The Lost Engagement Sapphire
Empty Ring Nightmare!
Friday night after Thanksgiving we are hanging out in Jim’s living room watching The Hangover (which, I still haven’t managed to see as I always fall asleep during it). I am mindlessly spinning my rings when I realize they’re smooth … Now, my wedding ring is in fact fairly smooth, my engagement ring not so much. It has a tension set sapphire that has an offset peak, which is rather noticeable to say the least. I took a deep breath and looked at the ring and sure enough the sapphire was not in it. Commence Debbie panicking.
My engagement and wedding ring.
Yes, it’s only a ring, but I treasure my engagement ring. It’s not even the ring I was proposed to with (that ring deserves its own story), but Bones and I picked it out together and we had some lengthy criteria for the ring. The sapphire had to be ethically sourced. The metal had to be something I wasn’t allergic to (leaving us with our only choices being titanium or stainless steel). The ring had to be purchased from a small business and preferably created by an artisan at a small business. (Throughout our entire wedding process we intentionally chose to support small, local, and artisanal businesses whenever possible – and still do.) And we both had to like it. After hours of scouring the web and Etsy, not only do I like it I love it. It’s unique, perfect for me in its imperfections, and has a great deal of sentimental value, clearly – hence, the panic.
Thank goodness Bones and Jim understood my panic and immediately jumped into searching for the ring. So, there is all three of us, flashlights in hand crawling around every inch of the house, the garage, and the car. I had changed, so I shook out every piece of clothing in my bags. Nothing, nada, zip, zero – ok there were a few scares but they turned out to be pebbles (its a rough cut sapphire so they look more alike than you’d think). Then I heard a beep and a horrifying thought occurred – I had just run a load of laundry. If it fell out while loading up the washer it was surely gone, those holes that let the water drain could swallow my whole ring nevermind just the stone. At this point I am nearly in tears and Bones keeps assuring me it will be ok – yeah, right!
I decide it can’t hurt to go through the pockets of my clothes in the washer – we’d searched everywhere else. It would be long shot but at this point I needed a Hail Mary pass. Check jeans – nope. Check pullover hoodie - nope. Check zip up hoodie – wait a second! Yes, the stone had gotten caught in the pilling of the sweatshirt pocket. I actually found it! None of us could believe it! Commence Bones and Jim running for a ziploc bag, a tupperware container, and tape! The ring and stone were placed in the ziploc, the ziploc was put in the tupperware and the whole thing was taped shut for good measure.
Rough cut sapphire or pebble?
It was one of those miraculous little moments. We all breathed a sigh of relief but were totally amped up on adrenaline. Then Jim commented that we had some great moms looking out for us and helping us find it. You may not believe in an afterlife or spirits, but I do. And I think Jim was right I think both our moms helped us find the stone and I am grateful for it.
So the ring is being shipped back to the wonderful Rob and Leighanne (who made the ring for us) and I know they will do an awesome job fixing it up. In the meantime my finger feels a little naked but at least I know where it is - safe and sound.
Safely packaged!
My fiance got my ring from Etsy, too! It is silver with a sapphire. I love the leaf design on it. But it was too big! So we took it to Kay’s to get it resized. I have been without it for about a week now, and while I am using another ring he got me as a replacement for the time being, I cannot WAIT for next Saturday!
That wainting is the worst! I am ecstatic to have it back now!