Jewellery That Keeps Sentiment Alive

Sitting with friends recently at a lunch out, we were chatting away when I noticed the jingling and jangling of bracelets on all our wrists. Not just one or two bracelets or bangles but all of us had around half a dozen bracelets moving around almost making silver music tones as we chatted away. I stopped and asked them all with interest, what do their bracelets mean to them?

I was touched and heart warmed to hear that every bracelet had a story, some very sentimental stories. It came to me that sentimental jewellery holds so much more emotional sway than any other possessions. Ok, old vinyl records or a china teapot can also bring warmth from being passed down or given to you by a loved one or a great friend. However, to have been given a piece of jewellery from someone special in your life has meaning attached to it. Most will have some piece of treasured jewellery in their drawers or precious jewellery boxes that perhaps has a grandmother’s engagement ring, or a necklace with a birth stone from a dear friend or a special birthday bracelet from a loved one. These items are precious and will very rarely leave our possession.

There are times when you see a lost advert or reward given for a ring that was lost at the beach, a bracelet that was dropped on a train or a necklace fallen off in a taxi. I often wonder what the story is behind those precious pieces of jewellery that have gone missing. They may not have any real monetary value to them but the sentimental value is priceless. These cherished pieces of jewellery also have an emotional bond to them, especially if the loved one is not here anymore. To have jewellery that was precious to them holding such meaning and significance, keeps a part of them alive with you.

I remember as a child going through my mother’s jewellery box, putting on rings that were too big for my childlike fingers, or bracelets that fitted almost to my shoulder. Those memories are so clear as if it was yesterday. With now my mother not with us anymore, a few bits of her jewellery which have no real sterling value are safely tucked away, only coming out on special occasions. They really should be worn more often and perhaps it’s time to wear this jewellery without the fear of them getting lost.

Jewellery in the modern age has come on with thought and imagination in what makes a sentimental but practical piece of jewellery to wear every day. You can also tell a lot from a person in what type of jewellery they wear. Fashion pieces come and go, but the jewellery we choose to wear every day tell a story but also show what we love in life. If you have a love for horses for example, this is a passion that will never leave you…. ever! I wear everyday jewellery that shows my equestrian love, especially my favourite silver snaffle bit bracelet which always invites comments, even from those who may not share this common interest. I know when my lovely horse dearly departs, I will always wear some form of equestrian jewellery as my sentiment for him. This will be a memory to keep my horse alive with me wherever I go.

Don’t always wait for a piece of jewellery to be given to you as a present or handed down. If you see a silver bracelet or a gold charm pendant that tugs at your emotional heart strings reminding you of someone you love, or a beloved pet that you hold so dear, then make sure you save some pennies to buy it. Sometimes it may take going without a pub lunch or two or a weekend away but it will be worth it. That piece of jewellery will be with you for life, keeping sentiment very much alive.

Written by Samantha Hobden

Please visit Hi Ho Silver for a wide range of very sentimental jewellery

Working in collaboration