Love Thursday: Ring Around the Wrist
Back in 2007, I wrote about my mom’s friend/mother-like figure Kitty in Remembering the Silver Years. As Kitty was being moved into a nursing home, she was giving my mom all kinds of amazing gifts from her past, many of which my mother passed on to me, as I wrote about in the post.
Our dear Kitty passed away a few months after that, and my mother then inherited more of her things, mainly jewelry. When my mom came to visit me last summer, she brought remembrances of Kitty’s life with her and we went through them, piece by piece.
I’m not a big jewelry person. I would never request any as a gift because I just don’t wear it often enough, but jewelry as keepsakes of those who have passed on? The best.
A ring, necklace, bracelet, or watch not only physically touched the person at one time, it also surely touched her on some emotional level–a memory of picking it out in the store, the first time she wore it, who had given it to her (for better or worse), how it was always too big or small, etc.
So many of Kitty’s pieces are beautiful, and I’m sure each could tell quite a tale as she lived a most interesting life, but my very favorite is this one:
What could be more special than a heart wrapped around my wrist, reminding me of a person who always made me smile and who loved me like a granddaughter?
Happy Love Thursday everyone!
Do you have special pieces of jewelry that were passed down to you?
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Michelle Kaminsky is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer who lived in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy for 15 years. This blog is now archived.
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I probably have some cuff links and some other small pieces that I no longer wear.
That really is one beautiful ring with a heart and from someone special in your life. I am sure it will bring you good luck.
I don’t actually wear it very often, but I do have it sitting where I can see it 🙂 Keep those cufflinks! Your offspring may want them someday….
I have my great grandmother’s topaz ring – we share the same birthstone. The ring is waaaay to small and I can’t bring myself to have it fitted because it would alter it so much. I’m not quite sure what to do with it – But i love it just the same.
judy haley (coffeejitters)’s last blog post..Canon Beach
I have quite a few pieces of my grandmother’s jewelry…she used to give them to me periodically. One is a big garnet (her birthstone) but the bottom of it wore out b/c it was so thin and now makes for uncomfortable wearing, but you remind me…I should see if I can do something with it.
I wish I had my father’s watch. It was a classic, and he had it from the beginning of my memories. I should ask my mom about it. Beautiful love thursday.
Beatriz’s last blog post..42 things I will like to do before I turn 43
Oh I hope you can get it Beatriz. Sometimes it’s nice to have something tangible to link to memories 🙂
I have a pair of my grandmother’s earrings, and a necklace that belonged to my other grandmother. I plan to keep them for a granddaughter of my own (if I ever get one) or for my sister’s daughter. I don’t wear them because they are very fragile, but I like the idea of them being passed on to another generation.
joanne at frutto della passione’s last blog post..Hello 2009
Lovely Joanne; I love the idea of passing things on too 🙂
Such a beautiful bracelet, or is it a ring…I thought you said heart wrapped around your wrist..either way it is beautiful.
I don’t have any jewellery of my grandmothers but a little trinket box..and my fathers watch went to my brother..but I still have very good memories 🙂
anne’s last blog post..Christmas Present to my hubby……
It’s a bracelet, Anne, and it’s teeny tiny because Kitty was a teeny tiny woman! I love old trinket boxes too, especially those with sentimental value 🙂
When my Dad was in the Service and stationed in Turkey, he had a jewelry street vendor make a ring that my Dad drew on a piece of paper. Nothing too fancy, a sapphire with some tiny diamonds, but I always loved the color. He gave it to me a few years ago and I had it cleaned and sized for me. I don’t wear it often at all but I love the fact that he gave it to me.
My oldest son(6), asked if he could have it when he gets older(mostly because it looks like one of his blue marbles I think 🙂 ). Hopefully it will mean as much to him.
What a sweet story! I’m sure he’s going to love it 🙂
Yes, I have a beautiful necklace that was given to my grandmother by HER grandmother when she graduated High School. When I graduated, she gave it to me. Sadly, the tradition will end there because I had no children of my own. I guess I’ll have to transfer it laterally to my niece?
Happy Thursday,
Kate
shibori girl’s last blog post..What’s Cooking Sunday
Oh I think your niece will love it!
Happy Love Thursday to you Sognatrice! That is a beautiful bracelet and a beautiful memento of someone special. Thanks for sharing.
Amber! Hello! How great to see you! I’ll be over to check up on you in a sec 🙂
Happy Love Thursday.
I’m still sad about the very pretty bracelet I lost in college from my late grandmother. I didn’t realize that the clasp had broken.
My parents still have the necklace she gave me. It had a little cross, anchor and heart charm on it. I think it’s some kind of sailor good luck thing. She lived on an island so I get the anchor.
For some reason I rarely wear necklaces (this drives my mom nuts) and wear more silver than gold but maybe I should get my necklace next time I visit my parents. It’s the only thing I have from her. She died when I was eight.
nyc/caribbean ragazza’s last blog post..It’s cold, it’s raining…here’s a little Don Draper to brighten your day
Oh that’s so sad about the bracelet 🙁 The necklace sounds cute! I hear you though–I’m not a big necklace or gold wearer either. Still I’m sure you can make an exception every now and again 🙂
Beautiful bracelet!!! May more love be on its way to you!
I have a 2 matching ruby bracelets and a necklace from my grandmom which I absolutely adore. I hope to pass it on to the next generation some day! I never treasured them as much when I was younger…but now they have a special place in my heart. It’s too bad I never got to know my grandmom ….I was 3 when she passed away!
Deepa’s last blog post..The lady in the mirror – short story
They sound gorgeous Deepa, and yes, appreciation definitely has grown with age with me as well 🙂
I did…but they got stolen in a break-in at our old apartment. :-(((
saretta’s last blog post..Winter Fishing
Oh that’s horrible!!!!! Stronzi.
Wow…what a beautiful bracelet!
Gigi’s last blog post..Icy
Thanks Gigi, and thanks for coming by!
What a loving piece. My daughter received my mother in law’s ring when she turned 15. It’s a black opal that Gran had purchased in Japan many years ago when she was in the Marines. Lily, my daughter, really cherishes it.
Teresa’s last blog post..Happy Birthday Elvis!
Sounds beautiful Teresa! What a lucky gal your daughter is 🙂
I do wear jewelry and I have a silver filagree and amethyst ring, claddagh ring and diamonds made into earrings that all once belonged to my Grandmother. My brother gave his wife my Grandmothers diamond from her wedding ring and put it into another setting that she liked. That is her engagement ring.
My Melange’s last blog post..Love Thursday: Funny Faces
What great pieces you have! My grandmother actually had two engagement rings (both from my grandfather!); my brother got one (which he gave to his wife) and I have the other. I’ll post about it someday when I remember to get a nice photo 🙂
I have two very special pieces of jewellery that belonged to my father. The first is a gold chain with a crucifix pendant. He gave it to me a couple months before he passed away and I wear it often, it brings me alot of comfort because my dad wore this chain all the time…it was close to his heart always and now it is close to mine. The other piece of jewellery is an Italian charm bracelet that my father used to wear all the time. After my father passed away, I asked if I could have it. I wear it all the time because it reminds me of him.
LuLu’s last blog post..In Pictures: Carpanzano (parte due/part 2)
Such wonderful remembrances LuLu! Thanks for sharing 🙂