Heirloom jewelry

[mbcdefg]

I was just reading a blog post from someone who wore a great-great-great grandmother’s ring and a grandmother’s precious gem earrings on her wedding day. I don’t think either of my grandmothers even had an engagement ring - I know my parental grandmother has a wedding band. My mom said my maternal grandmother asked to leave me some diamond ring she had after she died but apparently my uncle took it so I didn’t get it, but idk how true that story is. She left behind some costume jewelry but nothing particularly special. My parents could barely afford my mom’s e-ring, and she lost the diamond from it around the time my dad died.

I honesty grew up thinking that only REALLY rich people in my grandparents’ era owned precious jewelry because I just never experienced it. But anyway, it made me wonder just how common it is to inherit heirloom jewelry from relatives. Do you have any special pieces? Do you have plans in place to pass things down to your own children?

My only fine jewelry is my diamond engagement ring and my (plain palladium) wedding ring. The only other jewelry I own is really cheap stuff, and I rarely wear it anyway, so nothing besides the wedding set is worth passing down.

It makes me wonder if I should treat myself to something nice now with the intention of leaving it to DD someday (I’ve always wanted a classic string of pearls but haven’t bought it because I have zero use for it), or if I should wait until she’s older and then let her choose something for me to buy for her as a gift for a milestone birthday/ graduation/ wedding/ etc.

Random thoughts on a Friday!

[mccallister84]

The diamond in my engagement ring is from my grandmothers engagement ring. I later found out my mother wasn’t completely convinced it wasn’t glass.

H got me diamond studs when we got married. So basically I have that and my engagement ring to hand down to the girls.

[pooh8402]

I wear my great grandmother's engagement ring as a right hand ring. It's circa late 1930s, early 1940s. It has 3 tiny clear stones in it (I think they're small diamonds), white gold and yellow gold. It's not really worth much in terms of money, but I know my family was not really rich back then. I'm pretty sure it's likely the only piece of fine jewelry my great grandmother had.

[flygirl]

I have never inherited any jewelry. My mom lost her center diamond in her e-ring 20 yrs ago and never replaced it but she probably would have given it to my sister anyway.

[kdubs923]

I think a string of pearls would be awesome. My grandmother had started one of those necklaces where you add a pearl every year/milestone for me. But she forgot about it at some point, so I have a necklace with maybe 12 pearls on it. Maybe I'll continue it for DD.

For my wedding, I borrowed my Godmother's pearl necklace. I think she mentioned she would pass it along to me when she passed, but hopefully that's a good long while from now. 

My mom had an engagement ring & wedding band with diamonds on it, but who knows what she did with that after my parents divorced. 

My dad has a ring that likely isn't worth a lot monetarily, but it's pretty much the only physical possession I have from him. I wonder if I could have it made into something I could wear. It's not this one, but very similar. 

[ds1013]

I received my grandmothers right hand diamond ring for my college graduation. She had passed away while I was in college, so my Mom and Aunt gave it to me. It was designed by my grandmother's father for her college graduation - with 2 diamonds (each about 1/2 to 3/4 ct) from his mother and his aunt (my great great grandmother and my great great aunt), and he added in 12 very small diamonds to make it a beautiful ring. I'm sadly not wearing it today so I can't share a pic.

I think it wold be awesome to purchase something now, when able, with the intention of passing along to your children!

[mbcdefg]

When we were getting our high school rings, the school said we could participate in the ring ceremony with any ring we wanted, although most girls bought the Jostens ring.

One of my classmates’ parents offered to let her design a custom ring with a jeweler instead. It was a wide gold band with a small diamond and the school name on it. I really like the idea of that and I would like to come up with a similar plan for DD if/when the time comes. I never wore my class ring after high school (and never bought a college ring, but I also didn’t go to a prestigious school with a long-standing ring tradition) so it was a waste of money. Hopefully DD would get more mileage from another ring and I could probably buy her something pretty for about the same amount.

[glitzy07]

My mother recently gave my sister and I each a ring that came from my late grandma's jewelry. Most of her stuff was costume jewelry, but my sister's is a small three diamond ring that my grandma wore as a right hand ring, and mine is one that we think was my grandma's mother's wedding ring.

