Up Here in Bathysphere (or wherever it is)

Frater I*I · #451

Foggy wrote: ↑Fri May 31, 2024 3:08 pm His class ring from the US Naval Academy Class of 1949 arrived in the mail today; my sister said he left notes indicating that I should get it. He wore it every day until he passed, but of course I can't wear it.

It's really worn - probably 14K gold with an oval garnet inset, but it's been a few years since 1949, none of the text is readable and the design is too faint to see. So I'm not sure what to do with this thing. I suppose I can find a small jewelry box around here, but that wouldn't display it. Hmm.

They make ring display cases that you can custom order with an engraved data plate....

#452

Actually, ol' Wifehorn insists that he wanted me to have the ring. My first thought was, it should be in the urn with his ashes, he wore it 24/7 for 75 years! However, his and my mother's wedding rings are in the urn, but he left instructions to leave the class ring to me, for whatever reason. If'n he'd wanted it in the urn, it'd be there now.

So I did my own research.

And it turns out that you can expand the size of a gold ring to fit your finger by using additional gold. And I happen to have a thin gold ring that isn't my wedding ring, so it's available for the big one. And when I told ol' Wifehorn that I was going to take the ring to a jewelry repair specialist, she said she has never gotten her mom's wedding ring fixed (they had to cut it to remove it), so we can go together and see what the possibilities are.

And like I said, the ring is no longer recognizable as a USNA class ring, but there might be enough gold left over from the little one that I could get some sort of redesign, maybe with initials and his birth and death years engraved.

I don't know. I have to go over it with someone who knows what they're doing and explore the possible options.

But ol' Wifehorn had a bizzy week, we'll go on Monday.

#453

I think I'll wear it on the pinky of my right hand, not the ring finger, so it's not considered a class ring on me. I'd still have to expand it; this thing is small.

Besides, my Ex-Girlfriends ring is on the ring finger of my right hand, a plain sterling silver band that's a reminder of the three amazing women who were longtime girlfriends of at least three years each, before I met ol' Wifehorn. All of whom I truly loved and who prepared me for life as a married man. That finger's taken.

Gene Kooper · #454

If you are interested in wearing it every day, may I suggest wearing it as a pendent on a small gold chain, esp. if you want others to notice.

I have my Uncle Gene''s 1937 Alliance High School ring that is just the right size for wearing on my right pinkie. There never was any gold in the ring, but it has acquired a gneiss patina.

You might also consider asking your two sons if either of them would like to wear it now and then. I bet at least one of them would enjoy wearing it when you are not.

#455

Chain around your neck?

Nail on the wall?

#456

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Thanks for the suggestions, y'all. It's a little heavy for a necklace. I have a necklace, with a T. Rex on it, to remind me I'm a dinosaur. I wear it to the pool.

But I'm not making any decisions until I have a serious consultation with a jewelery repair specialist, and a good talk with my wife, about what I'm going to do with it.

You can see it was a design full of text and symbols, including the trident that represents Navy sea power. Ex Scientia Tridens means, "From Science, Sea Power".

#457

Im of twominds. Repair could make it wearable.

BUT

That is a beautiful ring exactly like it is AND it carries the entire life of its wearer in its scratches, nicks, dents, and wear.

Whatever you decide enjoy it.

#458

I know, right? That thing is awesome. I don't deserve it, but my dad insisted. Like I said, if'n he'd wanted it in his urn with his wedding ring, it'd be in the urn.

So I have to decide what to do with it. And I think yes, one of the possibilities is to simply get it expanded to fit the pinky of my right hand, without disturbing the worn down parts of the ring. It would be next to the Ex-Girlfriends ring.

And I like Gene's ideas. I have discussed with both my sons and showed them the ring. William III is the eldest, and my dad's namesake, so he will eventually inherit the ring. Primogeniture.

But until then, I might try to wear it myself, and so he might need to get it resized again when the time comes.

#459

Encase it in lucite.

RTH10260 · #460

A suggestion in case of encapsulating the ring: try to recover the text of the engravings before. Are they still visisble under UV or IR light sources, perhaps? Will the FBI or other three character agency assist? Was the engraving personal, or was it a standard text, eg is it to be found in some archives? Stand text insofar that possibly name and year were personalized. Can the goldsmith enhance the dulled parts (eg not fully restore).

#461

You can place the encased one next to a photo of him. Every time you see the photo you and others are also reminded of something that was very special to him and was with him to the end.

Just a thought.

Uninformed · #462

For what it’s worth I agree with Keith, the ring speaks volumes. It’s very special.

