“Almost ready?” he asked gently, poking his head around their bedroom door, a playful smile on his lips. Tonight for their date Henry was taking her on some kind of adventure. The activity, refreshments, and even the location were details she hadn’t been able to tease out of him.
“At least give me a hint! I don’t even know what to wear. Heels or sneakers? My silver clutch or a backpack?” Grace bantered back, shaking her head at his mischievous expression in the mirror of their vanity.
Decades had grizzled this husband of hers a bit. Although, his propensity for thoughtful, memorable surprises would likely never fade. Although it would sure be fun to turn the tables on him and surprise him for once!
Standing up and gathering her things to depart, Grace’s eye glanced downward at the dusty velvet box in 
the far corner of her dressing table. Sliding it toward her, she cracked open the familiar clamshell case. “My first wedding ring,” Grace thought, as she fondly remembered her sweet young husband proposing. They hadn’t had much except each other, and she had found out only later of the long hours he had worked to save for that first ring.
Many years had since passed, with three children along the way. He had later given her another wedding ring as a surprise for their 25th anniversary. Upon replacing her first ring with this unexpected token of his unchanging love, she found herself not knowing what exactly to do with her first ring. Although she greatly enjoyed looking down at the new sparkle on her left hand, she was wistful about keeping her first wedding ring in a box.
“That’s it!” Grace thought to herself, and an idea was born. Later that week, she made an appointment with Forever Facets to remake her original wedding ring into something equal parts beautiful, meaningful, and symbolic of her undying love for her husband and the children they shared. “This ring should be different,” she told Julie. “It’s not just a simple, traditional wedding ring anymore; it should convey so much more – a statement of where we’ve been and where we are now,” and together we uncovered the perfect design.
What’s Old is New Again
Central to the new ring were the original diamonds. Formerly three round stones, Julie multiplied their dazzling effect by fashioning several freshly shaped stones spread across five elegant golden bands. The gold from Grace’s original band was saved and crafted into the new piece and is seen both from the inside and back of the ring. This original gold denotes the ever-faithful nature of their relationship, through both storms and sunshine. Grace and Henry see themselves as continually being forged together, refined over the years like gold in a fire. Woven into elegant ropes, the gold further symbolizes partnership and resilience.
But the most noticeable difference in Grace’s new ring is the addition of color. To honor her children, Grace chose vibrant birthstones in unique shapes to represent each child’s special character. The first, a spring green Tourmaline cut into a Marquise; the second, a deep green Tsavorite Garnet cut into a Round; the third, a brilliant fuchsia Alexandrite cut into a Trillion.
Together, the colorful precious gems complement each other and the several sparkling diamonds, creating one spectacular piece.
The Finished Product
When inquired how satisfied she is with this new incarnation of her original wedding ring, Grace lights up with a smile and proudly displays the ring on her hand. “I wear it every day,” she says. “Julie’s skill and intuition gave me the confidence to make the plunge with a new design for my first wedding ring. Julie was able to maintain the integrity of the original piece while creating something even better. It’s something fresh that embodies how full our lives are now.”
When asked how her husband reacted to her old-turned-new ring, Grace breaks into another smile. “Henry absolutely loved it. He’s so glad I can wear both rings that mean so much to me and not have to choose between them. And yes, he was so surprised that I had been thinking all this time about what to do with our first ring – and that I hadn’t forgotten.”
As for Grace’s words of wisdom for those with long-lost jewelry hidden away: “Jewelry shouldn’t just sit in a box on a dressing table. Life is short. I now know that special jewelry is meant to be worn and enjoyed!”
If you’d like to bring your forgotten memories to life, contact Julie today. She’ll make sure your old ring is something you won’t keep in a box.
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