Jewelry mishaps. Share and commiserate.

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#121
My story is also a caution to others. I was working at the elections office - I stopped at the grocery store on the way home. As I was preparing dinner - I looked down while chopping onion and on my ring finger - where my beautiful diamond engagement ring always stays - was a gaping, ugly hole! My diamond had fallen out! This was not just any diamond but was my grandmother's diamond that my husband had set into a beautiful new setting upon our engagement. I looked for days in the files as I thought it may have fallen down into a file folder. I now think it probably fell in the grocery store.

For several years I just wore my wedding band and then, after my mom passed away, we had her diamond placed in my ring.

I had forgotten to have my ring checked for wear so I caution anyone I see with a beatuiful ring - "be sure you have it checked regularly by your jeweler" . I had been married about 20 years when this happened. I think I had it checked the first 10 or so and then just forgot about it.

I cringe to read all of these stories but also rejoice at the ones with happy endings! Many important lessons to learn from everyone's experiences. This is a great thread!!
 
#122
Oh dear that is just aweful, I'm so sorry.
I always tell people, if you can't get to your jeweler you can check it yourself, just poke your diamond with your finger nails or a little tweezer (it won't hurt it) and try to get it to move. You might find its loose all on your own! Or look at the prongs make sure the tips aren't flat or broken. I try to check mine often just in case.
 
#123
Mrs.JP said:
Oh dear that is just aweful, I'm so sorry.
I always tell people, if you can't get to your jeweler you can check it yourself, just poke your diamond with your finger nails or a little tweezer (it won't hurt it) and try to get it to move. You might find its loose all on your own! Or look at the prongs make sure the tips aren't flat or broken. I try to check mine often just in case.
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I didn't know that - thanks for the tip! I know two of my prongs were so worn they had to be replaced. It's a wonder it hadn't fallen out sooner! Plus, I'm sure my rings get worn down more as I never take them off (or very rarely). I shower with them, sleep in them, etc.
 
#124
Cjohn said:
I didn't know that - thanks for the tip! I know two of my prongs were so worn they had to be replaced. It's a wonder it hadn't fallen out sooner! Plus, I'm sure my rings get worn down more as I never take them off (or very rarely). I shower with them, sleep in them, etc.
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Anecdotally I've heard that about 20-25 years is about all the wear you can get out of ring that you wear daily before the prongs wear down and need to be replaced. A girlfriend's mom lost her diamond from her ring at about the 25-year point, and 25 years is when I discovered that the prongs on my ring were all worn away. When I had my diamond reset I took my mom's engagement ring in to be checked. Again it was 25 years that she had worn the ring. Sure enough the diamonds were about to fall out and repairs were needed.
 
#125
Mrs.JP said:
Loosing Jewelry is horrible :cry:
I keep a little glass dish in every room so just in case I have to take something off it goes in the dish. It helps me.
I've had a few nice Jewelry items stolen, I still get a little sick thinking about it.
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Yes indeed i did the little plates in all house rooms, but i didnt stick with taking them off there, sometimes i would and other times i would drop them in a pouch or a bag of mine and the miss place them. So i am guilty big tome. But God the amount of things i lost this year gave me a true lesson!
 
#126
BigPurseSue said:
Anecdotally I've heard that about 20-25 years is about all the wear you can get out of ring that you wear daily before the prongs wear down and need to be replaced. A girlfriend's mom lost her diamond from her ring at about the 25-year point, and 25 years is when I discovered that the prongs on my ring were all worn away. When I had my diamond reset I took my mom's engagement ring in to be checked. Again it was 25 years that she had worn the ring. Sure enough the diamonds were about to fall out and repairs were needed.
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Good to know! I've been wearing mine for 16 1/2 years...still looks good....
 
