Picture this: late night, comfortable couch, kids in bed, computer warm in your lap. You are casually and most innocently visiting your favorite websites in the "I'm not reeaaaally shopping for anything" mode and … POW!!! There it is. That amazing something you were not really looking for, even though, in fact, you were looking. Or was it looking for you? Whatever IT is (jewelry for me, and probably for you if you are reading this), you have just spotted something that makes you weak, your heart race. You are experiencing genuine and unchecked emotions of desire. You can feel it in the beat of your palpitating heart, deep in your gut, and you just know - I must have this. There is only one and it is meant to be mine. It has traveled all this way, waited all these years for me, and only me, to find it. Are you with me? Please tell me you have experienced this before...
I can never equate this experience to finding the pair of the perfect shoes on sale, or any sale item really, be it shoes or handbags. When I find the one thing, it's always a doozy and never on sale. But this baby- she was just worth it. I was completely won over. Luckily for me, the timing of unearthing this ring was appropriate since my wedding anniversary was approaching. I have always coveted a statement eternity band for my anniversary, but was fair warned early on by my beloved that I would be waiting at least ten years for it. Too bad this was only our 9th anniversary. I was sad the timing was not right, but my husband had been away for a few weeks and they were starting to feel long. That's when a girl (an irrational girl like me perhaps?) starts contemplating her many sacrifices (no Starbucks!?) and why she deserves to own such a ring now rather than later. She hopes he feels the same way!
Casually, I text him images of the ring. He shows little interest. Is he just super busy and doesn't want to indulge his bored wife?? I, meanwhile, obsessively visit the ring online and commit the beautiful and alluring description to memory. This is how it read :
"Sparkly beaded flapper dresses, open air cars with sexy lines, bobbed hair. A ring had a lot of compete with in the 1930's! This is one that truly holds its own. I was simply mesmerized by this fascinating Edwardian diamond ring. Diamonds upon diamonds upon diamonds. Expertly handworked platinum is domed and pierced to allow the diamonds to catch light and never let it go. Make sure to take your eyes off it occasionally, you wouldn't want to miss the party!"
Fast forward to another cozy night on the couch, but this time with my husband back home. I wait for the perfect moment, and enthusiastically and semi-spontaneously but with much forethought erupt in a "hey, let’s visit that ring together, I want to show it to you!" He agrees! I'm so excited, like I just ate a pixie stick and I have sugar coursing through my veins. My computer decides to take forever to load. It is painfully slow. I fear he is losing interest. Is my window of opportunity closing? He patiently waits. When the page finally loads, I immediately spot a big red sign next to the ring that is my destiny and it says SOLD. Gasp! I die, almost literally. I am too late. It is gone. My heart falls as if I've just taken a plunge on a roller coaster. Tears immediately stream from my eyes. I am pathetically, but completely, heartbroken over a ring.
He laughs at me, takes my head, kisses me and says "It will be here on Wednesday," the date of our 9th wedding anniversary. My tears are now tears of joy. I am battling with the notion of how ridiculous I am while simultaneously enjoying my husband’s pure genius in finding it. I am also completely taken by its predestined fate - it was originally someone's Christmas present to their wife in 1930 (as the engraving states), yet it was also meant for me.
With antique jewelry you don't always know the history of a piece, and I love my very specific knowledge of this ring. I love to tell this story. I know it makes me seem silly and perhaps even a little crazy, but it reminds me how much my husband loves me; he searched for days online to find this ring for me from just a small text message picture. Although I don't know if I am the second (or third) lucky lady to own and admire this rare and gorgeous ring, I have the opportunity to cherish it for the rest of my life. Here’s to hoping my daughter will love it just as much as I do, she will get to add her own history to it, as I will leave it to her someday.
