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Gems From The Heart Story Contest Entries

  • Another Gems From The Heart Story Contest Entry

     It may sound corny, but I have always had a special
    place in my heart for jewelry.  I consider myself lucky, as I have some
    very special pieces, connected with special  times and happy
    memories.  When I became engaged to my husband, my in-laws gave me
    beautiful diamond earrings as a gift.  My wedding ring, was
    actually designed with my husband's grandmother's diamond.  When my
    oldest son, was in first grade he purchased a large, gaudy dragon pin for my
    Chanukah present at the school store.  I couldn't have loved any gift
    more.  It was beautiful, even when the  dragon's glass eyes proceeded
    to fall out the next day.  Jewelry  is truly the way to my
    heart!
         I believe I was about eight years old, when my
    Papa Marty took me to a fancy jewelry store in Downtown Detroit.  He
    presented me with the most beautiful sterling silver charm bracelet, any girl
    could ever want. It  had little hearts between the links. I felt
    like a princess that day and the salespeople treated me like royalty. Thus,
    also began my grandfather buying me charms for special occasions (
    like getting an egg beater charm when I got the girl scout cooking
    badge) or buying charms just for fun.  My wrist grew heavy and so does
    my heart with memories of this special gift and love for my Papa
    Marty.  He has been dead for over forty years, but he charmed my
    life.  He was the 'gem' of my life. 
    Diane Margolis-Baum
  • Another Gems From The Heart Story Contest Entry

    When my husband and I got married, in 1972, we were
    completely broke.  We used a ring he had given me while we were dating – a
    white gold band with Love on it. 
     
    For our 25th Wedding Anniversary, he surprised me
    with a gold duplicate of that ring, but it has a diamond in it.  Not a big
    diamond, but the thought was incredible!

    Alton & Cheryl
  • Another Gems From The Heart Story Contest Entry

    My fiance and i were young and since we were both teachers we had little money.
    I wasn't even sure I'd receive an engagement ring.

    But I did and my first thought was, "That's the ugliest ring I ever
    saw!"  (I was pretty sure the tiny "diamond" was cubic zirconia and
    there were a lot crudely wrought traceries and rosettes around the
    stone that gave the ring a certain dime store air).

    But of course I didn't voice my feelings.  He looked so sweet and pleased with himself.
    He put the ring on my left hand.  When family and friends asked to see it I did my best to respond with pride.

    Over the years we built a good marriage and became financially
    successful.  My husband presented me with jewelry over the years but I
    never took that engagement ring off.  It came to represent our love
    story, a small beginning investment that led to many happy dividends
    over a long life together.

    He's gone now and yes, I still wear that ugly little ring.


    Patricia Nieh

  • Another Gems From The Heart Story Contest Entry

    When
    I turned 18, my mother took me to the jewelry store to buy a diamond,
    white gold cross necklace. After picking it out and purchasing it, I
    put it around my neck. I have worn it everyday every since. A few
    times, I missed the large link to connect the fine chained necklace.
    The necklace has been lost at various public places twice. Each time,
    it was found by someone and returned back to me. I wear it now because
    it reminds me of my faith, my family and I believe it brings me good
    luck. I even shower with the necklace. I will likely be buried with
    this necklace. It does mean so much to me.
    sara denhart

  • Another Gems From The Heart Story Contest Entry

    my aunt used to buy a lot of good jewelry when
    she worked in a mill back in the 1940's. once she needed some cash and was going
    to hock an opal gold ring, my mother bought the ring from her.  My mom gave
    me that ring when i graduated high school. it is worth quite a bit of money and
    it means so much knowing its history.
    donna pavcik

  • Another Gems From The Heart Story Contest Entry

    when i was in high school, one of my classmates was
    named Jack LaViano….nice guy but after we graduated lost track of my former
    classmates…..zoom ahead 8 years, and when i was about to get engaged, my
    future fiance asked if i knew a local jeweler to help select a diamond
    engagement ring…mentioned that i thought Jack LaViano's family ran a local
    jewelry store…we went in, and there behind the counter was my former
    schoolmate….wonderfully helpful, and he helped us a pick out a perfectly
    beautiful engagement ring……end of story
     

