qos | My Preciousssss!

Yesterday I acquired a treasure I never thought I would actually own.

Four or five years ago, I spent a year working in a jewelry store. Store associates were encouraged to try on the merchandise and have favorite pieces so we would have "show and tell" items to share with potential customers.

One of my very favorite pieces was a ring. The sturdy gold band is inset with rectangular-tapered opals, with small round diamonds channel set between the opal bits. Above the band is a sweep of gold holding a large trillian-cut purplish-pink sapphire. I loved this ring, and tried it on often, but there was no way that I could afford it, even with my employee discount.

She was with customers when I arrived, so I browsed -- and was surprised and delighted to see my favorite ring was still there. After our initial catching-up conversation, she was happy to indulge my desire to look more closely at and try on a couple of pieces -- including my favorite ring.

It looked as lovely on my hand as it always had -- even more so, in fact, because I had just had my first manicure in years and my pinkish-purple polish set off the sapphire beautifully. So did my purple jacket. I told L that this had always been one of my very favorite pieces, but I could never afford it.

Suddenly she said, "You know what? You're going to buy this ring, right now."

"I am?"

"Because it's 50% off."

This ring had been in inventory for over five years and had not sold. So now the tag had been marked with a discreet "50-" that indicated the actual price was half of what the tag said, putting it under the $1000 range. And I had ample credit.

I debated with myself for about 30 seconds, then said, "Yes!" When I walked out of the store with the ring on my hand I half expected the buzzers to go off and security to come after me, because all the times I had worn it before, I had been keenly aware that it had to go back into the case within a few minutes.

On the way home, indecision set in. Could I really justify the expense, even at 50% off? Wasn't it just a bit of metal and rock? Didn't I have better things to do with my money? I was more than half-convinced that I should take it back on Monday.

Later that evening I had a conversation with

a_belletrist. "Should I take it back?" I asked. "Is this really consistent with who I'm trying to be?"

Her response was: "Yes, you should keep it. You've loved this ring for five years. There are some things that you just love, and you should have them. It's something you are going to enjoy for the rest of your life and then pass down to your daughter, and she's going to love it in part because it was special to you. The next day,

_storyteller_ saw it, and he said, "It's a perfect symbol for you. It looks like a crown." (I had never seen that!) He also affirmed that this wasn't an impulsive I've-just-seen-it-I've-got-to-have-it purchase. It was something that I'd wanted for a long time, and although I didn't write it all out above, there were a series of coincidences that led me to the store yesterday.

So I'm keeping the ring. And every time I look at it I smile. It's colorful and fun and elegant -- and it's unique and unusual, the same way that my diamond wedding ring (lost or stolen last summer, as some of you will recall) was. I didn't buy it as a replacement for that ring, but it actually works out that way psychologically and stylistically. This is my one, special, expensive ring that's not like anything else.

I'm happy I have it.