When my mom passes (WHICH WILL BE A MILLION YEARS FROM NOW!), my sister and I will inherit the rings that she wears every day. One is my mom's wedding set that my sister will get (it has her birthstone in it), and the one I'll get is a multi-diamond band that my mom got from my dad's grandma's estate.

[mbcdefg]

Oct 18, 2019 10:09:16 GMT -5 kdubs923 said:

I think a string of pearls would be awesome. My grandmother had started one of those necklaces where you add a pearl every year/milestone for me. But she forgot about it at some point, so I have a necklace with maybe 12 pearls on it. Maybe I'll continue it for DD.

My sister won a free trip to South Africa earlier this year and took her BF along. She always wore faux pearls for special occasions, so he bought her a nice string of real pearls on their trip as a thank you. If I’d thought of it ahead of time I should’ve given her money to pick one up for me as well.

[corgimom]

I don't have any fancy heirloom jewelry from either side. I have sentimental things like one grandmother's wedding band and another pearls (that need to be re-strung or turned into something new).

I'll happily pass what I have along to DD and other kids we may have but I don't intend on buying anything new or fancy just for that purpose. Besides, there is no guarantee that DD or other kids will care about this stuff like I do. It might not be their style and they have never met any of these people so they don't have the emotional connection. I'd rather buy them something special to them at a milestone knowing that it will be loved and cherished.

[covergirl82]

In my family (both my mom and dad's sides), jewelry tends to be passed down to daughters. My mom has all of her mom's and maternal grandma's jewelry. (My mom only has one sibling, a brother.) My mom also inherited jewelry from her dad's side when her aunt passed away. (My mom's aunt never had children of her own to pass it on to, and had most of the family heirloom jewelry in her possession at the time of her death. My grandpa was my great-aunt's only sibling.) My mom got multiple diamonds, including a ring that has two diamonds - I think one is from her grandpa and one is from his dad, her great-grandpa. My great-aunt also had a diamond solitaire (around 1 carat), and I have asked my mom if I can have that after she passes away. I have one sister and she doesn't have kids (and doesn't plan to), so hopefully eventually anything she receives from our mom will go to my kids. (I would like the ring with two diamonds for DS, since the diamonds were his 2x and 3x great-grandpas. The 3x great-grandpa came from Eastern Europe with basically the clothes on his back, so for him to be able to buy a diamond eventually after coming to the US is basically a symbol of him achieving "the American dream.")

I have a pearl necklace that my mom and grandpa (mom's dad) built over the years - each birthday and Christmas, they each added a pearl to the necklace. It was not my favorite gift as a kid, but now it's one of my most treasured possessions, and I have it to pass down to my DD someday.

I haven't decided yet if all the jewelry will pass from me to DD, or if DS will get anything. I guess I'll wait until he's an adult to see if he is interested in anything to pass on to his kids. (I would just be very clear to him that anything he receives is to go to his kids and not his wife, in the event there is a divorce.)

ETA:  I was also just thinking that my dad gave my mom a ruby ring for their 40th anniversary, so I'm hoping my mom would pass that on to me someday so I can give it to DS, as ruby is his birthstone.

[covergirl82]

Oct 18, 2019 10:09:16 GMT -5 kdubs923 said:

I think a string of pearls would be awesome. My grandmother had started one of those necklaces where you add a pearl every year/milestone for me. But she forgot about it at some point, so I have a necklace with maybe 12 pearls on it. Maybe I'll continue it for DD. 

I posted that I have a string of pearls that my mom and grandpa built over the years, and it is one of my most treasured possessions.  My mom ended up adding a few inches after I got engaged so that it was long enough for me to wear to my wedding.  

I go back and forth about starting one for DD (and maybe see if my parents would help add pearls for birthdays and Christmases), or if I just plan to give her mine someday.  I would love for her wear mine to her wedding, though.

[loira]

Jewellery in our family is passed down to daughters or nieces, never sons. This ensures it stays in the family. I have 3 pearl necklaces and an intricate rose gold locket that will go to my DD, along with my wedding band and some pearl and ruby earrings. My mother has a bunch of items she inherited from my grandmother, that either I or my sister will inherit from her. I may also get whatever my cousin doesn't want to inherit from her mother when the time comes - more of our grandmother's and great-grandmother's pieces, there's even a tiara for some reason.

