All images in this story provided and published by permission of owner and/or authorized representative and are the copyrighted intellectual property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

Luxury Shopping: The holiday season is officially underway, and merry makers everywhere are pondering how to “wow” the friends and loved ones in their life with a gift of distinction. Well, look no further than this lavish list of gotta get gifts sure to delight even the most discriminating good life connoisseur:

Prismera Design Smoky Vine Necklace ($320)
With its melding of both contemporary and traditional influences, Prismera Designs’ modern handcrafted jewelry always makes a bold fashion statement. This particularly holds true for the company’s GALA collection that features a variety of special occasion pieces, with many one-of-a-kind. One such one-off design is the Smoky Vine Necklace – a large, sparkling smoky quartz vine that is a luminous deep brown in color, with 14k gold plated botanical charms thoughtfully placed throughout. This necklace is representative of the innovation, creativity and unique design vision that is Prismera. (www.prismeradesign.com)

Ann Taylor’s Cashmere Cardigan ($159)
Cashmere is synonymous with softness, luxury and elegance and, accordingly, is a must in any self respecting fashionista’s closet. This season, my hat’s off to Ann Taylor whose colorful collection of cashmere cardigans offer those special touches one expects from a high-end designer sweater. Made of 100 percent cashmere wool and adorned with sparkling multifaceted rhinestone buttons, a high-quality knitted collar, smooth hems and cuffs and three-quarter sleeves, this sophisticated cashmere crewneck cardigan offers classic style that stands the test of time. Available colors include black, bright fuschia, snapdragon, coast blue, paprika, cabernet, ivory, snow pea, rose quartz and light silver metallic. Complete the look by pairing the sweater with Ann Taylor’s shiny, silky-soft charmeuse lace trim cami, which is also available in a range of colors. (www.AnnTaylor.com)

Jaques of London Chess & Backgammon Set ($159)
From Jaques of London, the oldest sports and games manufacturer in the world, comes an exquisitely crafted chess & backgammon set worthy of family heirloom status to be passed down through the generations. This polished mahogany 15″ x15″ chess and backgammon cabinet features an inlaid decorated maple and walnut chess board with inlaid backgammon on the reverse side. The set includes boxwood baized bottom Staunton chessmen, heavyweight backgammon pieces, dice and shaker cups, and comes complete with game rules. A family business established in 1795, Jaques of London actually pioneered many of the most influential and popular sports and games of all time, including Tiddley-Winks, Ludo, Snakes & Ladders, Ping-Pong, Croquet and the Chess pieces we know today. The venerable company offers beautifully made recreational gifts for all members of the family, each offering a touch of tradition and class to the holiday season and beyond. (www.jaqueslondon.com)

Plantronics Discovery 925 Bluetooth Headset ($149.95)
Holiday shopping is made easy with the new Plantronics Discovery 925 – the latest in headset technology and style. Not your ordinary headset, this innovation in hands-free communication features Plantronics’ patented AudioIQ noise control technology for crisp sound quality, boasts effortless set up and comes complete with a power packed carry case that charges and protects the headset when not in use. The sleek and sexy VFrame design, available in black onyx, alchemy gold and cerise pink, offers lightweight, fashion-friendly comfort.(www.plantronics.com)

Body Linens Signature Pajamas ($145 – $235)
Well known for its luxurious line of designer sleepwear, Body Linens signature pajamas are a dream come true. Made from the finest 100% Egyptian cotton, these pajamas are the epitome of sleepwear comfort and elegance. They feature genuine mother-of-pearl buttons, French seams for a finished look inside and out and no itchy tags! They are available in three thread count options – 300, 500 or 600 – and your choice of color: pink mocha, lilac and avocado.(www.bodylinens.com)

San Disk’s 16GB microSDHC Memory Card ($99.99)
SanDisk Corporation, a global leader in flash memory products, has done it again. This time by introducing a fingernail sized mobile phone memory card with the world’s largest capacity – a full 16GB! Good things definitely come in small packages with this top-of-the-line microSDHC memory card, which “wakes up” the many storage-intensive features offered by today’s portable handsets, such as music and video playback, high-definition digital camera functions, gaming and GPS applications. In addition to mobile phones, consumers can use this microSDHC card in a multitude of other devices, including video cameras, GPS receivers or MP3 players with a microSD slots. For those indelibly on the go who depend on their mobile communications device for both work and play, don’t settle with a 1, 2 or even 8GB card when you can have a whopping 16GB for a song. (www.sandisk.com)

