My Byzantine Ring

[ellenkushner]

On Santorini, Delia, that crazy kid, bought me a Byzantine-style ring, which I adore and have not taken off since. Turns out the company has a website. My modest little ring isn't even on their Ring Pages, but you can get some idea of the splendor available. (Not that I didn't crave and even try on this large and splendid specimen - but the sad truth is, large rings look lousy on me [and a good thing, too, considering the cost of gold these days]. I guess that's why I write people who can wear them.)

Comments

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

My husband and I came this close to talking ourselves into buying one on Mykonos, even though we couldn't afford it. In the end, I think the only thing that stopped me was the fact that I possess a semi-Byzantine emerald ring already, and wear it rarely enough that having two similar items would be dumb.

I covet one of their bracelets, though. Not the kind I see on that site; the ones made up of long, linked panels. (Don't have one of those yet.)

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's right! We were cruising the same waters at about the same time. Hope your trip was fantastic.

[shweta-narayan.livejournal.com]

Gold jewelry is so much part of my culture that it doesn't really seem like something to covet to me. It's something parents and grandparents give one, which takes a lot of the romance out of it.

This is a really interestingly different perspective!

[auroramama]

So gold is something that you've seen many times, worn by the older generation, so it's not awe-inspiring -- like inheriting the living-room sofa, perhaps? Interesting.

[shweta-narayan.livejournal.com]

Right. And big gold-and-stone things scream "old auntie" to me. Only not when Ellen's characters wear them, because the difference in cultural norms is most apparent to me in fiction.

I have gold-and-diamond earrings that I wear all the time because my mom gave them to me, they're pretty, and they're made for daily wear. Meanwhile I can't afford to buy a set of elisem's earrings, and those seem far more exotic and precious to me.

[rojomojo.livejournal.com]

Oooh, wait, a ring. He said, giggling. I can recall way too long ago buying one for my wife. Does the future hold a trip to CA?

Or is it just a ring?

rojo

[bluestalking.livejournal.com]

Is the ring in your icon your ring, or another ring? Whether that's the one or not, I think that was a lovely Delia thing to do. :)

(I've never understood how things like rings can "look bad," but I know what you mean--I look dreadful in big rings and even worse in nail polish.)

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

The icon ring is my wedding ring.

[bluestalking.livejournal.com]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

jewels

[auroramama]

You attracted my attention with the gold, something I don't usually covet myself (me: silver, preferably naturalistic, like a flower in realistic detail and correct phyllotaxy) but associate with my Girl. She was a straight-up Harriet Vane golden girl, at least when it came to precious metal. She made do with garnets and red cubic zirconia, rubies being pricey; but ruby fits because of its association with laser light. Pure, direct, intense, and true: that was her.

I can't remember whether you have a preference in gemstones, or are an equal-opportunity coveter (I think of mixed colored stones in connection with Riverside). The jeweler's website doesn't say what the blue-green stone in the "splendid" ring is. Do you know?

Re: jewels

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

I actually know very little about gemstones, and care almost less; I've seen pieces in jewelers' windows that make me go "Ahh!" but in the abstract deeply colored shiny things don't cry out to me as they do to certain of my friends. Whereby I know I lack the passion. So the Riverside stones are just whatever's pretty in my brain, by and large.

Gold, however . . . now that I've realized it has Colors. Rose gold looks lovely on me. Delia can wear the greener gold, and there's a bright yellow - like my new Byzantine ring - that makes her look sallow. These, I like.

I'm glad your girl got to have cubic zirconia - I find them utterly convincing, and they glitter, like Jennet Jourdemayne, they glitter, like hell's light they glitter....

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

Showy little bastards, I can hear them purring.

[yaoi-in-exile.livejournal.com]

(Rikibeth, you took the words right out of my mouth. >3)

How *romantic*! You know, it's strange...my parents almost bought a new engagement ring for my mother on *their* cruise earlier this year (but then didn't). Between them and y'all and swan_tower, this seems to be quite the Trend. :3 (Mebbe gold is cheaper abroad...)

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

Gold is not cheaper abroad, it's just more alluring and exotic. And when you're away from home, everything gaudy seems possible.

[yaoi-in-exile.livejournal.com]

I am generally in approval of everything gaudy, anytime, anyplace. :3 But I'm sure *your* ring is *beautiful*. The romance just enhances that.

Oh, and speaking of jewelry...remember a while (like a *year*) on back, when you said that I should maybe invest in an Etsy account? WELL...http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5121280 .

I swear, I am so very sending you guys at the IAF some proceeds, as y'all're the ones who lit the fire under my tail and got me beading again...I've barely stopped since the auction! X3

(The parrot prevails again.)

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

Go, you!!!!!! Beautiful stuff - you keep the proceeds, now - the IAF needs you in College more than we need your $$s! But thanks for letting us know. It is most encouraging.

And by the way: College?! Yay!! Where, o where??

[freda-writes.livejournal.com]

Oh no! Another jewellery website for me to drool over! I'm already far too addicted to browsing jewellery on the web! (And they don't post their prices... that's scary). Lovely ring, Ellen... rose gold is nice, isn't it. (Just been posting about the rose gold & ruby ring I got for my birthday!) I prefer rose or white gold to yellow, too.

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