My wedding set was filthy. Dirt had worked its way underneath and into the caging, the baguettes were dull and lusterless and I couldn’t remember the last time I’d sent it for a spa day. The jeweler looked at it, and after their pitch to me to get me to buy their cleaner, they smiled and followed with, “You know, you could just make this set into a pendant and get yourself something bigger.” I declined, as I usually do, with a tone giving away my annoyance with this statement. My wedding set wasn’t big, nor flashy, but it has value beyond that of the gold and diamonds: a story.
I spotted my ring in the back of the jewelry case at Montgomery Ward, when Montgomery Ward department stores were still around. Mr. Muse had told me I should “find a ring I liked”, and when I saw this unique ring, it caught my attention. It has a small, round diamond surrounded by a triangular outline of diamond baguettes. There was a sale: 50% off all diamond jewelry. I placed a call to Mr. Muse and he came up the following weekend, when there just so happened to be another sale of 10% off on top of the 50% off – it was a bargain. He said it was a neat ring. We looked at each other and he said, “So… should I buy that one?”
We mulled it over together, doing the math in our heads and aloud, determining that the ring was fitting enough in our pragmatic ways, and it was purchased. It happened to fit my finger without needed adjustment and I put it on, admired its sparkle in the sunlight, and wore it home.
For nearly 20 years I’ve had this ring. Many have commented on it’s different cut and shape and complimented it. I can wear it and put my hand in my pocket without the ring catching on the material. I’m proud of the fact that Mr. Muse didn’t spend “3 months’ salary” on the ring – we were young and didn’t have a lot of money to begin with – why go into debt over a stone?
I realize that jewelry store employees are merely doing their job when they suggest I put my ring onto a chain and “trade up” to a bigger rock, but an expensive ring purchased just because it’s bigger, without meaning or sentiment, is empty of shine. The sparkle would be empty. The value of it wouldn’t be worth the story of the original.
Musings of the Amusing Muse 
Always nice to common sense and practicality applied to a major purchase. Something meaningful doesn’t have to be gaudy, showing and expensive. It only has to please you.
Agreement from me on all counts.
Hard to believe itcould be almost 20 years. Glad you didn’t decide to trade up!
Me, too! He laughs when we go to jewelry stores because clerks are always showing me large, “status” pieces while my eyes are always drawn to the subtle, quietly pretty pieces. Of course, that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t try on the status pieces, but as soon as they are on, I can’t help but laugh at how ostentatious they are. Besides, what jewelry I do invest in are pieces I get when we travel – stones native to the area we are visiting. I’ll have to write down the stories of when, why, and where I got them for the pieces to put with their paperwork for when the nieces (or nephews wives, should they have them) inherit them in the future.
I actually have a really nice solitaire. After my husband’s mother died he said he would really like me to have her solitaire, but only if I wore it all the time because it had been sitting in a safety deposit box for 30 years. So it does have sentimental value and I do wear it, but my real wedding ring is actually a wedding bracelet. We had a matching pair of square slave bracelets made. Now those have real sentimental value. And yes, my husband gets away with wearing a bracelet because he’s Italian :))
I’m glad you kept your ring.
Hi Luana! I’m glad I kept it, too! Honestly, I just got it back from a spa week (and repairing of the prongs), and I felt really weird not having it on my hand for a week. Once I got it back yesterday afternoon, though, I made sure to take a few moments to admire its newly-returned sparkle in the sunlight.
Now, as for men and jewelry, there was many a discussion about whether or not Mr. Muse would wear a ring. Being someone who seldom wore a watch, a ring was a HUGE step for him. I doubt I could have gotten him to even CONSIDER a bracelet – but then again, I rarely wear those myself.
Thank you for commenting!