I have an old house in the Capital Region of NY, and I mean old. We're talking 1871 old. So one of my passions, besides jewelry, is gardening. I have always had a love of growing things. The garden area of my house was probably the garbage dump back in the late 1800s, and every spring a new batch of broken glass, coal fragments, and the occasional treasure - frost heave their way back into the light.
I'll spare you the bits of broken china, although there are some pretty little patterned pieces. I want to share a few of my big finds thus far - a pocket watch, a vial of thread, a green apothecary jar, and a silver ring. Oh, and a pretty creepy porcelain doll face (yes, just the face) and the occasional squirrel scull.
Why do I want to share these finds with you? Well, because I think they are beautiful. They are a collection of backyard treasure. For me, they embody the thrill of discovery, within a shroud of mystery. Was this lost or deliberate? What was it used for? Who was the person behind the possessions?
And then specifically the ring. It's missing the center stone, but still had two tiny side stones (diamonds?). The ring itself is sterling silver, but the band was broken. Was it love lost? Was the ring discarded by a spurned lover, or was it an unfortunate gardener, who's precious was swallowed up by the earth -- only to be partially spit out years later.
I soldered the band back together and now am looking for a stone to fit. I think I may also need to clean up the setting a bit, e.g. cut the seats a little deeper so the next precious gem doesn't befall the same fate.
I have a few options on hand. Which colorful gem would you choose? Shown left to right is amethyst, blue zircon, peridot, lavender quartz and garnet. Let me know in the comments!