Making family stone(s) your own

AndieAbroad

AndieAbroad

UK via AUS and USA
Dec 1, 2012
398
2
#1
A few years ago, on my mother's 50th birthday, my grandmother gifted her with her own mother's ring, which my mother immediately passed down to me! (Please excuse my yucky post-Boxing Day chipped nails in these photos)

34xkmro.jpg


The story goes that my great-grandparents got married during WWII, but because of the way things were at the time, my great-grandfather couldn't afford a nice ring for many years afterwards. He saved up, and after the war, took his wife to one of the nicest jewellery shops in Copenhagen - A. Dragsted - and they bought this ring. It's still in the original box.

23t09ax.jpg


28aksg2.jpg


Amazingly, given my chubby little fingers (size 7 left-hand ring finger), the ring ONLY fits on my 'engagement' finger. I don't know anything about it other than that it's set in 14K white gold, and it's quite sparkly. I'm not sure about the Cs, or even what type of cut this is, really! Does anyone have any idea? It's modest by today's standards, but in Europe at the time, it might have been a lot more extravagant. I think the middle stone is below 0.5, and maybe the sides are below 0.2?

2rq11yg.jpg


4v4ifs.jpg


I'm so lucky to get such a nice gift from my mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, by proxy! The problem is that I'm not engaged (even though everyone in my family and my DBF's family are basically shoving us up the aisle), and I don't want to whip everyone into a greater frenzy (and panic him!) by starting to wear the ring. I originally planned on keeping it as my engagement ring, but it's not really my style...I really love princess cut diamond solitaires, or three-stone halos, and chunkier bands/shanks.

The backstory of the ring, including how long it took for my great-grandmother to get it, is really keeping me from pulling it apart for a pendant or earrings. Even getting it sized for a RHR or middle finger ring seems a bit mean, as it only fits my 'engagement' finger, and seems a bit meant-to-be.

Has anyone else had this experience with inheriting jewellery? On one hand, it's so amazing, and on the other, it's a bit of a ball and chain! I want to wear it NOW and can't find a way to!
 
Last edited:
#2
Don't deconstruct it! It *is* an amazon heirloom. I have nothing from my great-grandparents (though several things from both great-grandmothers) and feel you're so lucky to have the ring! And with such a backstory, too.

If you had it sized to wear on the other hand, would it have to go up or down much? It seems a shame to not wear it.

Btw, I know diamond cutting technology has improved, but I find older stones to be so much more beautiful.
 
#3
I wouldn't change a thing it this ring. It's gorgeous and the stiry behind it makes it really special. If you don't want it to be your engagement ring I would suggest to resize it and wear as a right hand ring.
 
#4
It is gorgeous. I would get it sized up to wear on a different finger and keep it in tact. The story is so beautiful. The stones look like old european cut diamonds to me. Very special.
 
#6
I wouldn't change a thing to that ring - such a rich history to accompany it! Lucky you :biggrin:

If you don't want to resize it, how about wearing it around a chain on your neck a la Blair style in the last season of Gossip Girl?

Just finished watching the LOTR trilogy again and am currently in love with the idea of carrying an important ring that you cannot wear on your fingers around your neck. Plus if you go for a longer chain, there's the sweet symbolism that all of that history and love lies close to your heart, even when hidden under higher cut tops and such.
 
#8
Thanks for all of your kind words and your input, ladies. Without sizing, the ring is a bit snug on my right-hand ring finger, and in many (if not most) countries in Europe, it's actually the right hand that's considered the 'engagement' one, so that might actually be opening up a whole new can of worms!

To wear it on my LH middle finger, it would have to go up a full size, and for my RH, maybe even a size and a half - I do everything with that hand! I also love the idea of wearing it around my neck on a chain, but given my history of snapping chains while tugging my hair out of jackets and such, I'd be terrified of losing it.

I think I will just let it sit for awhile longer and ruminate on it. Maybe my DBF will pop the question in the next couple of years and I can put the engagement ring fund toward having an amazing pair of eternity bands!
 
#11
I agree about keeping the ring intact. It is beautiful and a beautiful history. If you ever DO decide to use the stones for something else, keep the setting in a lock box or safe (either at home or the bank) for the future so you don't lose the piece.

As it stands, I would consider buying a really good quality chain to wear it on and wearing it that way. I am particularly enamoured of this right now, although I do not know the quality. It is nice in that it displays the ring more than just hanging it on a chain.
http://emilyc.com/shop/the-scallop.html
 
#12
Absolutely beautiful!

I wouldn't change a thing about the ring, aside from perhaps re-sizing it if you really have no intention of wearing it as an engagement or wedding ring. Nothing wrong with wearing it on the middle finger of either hand, if you don't wish to wear it on a ring finger.

I recently took two of my grandmother's diamond rings (which I inherited when she passed in 2008) to my jeweler to have them re-set into one new ring, but only because her rings were incredibly worn and broken. If they had been in better condition, the way yours is, I would have happily worn them as-is!

Again, the ring is beautiful and I love the story behind it!
 
#13
It is beautiful and I would totally keep it in tact, same size and everything for the time being. There is no need to rush into a decision with it. You never know, your tastes may change and one day you might decide you'd like to have it as a primary or even an alternative to your engagement ring.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top
Back