Neil Morris fragrances ($95 – $500)
Neil Morris, one of the leading independent fragrance designers in the United States, offers a bold and captivating line of eight signature, non-gender specific scents designed for the true fragrance aficionado. Inspired by his personal experiences and memories, Neil Morris’ Signature Scents are meant to evoke memories and a sense of nostalgia as only our olfactories can do. Among the line is Coral, which was inspired by a three-hour walk along California’s Laguna Beach. This scent features top notes of bergamot and pomegranate leading to hearts of fig, sweat pea and Bulgarian Rose, followed by a dry down of warm passionate sandalwood, incense and oceanic musk. Or, for those who are particularly hard to buy for or simply “have it all,” a customized fragrance by Neil Morris is guaranteed to surprise and delight. Neil Morris gift certificates are a quintessential one-of-a-kind gift idea that will allow the lucky recipient to work with Neil, himself, to create an utterly unique scent – drop by drop – that captures their individuality, spirit and personal style. One-on-one, in-person sessions with Neil Morris start at $500 plus the cost of travel. (www.neilmorrisfragrances.com)

Bulgari, 2nd Edition ($75)
Since 1884 the Bulgari firm has been a foremost trendsetter in jewelry design around the globe, and is unarguably Italy’s greatest jeweler. In Abbeville Publishing Group’s Bulgari, written by By Daniela Mascetti and Amanda Triossi, lies 320 pages of fascinating Bulgari jewelry history interlaced with 600 spectacular, full color archival photographs and illustrations that will take your breath away. Bulgari takes you inside the world’s most famous family of jewelers, goldsmiths, and silversmiths – and the iconic pieces that made their name. This substantial yet elegant volume traces the progression of Bulgari’s venerable style since its inception – a distinctive look that has captivated royalty and movie stars for over a century. It also includes achievements and developments of the Bulgari firm over this past decade that, together, exemplify why Bulgari is one of the most important luxury brands of the new millennium. A fantastic gift for Bulgari enthusiasts and fashion, style and jewelry aficionados alike. (http://www.abbeville.com)

Low Country Luxe Candles ($55)
Revered for their elegant presentation, clean light scents and enviro-conscious, long-burning wicks, Low Country Luxe’s elegant soy wax candles are a bright gift idea indeed. Each of the company’s luxurious Southern botanical candle fragrances are named after low country havens like New Orleans, Savannah and Charleston, as well as signature coastal botanicals like Sea Grass, Spanish Moss and High Cotton. Beautifully packaged in recyclable cylindrical watercolor boxes and reusable glass containers, each contains an elegant gift card printed on recycled paper inscribed with a line from Sidney Lanier’s legendary 1878 poem “The Marshes of Glynn” as a homage to Georgia’s tidal marshes that inspired the company’s innovative packaging design. Low Country Luxe candles are tested extensively to meet the highest industry and quality standards, utilize materials that are better for the environment than traditional candles, and provide a clean, maximized burn time of 100 hours. (www.lowcountryluxe.com)

Gurkha Grand Reserve Cigars ($12 for one; $336 for set of 28)
The flagship of the esteemed Gurkha Cigar brand, ‘The Grand Reserve’ handmade cigars are a magnificent fusion of the world’s finest Cognac and tobaccos grown in the fertile Cibao Valley of the Dominican Republic. The premium 5-year old Connecticut shade wrapper, fermented an additional 7 months and then infused with Luis XIII cognac, gives this celebrated handmade cigar a rich, creamy flavor with a hint of spice that promises a pleasantly light finish. If you’re feeling generous and want to gift a super-premium cigar unlike any other, Gurkha’s His Majesty Reserve holds the title of the most expensive cigar in the world at $15,000 for a box of 20 or $750 for one. On the more economical front is Gurkha’s Black Dragon Tubos and Status cigars, which both cost $15 for one and $300 for a box of 20. (http://www.gurkhacigars.com)

***Some or all of the accommodations(s), experience(s), item(s) and/or service(s) detailed above may have been provided at no cost and/or arranged to accommodate this review, but all opinions expressed are entirely those of Merilee Kern and have not been influenced in any way as per the disclosure policy on our “Legal” page***