Restoration work

My mother bought this bracelet 40 or 50 years ago, at a flea market or something. It’s sterling silver, from Mexico, and the stone is an amethyst.

I always loved it. The stone had a fissure in it, which I thought was intriguing.

Then Dad took some jewelry-making classes and replaced the amethyst with turquoise.

It was a reasonable enough choice, but I really hated it. I’m not a big fan of turquoise anyhow, but I thought it was completely wrong for this elegant bracelet.

After Mom died, I asked Dad if he could try to put an amethyst in it again. He bought the stone, but was unsure how to work it into shape.

I kept stone and bracelet, and got a quote from a local jeweler to replace the stone. $350 was too rich for my blood.

The bracelet sat on my dresser in a special box.

This winter, when a local art school was having a jewelry market, I brought the bracelet and asked around. I found Jeff Hunter, a lapidarist who said he’d be happy to do the stone for $45.

Photo by Jeff Hunter
Photo by Jeff Hunter

Jeff hadn’t worked with amethyst before, and soon learned how soft it is. He shaped four pieces, but each one chipped or cracked.

“This amethyst is giving me fits,” he reported. “I’m sorry it’s taking so long.”

After two months – he could only work on it occasionally because of his demanding full-time job – Jeff asked if I really had my heart set on amethyst.

Yes, I told him. But a flaw is OK, because that’s how the bracelet looks in my memory.

Today I got the bracelet from Jeff. It is so beautiful. I paid him extra and gave him a big hug.

“Again, really sorry it took so long,” he said.

No problem. Restoration takes time.

“It’s good that it’s cracked,” I told him. “It’s like me.”

Today I mark six months of being alive. A brain artery ruptured and my skull was sawn open and I still have big dents in my head, but I’m alive.

Restoration takes time.

Today’s penny is a 2015.

2 thoughts on “Restoration work”

  1. I love that you had this restored. The amethyst is perfect for the bracelet. and I had just read the following and thought of you!

    In today’s world, Amethyst is still a remarkable stone of spirituality and contentment, known for its metaphysical abilities to still the mind and inspire an enhanced meditative state. Its inherent high frequency purifies the aura of any negative energy or attachments, and creates a protective shield of Light around the body, allowing one to remain clear and centered while opening to spiritual direction. Amethyst stimulates the Third Eye, Crown and Etheric Chakras enhancing cognitive perception as well as accelerating the development of intuitive and psychic ability. It initiates wisdom and greater understanding, and is a stone of comfort for those grieving the loss of a loved one. [Melody, 109][Simmons, 28][Ahsian, 29][Raphaell, 80]

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