the birth of my newest charm

[whitby_2773]

thank you diamond*dana, marcyc and marrylee - it's lovely to be able to share this precious process with you. the charm is being made from a bangle that my grandfather gave my mother on her 21st birthday many years ago. when i turned 21, my mother asked me what i'd like for my 21st gift, and i said i'd like the bangle my grandfather gave her when she turned 21. it had been snapped in two over the years and someone had tried to fix it using lead solder - which didnt work well. i wasnt even sure it could be fixed, but i knew i wanted to try; i had been in love with that bangle all my life and was fascinated with it as a child.

a week or two later, my mother said to me that she had thought it through and that she had decided she wanted to hold onto it a little longer - that she'd pass it on to me when she died, but not before. about one week after this conversation, while away for the weekend with my father, at the age of 58, my mother had a heart attack and died. this was 1 week before my 21st birthday. so she did indeed pass it on to me - both when she died and when i turned 21. since then, it's stayed in my jewelry box, broken (it can't be fixed), for many years, and i'm now using it to make a charm with her birthstone in it for me, and a ring for my sister. precious, precious stuff.

and AGBF - i will photograph it from EVERY angle - just for you!

brace yourself, lady, photo flood coming....

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Whitby - you just brought tears to my eyes. I am glad you are able to reuse the bangle for a charm on your bracelet. Very special and sentimental.

 

[Catmom]

Oh Kareyn, I just read your update and can''t wait to see the new charm/pendant. It holds such wonderful and meaningful memories! In fact most of your jewelry does. You are so blessed to have these beloved pieces!

 

[whitby_2773]

thanks Lady_Disdain and Michelle

michelle, i really *am* lucky with the things that i have. most of my jewelry means something special.

i think that''s why i was *so* upset when i read about AGBF''s daughter purposely destroying her jewelry. that''s just heartbreaking! as anyone with a little life''s experience knows - it''s not the financial value - it''s the MEMORIES. you can''t replace those....

i collect my charm next friday and i''m just bouncing out of my own underpants here! i collect my sister''s ring the following week. julie''s ring is a half round 3mm band, slightly tapered at the back, slightly thicker (height-wise) at the front. it will have 2 tiny diamonds flush set (mom''s birth stone) with a small sapphire in the middle (my sister''s birthstone). so it will be representative of my mother still surrounding my sister, even tho no longer with us. and it spans 3 generations also, so i''m hoping she loves it.

there will be a little gold left over, so i am going to combine it with a setting my father gave my mother for their 25th wedding anniversary - the last one before she died - and make a ring identical to my sister''s. the bangle had a small ruby in it, and that''s been removed. it will go in the middle of my ring, again with 2 diamonds - one either side. ruby isnt my birthstone, but it was from the original bangle and started my lifelong love affair with that gem.

 

[Catmom]

I bet you are just bouncing! I can''t wait to see it and your sister''s ring. It sounds beautiful as well as very meaningful. Does she know about it or will it be a total surprise? She undoubtedly will love it!

 

[whitby_2773]

hi michelle

i told her ages ago i wanted to make her a ring from metal from this bangle, but i haven''t mentioned it since, and i''m *sure* she doesn''t realize i''ve organized this while here in australia. i think it should come out beautifully; i''m using my local jeweler, but he''s a master jeweler who also teaches jewelry making. he currently has students of his now designing for harry winston and one who is currently applying to a well known NY designer much sought after on these boards. so it''s a very, very small world, and there are great jewelers everywhere if one knows where to look.

i can''t wait to see these things; every time i do a project like this, i feel like i bring a small piece of my family back to life.

 

[whitby_2773]

well, i picked up both my charm and my sister''s new ring today.

however....

my charm isn''t a charm. it''s definitely a pendant! i''m currently wearing it on the same chain as the charm tim and i had made with the leftover gold from our remade wedding rings. together they look beautiful i''m LOVING this new charm/pendant!

my sister''s new ring (her part of my mother''s remade ex-bangle) is very simple and small, but totally, totally lovely. wonderfully made!

i found out today that the jeweler i''ve been using, who i just KNEW was very good, is going to be taking one of his students to London as Australia''s entrant in the jewelry division of the World Skills competition in 2011. i feel so lucky to have found this jeweler; he''s terrific. (free plug for Darren from Nauthe''s Jewelers in Springwood, NSW Australia!) he has students who have worked as designers for Harry Winston and other prestigious jewelry houses around the world; i couldn''t help but be impressed.

anyway...photos tomorrow!

