Thirty-One Things Day 1- Jewelry

Ever since I was a little kid, jewelry has been a part of my life. I chalk it up to the face that my mother has always had a love of fine jewelry, and has always worn a lot of it. For every holiday, my mother would buy my Grandmother a piece of fine Jewelry from Slovic's in Oceanside (Where I grew up). One was a ruby and diamond heart pendant; another time it was a ring with my brother and my birthstones, amethyst and aquamarine. My Mother bought this jewelry for the intent that me being the only granddaughter would inherit all this fine jewelry. That's until most of it was stolen. The two pieces of jewelry that stand out most were my Grandmothers 14k gold charm bracelet, and her 5-carat aquamarine ring. When I was little Grandma would always let me play with the beautiful shiny charm bracelet and would say, "Someday this will be yours". I loved how pretty it was. She had charms from when her and my Grandfather got married, from the birth of her only child- my father, from my birth, from special places that she had been. The bracelet had a history all it's own. Sadly, that someday never came. Years later, I found in my jewelry box, a silver charm bracelet with a few of the same charms that were on the gold one, but in silver. When I asked my dad about it, he told me that Grandma used it as a "starter bracelet" until she could afford the gold one--post depression era. I remember her large aquamarine ring and it's antique plain setting. She bought it when I was born, since I was her first Grandchild. She loved that ring. I loved that ring. It's simple styling, square cut and the star infused in the cut of the gemstone, made it one of a kind. My Grandmother remarried after my Grandfather died, and the man she married tried to do everything possible to erase my Grandmother's previous marriage. When she passed away in 1991 he melted down the beloved charm bracelet and made some different jewelry for his two daughters. I was crushed. He kept the aquamarine in it's original design because he didn't think it was worth anything. My parents went through probate fighting for all that they were entitled to (My dad was an only child). Much up for debate was the jewelry. They finally brought what was left of the jewelry that he hadn't given his daughters, and Praise God, the aquamarine. Mom kept a silver brief case in her closet, with all her jewelry and the jewelry that was left from Grandma's passing. In 1998, a lot of the jewelry from that brief case was stolen and sold to local pawnshops, and then re-sold. Fortunately, the aquamarine ring was hidden in a cookie jar, and managed to escape the theft. For my 30th (in 2004) Birthday mom FINALLY gave me the ring that was willed to me in 1991. I don't wear it for fear of losing it, however Marty and I are looking at getting it made into a necklace (in it's original form) with the loose diamonds we have from the earrings he bought me after I suffered my 2nd miscarriage. For my every day jewelry, on my left ring finger I wear my engagement and wedding rings. On my right ring finger, I wear my 5-year, 5 diamond anniversary band. I usually change my earrings out daily, however I have a pair of diamond stud earrings that I plan on wearing more often, since Amelia is starting to grab the dangly earrings. Marty bought the diamond earrings for me Christmas 2007. As for that Gold charm bracelet, we are in the market to buy me my own, and it will have a history all of it's own.