I think jewellery is some of the nicest stuff to inherit, so long as the styles are classic enough. It's small, so unlike my Gran's enormous china hutch, we don't have to find room for it. We do keep it insured though.

[expectantsteelerfan]

My mom inherited her mom's engagement ring, and for my wedding she had earrings made from the diamond from her own engagement ring and the diamond from my grandmother's ring (my parents are divorced and my mom didn't want her ring anymore, had offered it to me when I was getting engaged but I didn't want the diamond for my engagement ring). They aren't a *perfect* match but they are close enough for earrings IMO. I wear the earrings often, and will pass them on to my daughter at some point I'm sure.

I also have 2 engagement rings (longs story, but I developed a gold allergy after having ds, and in an emotional and drunk moment while my dh was deployed, I bought myself a new ring lol). I wear the 2nd ring, so I have an engagement ring just sitting in my drawer. I figure if I haven't done anything else with that diamond before then, I'd offer it to either kid if/when they are getting married if they'd like it, or would like to sell it to put money toward what they want.

I'm not sentimental at all about much. I wouldn't care about diamonds 'staying in the family' or if they took a diamond and reset it. I guess I would want my mom and my grandma's diamonds to stay together now, so if my daughter chose to reset them I'd hope she'd use both (and not sell them), but other than that I don't really care.

[covergirl82]

Oct 18, 2019 10:30:33 GMT -5 corgimom said:

 I'd rather buy them something special to them at a milestone knowing that it will be loved and cherished.

I like this idea as well.  I would like DD to have jewelry that is special and meaningful to her.  Maybe a pair of diamond stud earrings when she graduates high school or college and something else when she gets married.

[blondemoment123]

My grandma gave me her wedding set when we visited this summer. It has a neat, sentimental story behind it. I wear it in place of my wedding set.

[Patsy Baloney]

I have a small jewelry set from my grandma - I have no idea what it's made out of, but my family always treated it as precious. It always tickled me to have it because the earrings have screws on the back, so it must be old!

My family does pass down jewelry, even coming from modest/poor backgrounds, but much of it is from my mom's side and, since she is still living (long may she reign), she still has it all. She has also accumulated quite a few rings, necklaces and earring sets from her "gifts are my love language" husband that are gorgeous. She has printed out pictures of all of them and allowed my two sisters-in-law and I to duke it out over what we want our families to have. It was like high stakes lunch trading. "I'll give you the chocolate diamond necklace and the gold hoops for the sapphire ring." Then we wrote our names on the printouts so we can collect when the time comes   She has also set aside rings for my son and my nephew so that the girls don't get everything. 

I have my engagement and wedding ring, which both have diamonds in them. My H also bought me a ring after my daughter's birth and shortly before my son's that had their birth stones in them - one is an amethyst and one is an emerald. I will absolutely pass those on to them to do as they will. 

I think we're pretty fortunate to have so much to hand down. I'm happy it's definitely a "thing" in my family.

[raangoli]

I wore silver anklets on my wedding day that my maternal grandmother gave my mother specifically for that occasion. I believe they came from my great grandmother. I had our photographer take a picture of them while I was wearing them and it’s one of my favorite pictures from the day.

I also have jewelry that my mother has given me on random occasions throughout childhood and now as an adult. I’ve always thought about making sure I write down why and who it’s from but I haven’t done that.

When I buy jewelry now I do joke that eventually it will be BBs and she can enjoy them. At least I hope she will

[starburst604]

I really wish I did. My grandparents were definitely not wealthy and I'm not even sure what my Nana had for wedding rings. DD is named after her and would love for her to have something from her. I will be sure to pass my engagement and wedding rings down to her - even if me and H didn't stay married I would want her to have them, along with my eternity band with her birthstone (emerald). My mom has a beautiful diamond and sapphire ring she bought herself in Greece that I hope to have someday.

[aspentosh]

My mom is allergic to metal so she won't have anything to pass down. My mom did have a few things from my grandmother and she's passed them down to my sister, me, and DD. Nothing of huge value money-wise. My sister has a few things she's given to me (multi-color sapphire rings, opal ring, and a few other things) and I'll definitely pass a few of those down to DD.

I have a few things of mine but not sure what I'll pass down vs keep. My most special items are my eternity band wedding band and matching 10yr anniversary band and engagement ring. I also have diamond earrings that I haven't taken out in 10+ years.

