A recent poll has affirmed the special place jewellery holds in the hearts of British women.

JP Diamonds questioned 3,000 women and found that the average female spends £39,000 ($78,670) on baubles over their lifetime, reports the Daily Mail.

Some 80 per cent of respondents said that they purchases precious pieces to glam up old outfits, while almost half admitted that they would rather go without make-up than jewellery.

Joe Boll, of JP Diamonds, said: "We experience two very different kinds of customer - we have those women who like to spend little and often, and others who want to spend all their savings on beautiful jewels in one go."

Those questioned cited Jennifer Lopez, Elizabeth Taylor and Victoria Beckham as the celebrities whose diamond jewellery they admire the most.

JP Diamonds specialises in hand crafted platinum, gold and diamond jewellery.