Gene Kooper · #463

Foggy wrote: ↑Sun Jun 02, 2024 8:57 am It's a little heavy for a necklace.

I don't think it is too heavy to wear as a necklace. That's more a matter of personal taste.You might want to try it first.

Since your Father was very fond of ol' Wifehorn, you might want to present it to her to wear as a necklace while you decide what to do. For you it would be a bit too busy sharing space with a

#464

These are all good suggestions, but I will wait until after the consultation and a subsequent discussion with my wife.

I think I have two guiding - and somewhat conflicting - ideas. One is that he left it to me, not to be displayed like a memento but to wear and enjoy. I have plenty of photos and other things to remind me of him, and I don't need more. I will remember him, and I'm still thrilled that he and I ended as close friends, but I'm not dedicating my life to his memory. He never gave me anything simply to remind me of him, and in fact the exact opposite is true - everything he ever gave me was intended for me to use, not to put on a shelf.

Two is that I didn't earn the right to wear a class graduation ring from the USNA, and I won't do anything that even comes within 100 country miles of feeling like stolen valor. I will be perfectly happy if nobody ever asks me, isn't that a Naval Academy ring? I want it to be unrecognizable, except by me.

If'n I can find a solution that fits both those ideas, that'd be great.

sugar magnolia · #465

Foggy wrote: ↑Sun Jun 02, 2024 4:53 pm These are all good suggestions, but I will wait until after the consultation and a subsequent discussion with my wife.

I think I have two guiding - and somewhat conflicting - ideas. One is that he left it to me, not to be displayed like a memento but to wear and enjoy. I have plenty of photos and other things to remind me of him, and I don't need more. I will remember him, and I'm still thrilled that he and I ended as close friends, but I'm not dedicating my life to his memory. He never gave me anything simply to remind me of him, and in fact the exact opposite is true - everything he ever gave me was intended for me to use, not to put on a shelf.

Two is that I didn't earn the right to wear a class graduation ring from the USNA, and I won't do anything that even comes within 100 country miles of feeling like stolen valor. I will be perfectly happy if nobody ever asks me, isn't that a Naval Academy ring? I want it to be unrecognizable, except by me.

If'n I can find a solution that fits both those ideas, that'd be great.

Have the whole thing melted down and the garnet polished and have something completely new made from it. And don't even let one of those chain stores look at it. Find a designer and look at their work. Look for the words fine or custom in their ads, and make sure the person who actually does the work is physically in the store, not just the owner. If not, you'll wind up with some bench jeweler who may or may not do a good job.

We used to have a fine jeweler on the board, from Dallas I believe?

#466

I understand your desires Foggy. Not to muddy the waters, but thinking a couple generations down the road, you don't want the ring to become a thing in a drawer. When one of the kids ask whose it is, no one has a ready answer.

Encasing it, and enscribing the lucite with some information will solve that. It becomes a family heirloom. Everyone will know that great-great-great grampa went to the Naval Academy, and he wore the ring his whole life afterwards - that's why it's so worn.

They can embed an image of him in the lucite too.

I'll shut up now. My own mortality may be speaking. Hard to tell.

#467

So I found the jewelry repair specialist who was in the same shopping center as our first flower shop. Over the years, his shop got robbed twice, so he changed the name and got a more secure address, but I managed to track him down and he was always a great jewelry guy, so both ol' Wifehorn and I gave him stuff to work on.

He said that the class graduation ring was worked on at some time in the past, and the bottom of the ring showed "bubbling" and it was weak as a result. I had no idea, but it was already damaged. I gave him the small gold band for additional gold. So he's going to 1) cut out the damaged part of the ring, 2) replace it with a new section made from the small one, and finally 3) size it to fit my pinky on my right hand.

For about $150. I call that a bargain and a good solution. My kids know all about the ring (they've been in and out since school ended) so there will be no confusion there. And as above, Wm. III will inherit it after I pass. I'm pretty sure this is what the old man had in mind when he left it to me.

I wonder why they wanted ol' Wifehorn's birthday and our anniversary date, and a number so they can send me text messages?

#468

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Yeah, yeah, terrible photo, I'll work on it. But you can see on my gnarled old paw, it doesn't rub up against the "girlfriends" ring (Terry, Cathy, and Ellen), so it should last a long time.

Just got it back today, cost $350 and they did a GREAT job.

#469

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On that last one, you can almost see the trident of the Navy insignia.

#470

It has that Roman Artifact look to it.

#471

realist · #472

Nice.