Your first jewelry memories

[lisalovesshoes]

First ever memory was shucking an oyster at one of those touristy stalls in Hawaii and it had a little pink pearl in it!! The guy made it into a ring for me and I refused to take it off for a verryyyy long time! lol I still have it somewhere!

First REAL jewelry memory is my mom making me go with her to our jeweler when she had her heart necklace made... I remember thinking it was so awful! She wore it not too long ago and still think it's gaudy!! hahah It's a 24kt yellow gold graduated bezel set heart diamond necklace... she rhodium plated it awhile ago to 'modernise' it, still awful!

 

[sin vergüenza]

I love this thread!

My first jewelry memories were of my mother wearing a woven YG cuff bracelet. It was unique - flexible and about 3/4 inch wide with VCA/like Clover motifs around it. She wore it everywhere.

My other memory is a trip to Hawaii when I was very small. My mother was after something with gold coral - which apparently was/is very rare(?). She squealed with delight when my father bought her a simple YG/gold coral ring. I remember it like it was yesterday.

She didn't have much but she loved the pieces she had. She's been gone a while now and I'm near the half century mark myself. and, of course, I wear these two pieces together often! The bracelet always draws admiring comments because it's so different.

 

[BittyMonkey]

Those are great, very classic!

I took one just for you!

 

[lubird217]

Lubird217,
This my late grandmother's favorite diamond ring. 6 Emerald cut flawless diamond ring. This ring is very simple and over 30 years old. My mom told me my grandmother chose these 6 diamonds from a bag full of loose damonds herself. Sorry tried to capture the ring but iphone pics are not the best.

That's gorgeous!

 

[digby723]

I'm not exactly sure what my first memory is, but I have several from when I was young, since my dad used to buy my mom a lot of jewelry when they were first married, and my grandmother (who lived really close to us) has always been decked out in rings, necklaces and earrings lol.

I remember my grandmother always giving me quarter when I was little, so my grandpa could take me to the grocery store in their town and get the cheapo jewelry from the "vending" machines. I had tons of plastic rings because of my grandparents, which I think fueled my jewelry obsession lol, and My grandma would make sure to always give me earrings (once I got my ears pierced at 7) or necklaces for Christmas and birthdays.

I also remember receiving a gold bangle and a gold and pearl necklace one year, although I'm not sure if I received them at the same time. No idea of they are real or not, but they were gifts from my parents for Easter, and I still have them. I just remember feeling so special to have something like them, and I loved thinking that I was like my mom and grandma since I had "grown up" jewelry.

 

[HauteMama]

For as long as I can remember my mother has worn a long gold chain with different heart pendants on it. She has hearts to represent various people - her children and grandchildren. My kids sit on her lap and examine each heart and love to hear the stories behind each one.

And I remember thinking my mother's engagement/wedding set was the most beautiful thing ever, and I was gutted when she re-set the stones into one of the very wide YG bands popular in the late 80's/early 90's. Much to my delight, I learned she kept the original setting in her lock-box, and I fully intend to restore it someday (though I hope not anytime soon, as my mother is worth far more than any ring).

My DD used to wear a mood ring that turned her finger green, but she wouldn't take it off. Then she lost it while we were on vacation and she was hysterical. So I bought her a "real" ring when we got home (inexpensive gemstones set in sterling). Much to her credit (she is only 7), she wears that ring 24/7 and hasn't even come close to misplacing it, much less losing it. I wonder if this ring will be her first jewelry memory!

 

[Kitsunegrl]

My first definite memory is getting my ears pierced. My mom wanted to do hers, but didn't want to go alone so she took me AND made me go first!
I was about 4 years old then.

My dad was in the military and when he would have to go TDY, he would bring us jewelry back. I rememer coral earrings, 14k yellow gold rose earrings with emeralds in the center, and some 14k plumeria earrings from Hawaii.

 

[ashiraya]

My grandmother gave me 24k gold ruby bracelet when I was 4.

 

[Lanier]

My great grandfather started a jewelry store that was well known in our state -- my whole family worked there and some of the earliest memories I have is running around the store! So I would definitely say jewelry has played an important role in my life.

