Poor Wendy had to have her wedding ring sawn off this afternoon. Her knuckles have become distorted by arthritis and there was no other way to get the thing off. Meanwhile the whole joint had swollen quite a bit so the ring was much too tight. She's now got a deep mark in her finger, like when a tree trunk has been constricted for several years.
That ring hasn't been off for many, many years; possibly never in the 41 years since I put it on. We feel a bit strange about it. :'(
That it feels so strange for you both is a good thing, I think.
:kisshands:
Will you have a larger band made, or have it remade as some other type of jewlery?
:selfhug:
Quote from: piecesWill you have a larger band made, or have it remade as some other type of jewlery?
The shop say they can insert a section. They're not certain of the price yet, because we have to wait until Wendy's finger size has settled down - they recommend a month - and then they'll know how much gold it needs. Looks like £80 to £200 depending, which doesn't seem unreasonable to me.
Or wear it on a smaller finger?
Must have hurt a lot.
If she has problems with the joint perhaps it isn't such a great idea to keep using it as a ring, perhaps closing it and wear it with a chain?*
---
I'm sorry for her but I agree with Aggie that the feeling is a much better indication of your relation. You too are lucky to have each other.
Quote from: Sibling Zono (anon1mat0) on September 27, 2012, 04:13:24 PM
. You too are lucky to have each other.
I so wish I had someone, anyone!!! So fed up with this isolation. Yes you all don't know how lucky you are.
I know the feeling! I got badly burned some time ago on one hand, and the hospital offered to cut my ring off. Startled I said "NO!" and pulled it off my finger as the orderly visibly flinched. It felt odd to have it off, but I put it back on after I recovered.
I like Zono's suggestion of a chain. If you can afford a pretty one, it might be kinda romantic, even.
Quote from: Griffin NoName on September 27, 2012, 06:10:06 PM
Quote from: Sibling Zono (anon1mat0) on September 27, 2012, 04:13:24 PM
. You too are lucky to have each other.
I so wish I had someone, anyone!!! So fed up with this isolation. Yes you all don't know how lucky you are.
Ditto. But I've also realized I'm a very difficult person to get along with, so it's likely just as well.
.. also, I have a cat.
:-*
Oh, yes, I do know how lucky I am! :D Sorry not everyone is as well off.
Griffin, it didn't hurt getting it off. The lady had a nifty little gadget: essentially a pair of pliers, one jaw was smooth and rounded with a slight hook shape, the other had a small saw wheel attached. She slipped the smooth jaw under the ring, closed the handles until the wheel touched the ring and then turned it. It cut through in about half a minute; then she used two pairs of normal long-nosed pliers to open the gap.
I'll talk to her about the chain idea, it sounds sensible.
Hoorah! We've got the ring back. An immaculate job, you can't see the join and it's all shiny and new-looking. In fact, I wonder if they really did join it or made a new one with some extra gold. That's OK by us.
Cost? £65. Incredibly cheap.
Doubt you'd get new gold for that price! .... unless they used one of those gold vending machines they have at the Westfield Centres. Ooooo!
(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/07/01/article-2010145-0CD10CE100000578-523_468x345.jpg)
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/07/01/article-2010145-0CD10CE100000578-523_468x345.jpg
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2010145/Gold-Go-vending-machine-opens-Westfield-shopping-centre.html
:thumbsup:
An honest and talented jeweler is a wonderful thing.
Indeed. This is an old and respected firm in Hereford. I know this does not guarantee honesty, but maybe gives better odds.
If you really want to know, you could test the ring's density easily enough.
It's a classic physics problem, often mentioned in intro physics: Archimedes' conundrum how to test the purity of a gold crown without melting it down.
Simple: place the object in question into a container of liquid---typically water. Measure the rise in liquid level, to compute the volume of said item.
Now, using it's weight, determine it's exact density. Pure gold will have a specific value, and alloy'd gold, a different one. I'm certain there are tables to use, to determine what level of alloy versus pure gold the ring has... it's "carat" as it were.
(yeah... I'm a science geek...)
But consider that jewelry gold is usually slightly alloyed to improve the mechanical properties (pure gold being a bit too soft).
With precise enough measurements you should be able to tell if is a 10K, 12K, 14K, 18K, 20K or 24K.
It's 22 carat, and this is not something I want to poke around at. :detective: :mrgreen:
That is likely an excellent plan.
:giggle: