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Original poster

If you have old, maybe inherited jewellry, do you wear it all the time?

29 replies

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 24/02/2017 16:05

I can only wear a wedding ring at work, but I've been given my GM engagement ring by DM.
The ring is about 90 years old from the engraved date inside (I cannot make out the hallmark)
There are five rubover setting diamonds, so it won't catch on things.
It fits my middle finger.

Its a delicate pretty ring, I wasn't convinced I'd wear it, but now I think "It shouldn't live the next 85 years in a ringbox" . My GM stopped wearing it after her 1st DC.

It'll be fine to wear won't it? I'm not wearing it to work, I'm careful with my hands. I might need a silicone stopper to make sure it won't slip off (I don't want to put another ring next to it in case it rubs)

So, d'you wear and enjoy vintage heirlooms or antique finds?

OP posts:
ilovecherries · 24/02/2017 16:15

I have worn my Great Grandmother's engagement ring every day since she died 30 years ago. I love it and it's often remarked on. I rarely take it off. The only thing I would say is take it to a jeweller and get the setting checked - mine was much looser than I realised and I'd have been so upset to lose a diamond. Enjoy it!

PragmaticWench · 24/02/2017 16:20

I once dropped, and luckily found, a stone from an antique ring so second the suggestion to have a jeweller check the settings. Aside from that, wear it!

My engagement ring is also antique and a bit ott compared to modern solitaire styles but I wear it all the time. It's supposed to be enjoyed.

Floisme · 24/02/2017 16:23

I really, really want to say 'yes, wear it' for all the obvious reasons. But... I used to wear my grandmother's wedding ring and lost it - I've no idea how. 25 years on, I still feel absolutely dreadful about it and I could never bring myself to tell my mum although I'm sure she guessed.

I kind of feel it wasn't really mine to lose if that makes sense?
So much as I hate the idea of hiding it away, I have to say, I'm on the fence, sorry.

Original poster
70isaLimitNotaTarget · 24/02/2017 17:59

It is still in its original ringbox , next time I'm visiting DParents I'll pop in to have it checked and find out from the hallmark about its age.

They might be kind and clean it for me Grin

I reckon it'll wait a few more months in its little case till then.

OP posts:
MrsCaecilius · 24/02/2017 18:07

I wear my grandmother's diamond ring and my grandmother-in-law's wedding ring.

I echo previous posters - get it checked at a reputable jeweller ( mine needed the setting tightened), insure it and take some pics for your records (inc the hallmark if there is one).

Then enjoy! Jewellery is meant to be worn IMHO, and what a lovely way to remember someone.

Chocolateteabag · 24/02/2017 19:48

Wear it!

Slightly different but DM had a China service as a wedding present which she kept displayed in a plate rack on the wall. It was used maybe twice in total. One day the entire place rack fell off the wall (screws pulled out of the plaster) and it all smashed bar one plate.

Wear it, enjoy it and risk losing it or its locked away and forgotten? Might as well then sell it

BackforGood · 24/02/2017 19:54

I wear my Grandmother's wedding ring every day.
Don't really see the point in keeping it in a drawer and then worrying about it being stolen in a break in or something.

RevealTheHiddenBeach · 24/02/2017 19:55

Mine's different because its less valuable (financially speaking).

I have my great grandmother's mizpah ring, and I wear it every day. I think even if I lost it, she would have rathered if it was worn than kept in a box! It's been broken and fixed a few times (not just by me!) and to me it's all part of its history!

Garnethair · 24/02/2017 20:07

I wear all of my inherited jewellery. It's lovely to wear old pieces. I'm sure my relatives would be pleased that I do so.

daffodil10 · 24/02/2017 20:07

I wear my original engagement ring who was inherited, everyday. I wear a new ring which was a 40th present on my wedding finger. I wear a string of inherited grey and white pearls most days.

If you have old, maybe inherited jewellry, do you wear it all the time?
If you have old, maybe inherited jewellry, do you wear it all the time?
Doilooklikeatourist · 24/02/2017 20:14

I have my grandmothers engagement ring , which is a big emerald surrounded by small diamonds
I wear it when I go out
It's beautiful , but I can't wear it every day ( I work as a chef )
I also have my mums original engagement ring which has tiny seed pearls
I'm giving that to my daughter , but she's 19 at the moment and won't appreciate it !
One day
Wear the beautiful rings if you can , as said up thread , they're not beautiful in a jewellery box

WhooooAmI24601 · 24/02/2017 20:40

I have my Grandmother's engagement ring but it's worn so thin on the back I'd never dare even try it on. I'd love to be able to fix it properly though because she wore it every day of her life and it was absolutely her most prized possession.

