Ballantyne Magazine covers news, events, real estate, restaurants, shopping, health, schools and business in the upscale Ballantyne Area of Charlotte, NC.
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THE SPARKLING SILVER TEARDROP Ballantyne resident Sue Jones wears around her neck often catches people's attention. Perhaps it's because the necklace has a story to tell. The teardrop came from the silver in a 52nd anniversary ring her father gave to her mother, Miriam Posey, shortly before she passed away in 2007 of degenerative spinal disease. "My dad and I had the idea to melt the ring down to a teardrop for all the tears we cried together," Jones recalls with a tender smile. Today, inheriting family jewelry can cause an emotional dilemma. Heirloom pieces evoke such deep sentiment that people stash them in a safe deposit box or tuck them in a corner of their jewelry box, uncertain what they could or should do with them, especially since most pieces do not fit current jewelry fashion. But bequests were not meant to become neglected treasure. Increasingly, the solution is to redesign an inherited piece of jewelry so it's a meaningful memory to wear. In the case of Jones, she wanted to honor the memory of her beloved mother. "She was the queen of the family, the consummate hostess and the entertainer," Jones says. "She had so much energy and vitality." When it came time for her parents to celebrate their anniversary even as Miriam lay gravely ill, Jones's father sought his daughter's help to come up with the perfect gift. After searching all over Charlotte, she found an anniversary ring setting she adored at Skatell's Manufacturing Jewelers in Pineville. It was Christmas week, one of the busiest times for most jewelers, and Jones needed the ring for the anniversary celebration two days later. Skatell's came through, placing one diamond for each of Miriam and Bill's granddaughters into the setting. When presented the gift, her mother couldn't speak well but managed to utter the word "beautiful" after seeing the ring. Upon her death, the diamonds went to the grandchildren, leaving only the silver setting. Jones returned to Skatell's and had the staff create the beautiful silver teardrop charm placed on a chain, a reminder of her mother that Jones wears each day. Legacy Jewelry: Key Reminders Repurposing family jewelry as Jones did is growing in popularity, say area jewelers. Before you do anything with a piece, however, you should first have it appraised so you Sue Jones enjoys wearing the teardrop necklace that reminds her of her mother. Bequests were not meant to become neglected treasure. Increasingly, the solution is to redesign an inherited piece. WINTER 2011-2012 The silver in this necklace was once part of a ring owned by Sue Jones's mother, Miriam Posey. BALLANTYNE MAGAZINE 41