Day 81: How do men do it

Between You, Me and the Lamp Post

Day 81: How do men do it

I was in the Mall last Friday and when I noticed a jewelry store with a sign ‘50% off’ I was attracted to it like a moth to a flame.

Earrings, necklaces, and bracelets don’t hold much appeal to me, but rings … I have a love affair with rings. Two rings, in particular, seemed to wave at me with the message … take me, take me! So, I went inside the store for a closer look and to find out the prices.

The first ring I looked at was this one. Not quite the same but close enough ...

The second ring that was shown to me was this one. Again, not quite the same but very similar ...

While I was in the jewelry store I looked (just for fun) at the engagement rings. In particular one very similar to this one ...

The prices dazzled me. The first ring, the cluster ring, was $11,500, the second one, the eternity ring came with a price tag of $13,800 and the engagement ring (1 carat) was $23,000. 

This made me wonder … how do men do this? How can they afford getting engaged? $23,000 that is the price of a reasonable car, a down payment for a property, a whole lot of furniture for their future home. Are men really willing to spend that much on something their fiancé will wear on her finger?

Perhaps some men will say that the engagement ring doesn’t have to be a one-carat diamond, it can be something smaller. True, but if I was to receive an engagement ring, I would prefer something I didn’t need a magnifying glass for.

So what is the alternative? I suppose it doesn’t have to be a diamond, the ring could hold a white sapphire. Take these two rings for instance, each less than $1,000.

Personally, I would rather wear a ring with a sizeable stone that my fiancé didn’t spend a fortune on than a ring with a teeny tiny diamond.

If he spent $23,000 on a ring, I would ask him if he fell on his head and bounced a few times.

Needless to say, I left the jewelry store empty-handed. 

Day 33: How to keep your jewelry safe

My Project: 365 Creative Writing Prompts

Day 33: Jewelry – How to keep your jewelry safe

For today’s assignment, I’m supposed to write about keeping jewelry safe. Personally, I don’t have to worry about that because I don’t have valuable jewelry.

Well, strictly speaking, that isn’t quite true. I do have a few pieces which my mother left me. I never wear any of them though because I’m terrified of losing them.

Still, there may be others who might benefit from a few tips on how to keep jewelry safe.

Whether it is a jewelry set with precious stones, a Swarovski collection, or items you picked up here and there, we all have jewelry that is valuable to us for different reasons. If your jewelry has more sentimental value than dollar worth, how to keep your jewelry safe requires no more than common sense.  On the other hand, a more expensive collection will cost you more money to protect. 

Have your jewelry insured

Before you start thinking of where to store your jewelry, have your valuables appraised and insured. Jewelry insurance costs you only a few dollars a month but gives you peace of mind. 

Should anything get lost or stolen, you will be able to get a replacement or collect the value of the missing piece.  Read your insurance policy carefully or check with your agent for clarity. If you have an authenticity paper for precious stones, store them in a safe place.

Trust your jewelry to a safe

The safest place for you to keep your jewelry is a safe deposit box in a bank for the obvious reason that you may sleep better at night. The downside is that you have limited access to them, and you will pay an annual fee for use of the box.

If you’re staying in a hotel, ask if your jewelry can to be stored in the hotel safe rather than keeping valuables in your room. A wiser rule is to leave your valuable jewelry at home when traveling.

Consider buying a safe for your home.  Not only will a safe protect your jewelry from burglars or children who want to play dress up, many types of safes are rust and fire resistant. You can make up your own private combination that is best committed to memory.  

Remember, writing down the numbers increases the risk that your security might be breached.

If a safe is not an option, keep your jewelry safe in another type of box that can be locked, or put your jewelry in a cabinet that can be locked. You can also keep your jewelry in a not so obvious place.  For instance, in a shoebox among other shoe boxes or in a tin among other tins.

Keep your jewelry safe by being alert

When putting your jewelry on and taking it off, avoid places the items can fall into such as grates and vents. 

Take jewelry off before washing your hands.  Not only can water and soap dull semi-precious or custom jewelry, rings easily slip off soapy hands and end up in the drain pipe.

Keep curtains or blinds closed when taking jewelry pieces from their storage place. You never know who might be watching.

Be sure your jewelry fits

When in doubt about a good fit, put a ring on your finger and hold your hand upside down. If the ring glides down it needs to be taken to the jeweler for resizing.  

Rings shouldn’t pinch your fingers either. If they do, chances are at some point during the day you will take them off and might not remember where you put them. Rings should slip comfortably on and off your fingers.

Be sure that valuable bracelets and wristwatches are designed with a locking mechanism that works. If not, you can have a safety chain fitted.

Another way for how to keep your jewelry safe is to know when to wear valuables and when to leave them in their storage space. Events that attract large groups of people also attract pickpockets, who can expertly steal your handbag and jewelry without you even noticing it.

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