I also have diamond studs that my Grandpa bought back from India for her that I wear often. I work in a school so don't wear anything valuable for work (was attacked once by a child and lost a precious pendant so learned the hard way that H&M and Accessorize jewellery is the only stuff suitable for there).

CowLickBuddha · 24/02/2017 20:52

I have both Grandmothers' rings in my drawer and can't really wear either. Maternal g'ma's ring is too small and delicate, Paternal g'ma's ring is too big and frankly... quite ugly (gold, starburst setting with emerald). Both of my g'ma's were war brides who emigrated to Canada after ww2 and their rings reflect wartime scarcity. I'd love to do something with the two of them but don't know what. Therefore they sit in a drawer unloved and unworn. If you can, I say wear it!

daffodil10 · 24/02/2017 21:20

If you have jewellery that's either too thin or too ugly take it to a good manufacturing jeweller and have it remodelled into something you like. No point keeping jewellery for sentimental reasons but never wearing. A friend of mine had a hideous brooch from her grandma remodelled into a beautiful ring.

Mmmmcakes · 24/02/2017 22:07

I don't have any unfortunately but I definaltet would! I love jewellery (the good stuff) and wear my diamond studs, high raised engagement ring daily. Such a shame that so many beautiful pieces languish on jewellery boxes.

JaceLancs · 24/02/2017 23:10

All my jewellery is antique and I wear all the time
Agree you should get settings checked for wear as claws work lose and may need re tipping

KitKats28 · 25/02/2017 00:27

My Nanna was burgled, and lost her engagement ring, which I would have inherited eventually. All the other jewellery I inherited was really not my style and would have just sat in my jewellery box forever, so I sold it and bought an exact replica of my Nanna's engagement ring, which I wear all the time.

clary · 25/02/2017 00:40

Please wear it. My engagement ring was an antique (from a shop - not inherited) and I loved it, but the gold band was very thin so I wore it only now an then.

We were burgled and it was stolen Sad so I just wish I had been wearing it and then I would still have it. The ring sounds lovely OP but yy get the setting checked.

KanyeWesticle · 25/02/2017 00:53

I wear a plain silver band my grandmother was given for her 21st.

BoogleMcGroogle · 25/02/2017 09:22

I wear an old sapphire set in a new setting in my engagement ring. It's big, so don't tend to wear it for riding or gardening etc. And because of the work I do i feel wouldn't necessarily be appropriate to wear it when meeting with families. Although that might just be me being precious. Apart from
That I wear it all the time. It's about the only bit of glamour in my life nowadays! MIL has a huge diamond ring, inherited and lovely. She's so worried about losing the diamond that she wears a fake and keeps the real stone at the bank. Personally I find that quite bizarre!

Bluntness100 · 25/02/2017 09:25

I wear my own engagement ring on my left hand ring fingers with eternity band and wedding ring all the time they never come off, and I wear my grandmothers engagement ring, which is a solitaire and engraved with the date inside, on my right hand on the ring finger, I had it sized to fit and I don't take it off either.

SuperFlyHigh · 25/02/2017 09:28

I don't wear it all the time at all! Got left diamond and Ruby engagement ring and wedding ring of DGM (in jewellery box) and other items like gold charm bracelet and gold sovereign chain which I never wear!

I do have a Cartier platinum 1920s diamond dress watch (DGM again) that I sometimes wear out but I'm mindful of it.

I'm set to inherit some very nice pieces (bracelets with diamonds/sapphires etc) from my DM in future but they're hidden away too and are too delicate to be worn much but maybe special occasions.

tigerdriverII · 25/02/2017 09:30

I had my mum's engagement ring, a ring set with tiny diamonds my grandma wore when her wedding ring broke/wore out and a hideous claw set but reasonable sized diamond that my dad gave my mum all broken up and styled into a lovely contemporary ring by a jeweller whose work I like. Mum is pleased with the result and I have a beautiful and wearable item. Don't wear it ever day as I'm not a diamonds person but it's a great deal better than just keeping the old stuff in a box.

Floisme · 25/02/2017 09:31

I never took off my grandmother's wedding either and it fitted well so I'm still at a loss as to how it happened.

In fact I've now remembered I also lost a pendant of hers.
I only have cheap jewellery now.

ImogenTubbs · 25/02/2017 09:32

I also have my DH's GM's ring as my engagement ring. I would wear it all the time but it is a little snaggy and also the clasp is not very secure (have already had it repaired once and jeweler told me it might happen again) so I only wear it when I'm dressed up or trying to look smart which probably only happens two or three times a month. I agree though - it doesn't want to spend years hiding in a box! How lovely.

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