My grandmother was known as the "pearl lady" and did most of the pearl purchasing for the store. I have some gorgeous pearl pieces that will always have a lot of meaning to me.

 

[BeautyAddict58]

I got a cute little enameled ladybug pendant on a gold chain from my parents. I don't know how old I was exactly, but I was not allowed to wear it every day. Once my dad took me to a concert (Beethoven's 5th) because my mom was sick and they did not want to waste the ticket. I wore a little red pantsuit and my necklace. I felt so grown up and sophisticated - and I wasn't even 10 at the time!
The first piece of jewelry I could actually wear was a gold snake ring I got when I was 12 - still love snake rings!

 

[momtok]

Earliest -- A gold cross with a small diamond that my mom gave me as a child. I was somewhere in elementary school at the time, and absolutely loved it.

Most sentimental (and yet, something that I rarely wear) -- A sterling silver "luckenbooth" brooch, with a gem made of dried-pressed-and-dyed heather from Scotland. (A luckenbooth is like an Irish claddaugh, but minus the hands.) My husband proposed to me with that luckenbooth. My roots are German and Scottish, with a Scottish last name, and I had learned that gentlemen used to propose with luckenbooths some years ago in Scotland. Then the couple would pin it to their future babies' blankets/christening gowns. Soon after, I was able to design my own engagement ring ... but that luckenbooth has always made me smile.

Ironically, that engagement ring has a newer, completely different memory attached. I don't like diamonds, and the ring is basically one ruby, for love, accented by blue sapphires for faithfulness. The first time I ever held our daughter (she was 10 months old at the time, having been adopted), she was absolutely fascinated by that ruby. Absolutely fascinated. It soon turned out, red is her favorite color.

As for daughter, I don't know what her first memory is, but I bet I know what her most emotional one would be --- a pearl necklace and bracelet set her Philipino Godfather brought back from the Philipines. The pearls were probably cultured in China, but then purchased in the Philipines, which is even more fitting. Daughter is from an area in China that has a signfiicant Philipino population, and my Chinese friends think daughter is actually part Philipino herself. Indeed, we believe she was matched up with us because we told China that she would have a Philipino Godfather. Even now, daughter is the spitting image of her Godfather's sister at that age. ... But anyway, those pearls, while far from the most expensive in the world (freshwater baroque, dyed peacock color), have both Chinese and Philipino history to them, much as we think daughter does. I know she absolutely adores them, even more than various gold pendants her grandmothers have given her.

eta: Quick editing to attach a pic of the luckenbooth. Bad lighting, bad color, a photographer I am *not*.
.

 

[I.WANT.IT.ALL]

My earliest memory I can remember is in elementary school....maybe around 7. We were living in Ft Benning, GA. My mom bought me a gold nugget like ring. Looked just like hers. I was so happy to have something exactly like my moms. A classmate asked to borrow it so foolish me let her. When I asked for it back she said she lost it . But I now have my mom's ring. It is so hideous and outdated but it brings back childhood memories.

I WONDER IF ANYONE KNOWS WHAT RING I'M TALKING ABOUT?? LOL

When I was 12 we were living in Hawaii at the time. My dad was always gone every other month for a whole month. He would go to Vietnam, Laos, Thailand....for POW MIA.

I remember missing him sooo much and when it was time for him to come home, I was very excited to see him. He gave me a little pouch and in it was a 18kt thick rope gold chain with a Chinese character in a heart pendant that read Love. I always got compliments on it. I stopped wearing it around the age of 19. That's when I started to wear white gold. I am glad YG is making a come back!

Love all the stories!!!

 

[ecmf]

great idea for a new thread op.

the first memory that comes to my mind was when I was aout 5ish I was watching a movie or cartoon (can't remember) and a girl in it got an engagement ring. so ofcourse I said to mum I want one lol. when I woke up the next morning she had gone through her jewellery box and found me an old silver ring of hers to play with. it's not worth anything but when I woke to see a magical ring on the chair in my room I fell in love with it and played with it for years until it fit me. then I wore it during high school. I still have it in my jewellery box now but stopped wearing it as since then mum gave me all her "good" rings

 

[Jewelleryfan]

When I was a boy I sneaked into my mothers room to wear her jewellery....Then I started getting my own....and now I cannot wear enough nor live without...