My three most prized possessions are my cast iron skillet that was my grandmothers’ from when she got married in 1938, my wedding ring that has Chip’s grandmothers’ diamonds in it and this ring of his mothers’…that too has the same mine cut diamonds of his grandmothers’. It’s history. It’s a relic of our families past, pieces of people that are no longer with us that have been given to us to carry on from generation to generation. I covet that responsibility to hand these items down to my children. I hope that they appreciate and respect them as Chip and I do.
From the beginning Chip and I’d talked about having earrings and a pendant necklace made from the 3 diamonds, something I could wear every day. To me it’s something special that holds significance. For the past three years I’ve been sitting on these diamonds waiting for the right time, waiting for the perfect design or creation to come to me, but I’ve got nothing.
For some reason today was the day that I randomly felt the need to go into our safe and get Adriennes’ ring and take it to the jeweler….and as I type that I look down at my calendar and realize that eleven years ago today (6/14/12) was when Chip and I first met. How peculiar is that? Whoa, ok anyway.
On my way home to get the ring I called Jane Claire (Chip’s sister) to talk to her about it and get her input, as it was her moms’ ring and I wanted her to be ok with my redoing it for something I could use every day and later hand down to my children. She was totally onboard and I think she could tell my gratitude and respect for her mothers’ belonging, which is important to me.
So I took the ring to a jeweler friend who ironically enough made that original ring for Adrienne from Charlie (Chip’s dad.) He was familiar with the ring and he knows how special this whole situation is to me and how much I respect the history and carrying the spirit of this onto my children. He knows what I like and I think we are both extremely excited to be taking this onto another generation.
I had assumed we’d make the earrings and a pendant and use the gold from the ring to make the settings and it would all still be one incorporated piece. Instead, Jimmy had another idea one that to me was fabulous and fit our lifestyle. Jimmy and his wife are avid boat and outdoor people too and so he suggested just simply taking the diamonds and prongs off the band and using the plain thick gold band as a simple wedding band for when we are on the boat or working in the yard. It’s still holds its’ sentimental symbolism as it’s an heirloom but it’s more functional than my everyday wedding ring, that I always take off anyway when we do outdoor things for fear of losing a diamond in the water or worse…the whole ring! Ugh, makes my stomach hurt thinking about it. So needless to say, I LOVE THE IDEA! I cannot wait to see what designs he comes up with for the earrings and pendant. I know it will be fabulous!
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