     
    barbara mccallum

  • Another Gems From The Heart Story Contest Entry

    My Special Jewelry Story:
    My wonderful husband proposed to me in a very sweet way!
    He arranged to have his parents and me meet for dinner at
    Our favorite German restaurant. We were seated at our table and I noticed a very pretty floral arrangement in the center of the
    Table. There was baby's breath and a few roses. Everyone
    Was chatting and I happened to notice that one of the roses
    Was actually a velvet rose bud, not fully blossomed! Every
    Now and then I would look at other peoples' tables to see if
    They had the same kind of floral arrangement at their tables,
    But I couldn't really tell because it was crowded and the roses
    And baby's breath arrangements were looking all the same.
    I kept stealing glances at the velvet rose bud but I didn't say
    Anything to my fiance or his parents. After our meal, a little
    3-man German band came to our table and played and sang
    "Edelweiss", my favorite German song! And then a waitress
    Dressed in German clothing came to the table with a gorgeous
    Mini 3-layer cake decorated with red roses!! Then my fiance
    Plucked the velvet rose from the centerpiece, got out of his
    Chair, all the while the band was singing "Edelweiss", and he
    Took my hand, opened the velvet rose bud and there was a
    Gorgeous diamond engagement ring!!! Then the band finished
    Singing and my fiance proprosed to me!!!! Through tear-filled
    Eyes and a huge grin, I said "Yes!!"  Everyone in the restaurant
    Clapped and cheered!! It was one of the most special moments
    In our lives! We recently celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary! Thank you for this wonderful contest!
    Sharon Harmon
  • Memories of “Mr. Schubach” – Another Gems From The Heart Story Contest Entry

    When
    I was a kid I used to ride my bicycle to Tower Plaza Mall.  I didn’t
    have much money to spend, but there was a video arcade a few doors down from
    the Schubach Jewelry Store.  When I had exhausted my allowance, I’d
    look into the windows of the store, fascinated by the watches and jewelry.

     

    A few
    years later I became a client.  Well, sort of.  On my 16th
    birthday my mother gave me a 14kt gold serpentine necklace (they were actually somewhat
    popular then!).  Being a teenage boy, I wasn’t always very careful
    with it.  It was easy to kink, and I would take it to Mr. Schubach for
    repair, not wanting my parents to know how careless I had been.  I still
    didn’t have much money, and Mr. Schubach would always charge me a
    ridiculously low repair fee. 

     

    As
    the years progressed I’d take watches and other items to Mr. Schubach
    whenever I managed to mangle another gift from my parents (which always came
    with a speech about responsibility).  As I began to earn money, first
    delivering Penny Savers, then working at Cloth World as a stock boy, and eventually
    my big move to Mary Coyle’s as a busy boy and waiter, I started
    purchasing inexpensive gifts for Mother’s Day, birthdays, Christmas,
    etc., from Schubach’s. 

     

    What
    I remember most about that small storefront at Tower Plaza
    is how well Mr. Schubach treated me, with the respect one might a high-dollar
    customer.  I was an awkward, insecure teenager, and wouldn’t even
    enter the store unless Mr. Schubach was working, knowing that I’d be
    treated like an adult, in spite of the fact that I had such limited spending
    power.    

     

    I
    recall my mother losing a favorite earring – a lapis lazuli drop in a 14kt
    filigree setting.  She was devastated, as it had been an especially
    meaningful gift from my father.  I took the remaining earring to Mr.
    Schubach, who scoured his catalogues in search of a replacement.  He found
    a similar pair, which I purchased, and which my mother still wears today. 

     

    When
    the Schubachs decided to leave Tower
    Plaza I felt as thought I
    was losing a friend.  I’m thrilled to know that Joe has continued
    the family tradition, and look forward to becoming a client once again.

     

    Warmest
    regards,

     

    J. David Smith

  • Another Gems From The Heart Story Contest Entry

    My husband gave me a pink saphire ring when I gave birth to my daughter. It
    is the  most treasured piece of jewerly I own- it symbolozies mw becoming a
    woman and also the birth of my my first baby
     

  • Another Gems From The Heart Story Contest Entry

    Ever since I was a little girl, I have been a huge fan of the Pink
    Panther. Peter Sellers was so fantastic in that movie. He made me laugh
    so hard. I watched every Pink Panther movie  that came out. But, even
    better then his performance was the magnificent Pink Panther. Not the
    cartoon character, the diamond. Oh how I dreamt that one day I would
    marry someone as rich as Richard Burton and he would buy me a big pink
    diamond ring.
    In 2006 the new version of the Pink Panther with Steve Martin came out.
    I am a huge fan of Steve Martin. Not only is "Roxanne" one of my
    favorite movies but I also have read his books. I was so excited to go
    see the movie and my husband and I talked about both versions after we
    watched the new one. I told him about my dreams of having a big pink
    diamond. So, last Christmas, even though money was tight, my husband
    bought me a 3 carat pear cut pink sapphire. Even though it was not a
    diamond, it was gorgeous!
    I couldn't believe that he remembered my childhood dream. Now I have my
    very own pink panther. And he is way better than Richard Burton!
    Crystal Yaeger