#127
vanilla_addict said:
Oh dear i know how you all feel. So many to tell! Some with happy endings, and some not :(
Hmmmm each day i will tell one till i finish them :)
I will start with my most tragic! I had gotten lovely earings from an oversea botique where we spent our summer holiday last summer and for the life of me they entered my heart and centered there! They had a diamond and a chocolate\champaign diamond each.
I lost them in my family house while i was busy with my daughter who was sick.
happy ending is that i ordered them (paid again-ouch) and i will never part with them again!
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These are the earings modeled by my daughter's teddy or "dib dib" in her words :)
 
#128
Here is another one:
During high school many moons ago, i didnt own any jewelry, and my brother's wife God bless her insisted that i borrow her "shabkah: a set of earrings, necklace, ring and bracelet that is given to a bride by her husband".. She wanted me to wear it in my cousin's wedding. I tried to refuse in fear of loosing anything but she assured me everything will be alright and i shouldn't stress about it.
My dad drove me to the house were the wedding took place and i was in the process of wearing the set in the car! The bracelet fell off in between my seat and middle arm rest. I almost injured my hand twisting and trying every chair recline and move combination possible to fish the bracelet. Thank God i pulled it out safely. But then after the wedding in the car on my way home, my heart skipped a beat when i noticed i am missing the ring!
Raced back to the evil spot where most jewelry gets lost: the sink! I was washing my hands and took it off there. Thank God i found it. After that horror night i learned my lesson not to borrow any jewelry from anyone!
 
#129
A dear person whom I almost married had given me beautiful diamond and sapphire chandelier earrings. These were very dressy so I rarely wore them. Years later ( after I married and had children) we learned that one of our sitters was a convicted felon. This sweet little woman who brought her bible to work was on probation for stealing jewelry/ China/ etc from other families. I never suspected a thing as she came highly recommended but we immediately terminated her once we learned of her history.
My earrings are gone. I can't prove that this person stole them but it is highly likely and I've never gotten over it.
 
#130
This is a story with a happy ending. My parents used to spend winters in Florida. They locked up their other home and I would check on it regularly. One year my mom returned and announced all of her jewelry that she had left had been stolen! I was in shock and couldn't imagine how someone entered their home, stole something and left not a trace they had been there. She was adamant it was gone and said she had hidden it in one of those fake books. She brought out the book - opened it - sure enough, the little opening was empty.

Fast toward FIVE years - I was helping her clean out some things and came upon the fake book. When I opened it I realized the 2 little indentions were meant to be removed and when I pulled them - there was all of her jewelry - it had been safe all those years. She said she felt happy to find it but felt bad because of the years she had harbored bad thoughts about certain people who knew she was out of state and potentially could have stolen her things! She has since passed away and I have her jewelry as well as "the book". I think of that story anytime I see the book or anytime I misplace something and wonder if someone took it.
 
#131
Cjohn thats a heartbreaking story five years is a lot :( I am so sorry for the loss of your mother. Sometimes i hide things in my soup ball in the kitchen cabinets, but its not practical! Let alone safe by any means. I feel lucky every time i come back and find my things but one day i am sure i wont. I need a heavy safety box soon.
 
#135
My husband purchased my wedding set with his reenlistment bonus before he deployed for his 2nd tour of Iraq. One afternoon my family and I sent to have bbq. My son (13 months at the time) had gotten sauce all over the set. I took them off like a fool and set them on the table. And forgot them. We left the restaurant, and had only been gone for 10 mins when I realized I left them. We turned around and sped back. By then they were gone. My family and I spent the next hour or so going through bags of garbage in the back of the restaurant. No luck.
I was heartbroken. When I finally got a call from my husband a few days later, I broke down crying which scared him. When I explained, he was so understanding. Said he'd buy me a bigger and better ring when he got home.

Later he told me when he got off the phone he was furious. He couldn't understand why I took them off in the first place, and he was angry about the amount of money they had cost (it was an upgrade and a pretty substantial one). But he heard how devastated I was on the phone and didn't want to make me feel worse.

It was a horrible experience.
 
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