responsible for the transaction.

Because its associations with love and intimacy, it is perhaps unsurprising that jewelry is typically bought as a result of dialogue between two individuals. Jewelers are nonetheless advised to tailor their sales techniques accordingly, as targeting a man or woman individually may - in many cases - be insufficient.

There are, on the other hand, many occasions where it is clearly preferable to focus on a particular sex. Research regularly reveals, for example, that men spend much more than women on jewelry for their mothers, especially around Mother's Day.