This afternoon I took my mother's wedding ring set to a jeweler to find out if I could take out the stones and put them into new settings. My mother's set included a band of small diamonds, a band of tiny sapphires, and another small band of emeralds and diamonds. Each of the bands are different in style and size.
But after the jeweler examined them, it turned out that the sapphires and the emeralds, being soft stones, were too scratched and damaged to safely remove and remount in another setting. "She really wore the life out of these," the jeweler remarked. Yes, she did. Mother wore them every day and I never saw remove them when gardening, cleaning, washing, cooking or for any other reason. She didn't believe in saving your good things--she believed in wearing and enjoying them every day.
So I decided to have the diamonds in the band, which are in good condition, put in a setting that I will be able to wear often. When I do, I will think about Mother and the two rings that went back to my jewelry box. And that will remind me to enjoy my good things every day.
But after the jeweler examined them, it turned out that the sapphires and the emeralds, being soft stones, were too scratched and damaged to safely remove and remount in another setting. "She really wore the life out of these," the jeweler remarked. Yes, she did. Mother wore them every day and I never saw remove them when gardening, cleaning, washing, cooking or for any other reason. She didn't believe in saving your good things--she believed in wearing and enjoying them every day.
So I decided to have the diamonds in the band, which are in good condition, put in a setting that I will be able to wear often. When I do, I will think about Mother and the two rings that went back to my jewelry box. And that will remind me to enjoy my good things every day.