[jorja]

My paternal grandmother had a lot of stuff, but my dad has five sisters, so I imagine they ended up with it.

I have my engagement ring and wedding band and a pair of diamond studs. One of my dad’s best friends is a jeweler and has gifted me some really beautiful pieces over the years, including a gorgeous opal ring. Not sure how much those are worth though.

[ellipses84]

My grandmas had decent diamond/gold wedding rings but nothing crazy expensive. My mom and stepdad like jewelry so my mom has a lot but most of it is NMS. My grandma passed away right before my wedding and I wore some of her nice vintage costume jewelry - a crystal headband (kind of like a tiara) and matching necklace. My engagement ring was probably worth more than their rings combined and could have been a family heirloom some day but I lost it on a flight for a work trip 😭

[pandorica]

ILs have a lot for some reason. My engagement ring is MILs stone on H's great grandmother's band. They have a couple other diamond rings and loose stones. Nothing is very big or fancy, but it's still strange to me because I don't think my family has any.

I imagine DD will get the bulk of these things when she's older.

[kkfeb04]

My engagement ring is H's grandmother's diamond from her engagement ring. They were married in 1934.

MIL was given all the jewelry from H's grandmothers (his parents were only children). Oldest SIL took the jewelry when they had golden grandchild and pawned it all off.

[liveintheville]

H has 2 watches. One his grandpa had passed to his dad and then one his dad passed to him. H has a watch he’ll pass down to one of the kids. I don’t have anything from my side.

[VillainV]

My sister and I both got stands of pearls from one grandmother, and the other one is still alive but I don’t think she has any jewelry (if she does it will go to my mom and aunts).

I agree that 100 years ago it was probably VERY rare for people to have real jewels.

[W.T.Faulkner]

I don’t think either of my grandmothers had engagement rings. My paternal grandmother married when she was 19, and my maternal grandfather couldn’t afford an engagement ring when he married my grandmother in 1951.

However, my maternal grandfather did buy my grandmother a diamond ring later on in their marriage that is apparently very valuable. My grandmother died in 2015, and I’m not sure what happened to it. I think my mom or my aunt still has it. They’re not sure what to do with it, since my grandmother had 3 daughters and 4 granddaughters.

[nellgirl]

I don’t have anything. My parents are divorced and I have no idea what my mum’s ring looked like or what happened to it since I was really young when they split up.
When my maternal grandmother passed away, my cousins took everything sentimental (no will for items). They lived closer to her and since I was raised by my dad, my mum’s side has always been kind of at arm’s length. My aunt later gave me a china teacup and saucer that may have been hers, but she’s not sure that it wasn’t her own mum’s.
My paternal grandmother didn’t have much in terms of jewelry, but what she had went to her daughter’s daughters (ie all of the females cousins but me).

[aprilsails]

Nothing whatsoever on my side of the family. DH’s Mom and Grandma and Great Grandma are ALL about the jewelry. The older stuff has already been divided between his Mom and his Aunt. I expect there will be a fair quantity of pieces going to my DD when MIL passes. Some may also divert to his cousin as the only granddaughter if it’s stuff from the older generation (which would be fine, there is more than enough that MIL has collected for herself over her lifetime).

I will also be receiving two mega sets (at least) of China and an untold number of Royal Doulton dolls. I think she has well over 100. Part of the reason they can’t downsize.

[cricketwife]

Actually, my great grandmother and grandmother were probably in a higher a socioeconomic station than I am. I have both my great grandmother’s two engagement rings. Her first one, which is small and delicate, was given to me for my 16th birthday. The diamond has been lost and was replaced with a sapphire when given to me. It’s lovely but too petite/delicate to look good on me now. I did enjoy wearing it when I was younger. It was also my “something old and something blue” for my wedding. I also have her upgraded diamond ring, which is a stunning, nearly 3 karat diamond. Honestly, I’m planning to sell it with my mom’s blessing, if we are ever able to afford to move. The story behind that ring is that it’s spent nearly all the years after my great grandmother’s death in a safe deposit box because by the time the next woman inherited it, she was older and too afraid to wear it. So my mom has already given it to me and it’s sitting in my safe, lol. I also have some gorgeous pearls (two necklaces) from my grandmother. All of these sit in my drawer. I have no where to wear pearls.