On Old Customers and Lost Rings

Most of you who are local are probably sitting around at home waiting for the blizzard to hit.  I, on the other hand, am at work as usual.  I will probably close early today but only because the media has pretty much scared everyone off the streets, although maybe some of the locals will walk over and see me. New Englanders used to be much hardier it seems to me. 

Last weekend I had a couple come by to purchase a replacement wedding band. They had gotten their original rings from me almost 30 years ago.  While here they told me the story of how they had ended up coming to me.  Prior to opening my original store (Spirer Somes Jewlers) I did craft shows for five years all around New England.  It seems that the husband saw my work at one of the shows we were in and, even though he had no girlfriend at the time, took a card because he was so struck by what I had on display.  They told me that he said to himself, I know someday I'm going to need rings and this is the guy I want to do it.  Sure enough, not long after, he met his now wife, and when they decided to get married a few years later, he simply pulled my card out of his pocket and said we're going to see Daniel! I always like to hear stories like this (probably they told me when they originally got the bands but I'm afraid I really don't remember everything said to me that long ago---although I always remember the jewelry!) as they remind me of why I'm still here today. 

Incidentally, he needed a replacement band because he lost his in one of those blowers in a men's room used to dry your hands.  I do at least one replacement band a month year round for people so here are a few things to remember.  1) Your hands do change with age.  If you feel like your ring is getting loose, get in to see someone about getting it resized.  2) Your hands shrink when you go swimming.  If your ring isn't fitting fairly snugly and you swim a lot you might want to take it off when you do.  If you are swimming in pools, all gold jewelry should be removed, especially those pieces that have stones in them.  Chlorine actually eats the gold and it is quite possible to lose prongs off of settings and the stones with them. 3) If you work out regularly, or do other activities that mean you need to take your ring off regularly, buy yourself a decent weight chain and put your ring on it to wear around your neck.  That way, you don't have to leave it in a locker, or a pants pocket, or leave it lying around on a sink, where it might be stolen, misplaced or lost.

Frankly, I don't mind the extra business, and it's always nice to upgrade a band to something new, but those wedding bands in particular do carry a lot of sentimental meaning.  

Enjoy the blizzard as best you can.  Hunker down and stay warm and enjoy the extra time off.

The picture above is a collection of my wife's earrings, but only one from each pair.  What a lucky woman she is!