 

[Catmom]

Date: 3/12/2010 8:40:30 AM
Author: whitby_2773
well, i picked up both my charm and my sister''s new ring today.

however....

my charm isn''t a charm. it''s definitely a pendant! i''m currently wearing it on the same chain as the charm tim and i had made with the leftover gold from our remade wedding rings. together they look beautiful i''m LOVING this new charm/pendant!

my sister''s new ring (her part of my mother''s remade ex-bangle) is very simple and small, but totally, totally lovely. wonderfully made!

i found out today that the jeweler i''ve been using, who i just KNEW was very good, is going to be taking one of his students to London as Australia''s entrant in the jewelry division of the World Skills competition in 2011. i feel so lucky to have found this jeweler; he''s terrific. (free plug for Darren from Nauthe''s Jewelers in Springwood, NSW Australia!) he has students who have worked as designers for Harry Winston and other prestigious jewelry houses around the world; i couldn''t help but be impressed.

anyway...photos tomorrow!

Oh I can''t wait to see the photos!! Are you sure we have to wait until tomorrow????

It sounds like you''ve found a phenominal jeweler. Has your sister seen the ring yet? What did she think?

 

[artdecogirl]

Whitby, Tim did a excellent photo job! I do so love a warm diamond in yellow gold and what a great story behind it! And a perfect gift for your sister as well. That charm bracelet thread has inspired me to restart collecting for my long forgotten charm bracelet, I am leaving on vacation to Ireland this week and that is the only thing on my list to buy, a new charm! (and.... well maybe a aran sweater and some connemara marble jewelery) HAHA. I think the idea for a book is great, seriously! As the popularity of the thread shows, many women have or have had a charm bracelet sometime in their lives often with charms commemorating important events / milestones of that persons life or given to them by someone important. The book would appeal to a large audience. I say go for it! Looking forward to pics of the new pieces.

 

[AGBF]

Oh, whitby! I thought I was going to see pictures when I saw that there was an update! I am eagerly awaiting the photos. Will you wear the new pendant as a charm at all? Do you want to spread it thin like that? I think I would have mixed emotions about doing that if I were in your shoes.

On the one hand, if it was easily portable, you could put it on every time you put on the charm bracelet. On the other hand, it might not feel as "special" as a permanent pendant or charm.

I think it is a very personal decision. [Kind of like whether to use colored enamel on one's yellow gold charms .]

I long for those pictures, whitby!!!

Hugs,
Deb/AGBF

 

[whitby_2773]

and here she is! my new charm/pendant, made from my deceased mother''s 21st gift from her dad, my grandfather.

the diamond is a .46 K SI1, which is kind of special, as my initials are KS

i''ve got it on the same chain as the pendant tim and i had made from the leftover gold from our remade wedding rings; don''t they look pretty?

i''m so pleased! thank you to all those who went on this journey with me; this piece is precious!

i''ll also post in SMTR to show this pendant, but also the ring i had made for my sister with the other half od the gold from the bangle. i''m seeing her tomorrow to surprise her

thanks so much for being interested ladies - it really meant something to me.

xo

 

[whitby_2773]

2 of 4

 

[whitby_2773]

3 of 4

 

[whitby_2773]

and here she is in profile...

she''s a beauty

 

[AGBF]

whitby-

Your pendants are really beautiful together! Seeing them like that reminds me of seeing two charming gold and diamond keys (one of them may not have been set with diamonds) on a chain at Tiffany's. I really sat up and took notice of those two keys even though I had never been interested in keys before I saw those two together!

The pendant/charm is beautiful all by itself, too, and is a thousand times more special given its special origins. I know you will wear the new beautiful charm in good health and happiness-with-Tim.

Love,
Deb/AGBF

 

[dragonfly411]

Whitby - I''m so excited for you!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[whitby_2773]

thank you so much, Deb

i absolutely love this charm. i lost my mom when she was 58 and my dad when he was only 52. so i've been without parents at this point most of my life and mementos such as this are so precious to me.

the diamond itself is bezeled in white gold, then yellow gold in a 'step' sort of arrangement. i'll try to get around to taking some photos of the back, too, at some point; it's lovely from all angles.

and you need to update your charm bracelet thread, missy! i'm looking forward to seeing it as you add charms

big hug to you!

and thanks also, dragonfly, i'm excited too

 

[Catmom]

So did your sister love her ring?? Inquiring minds want to know. lol.

 

[whitby_2773]

hi michelle

i put up a longish post in the thread in SMTR - link. it''s about half way down the page on 3/15.

it was a really special moment which i will always remember.

life is made of memories like these, isnt it?

 

[Catmom]

Kareyn, her reaction brought me to tears. Such a special moment for you two!

 

[whitby_2773]

michelle - it really was.

julie and i dont have a lot of moments like that - especially given how emotionally reserved she is. but this was one of the few, and i''ll remember it forever.