Back in 2017 I came up with a fun challenge to pose to my followers — it was called the #GG30DayChallenge. Aside from a few photos from the TV show Gossip Girl, the hashtag was ready for anyone who also wanted to play along. The premise of the hashtag was to post one ring each day for 30 days and tell the story behind it — like where I got it, when it became a part of my collection, and any other significant details. I love learning about and reading this type of content, so I thought others would too! Β It ended up being a great success and I thoroughly enjoyed not only putting this together myself but also reading everyone’s posts. It also is a way for me to remember the stories behind each ring, as my collection continues to grow and my memory begins to fade!
So here are all the rings I featured back in 2017, all of which are still a part of my collection (I posted one of the rings for sale but ended up taking it down and keeping it). I will be doing this challenge again STARTING TODAY and hope you can join in on the fun. I’ll add all 30 more rings into another roundup!
This vintage jelly opal ring caught my attention on Instagram and was actually one of my first purchases off of this app! It’s from @decemberanchor and one of the first things she has ever posted. It’s one of my favorite rings to wear that I can put on and instantly feel happy.
This onyx & diamond ring became a part of my collection in September of 2015. It was found in Italy at the @vicenzaoro jewelry show, from one of the few vintage sellers featured there. It was our last day at the show and the seller’s English speaking skills were minimum. I somehow got him to pull out a pouch of jewels stashed away in his onsite safe, and that’s where I found this guy!
My wedding gift from my husband–I found this ring on my #JewelryRoadTrip while in Pennsylvania visiting @joden_jewelry. It was one of the rings I chose to use in a photo, but I didn’t end up bringing it home with me. It wasn’t until several days later that I kept thinking about this ring–how it would be the perfect wedding day gift bc opal-October (we got married in October) and at the time I didn’t have many opals. We ended up getting the ring but it still didn’t seem right to me. Only five days before my wedding I decided to give the ring a makeover by removing all the fancy-ness that surrounded the stone–sweating while my jeweler worked on it. Thought for sure it was going to break π
Everyone needs to do these two things in their life:
1. Visit @langantiques in San Francisco–one of the most π±π± Antique jewelry stores I’ve been to. That’s where this ring is from.
2. Own a piece of jewelry with a moonstone in it! This was my first moonstone in my collection and it’s one of those stones that seems to be magical. I also love the fact that it is surrounded by Montana sapphires.
I bid at auction for this jaw-dropping garnet, diamond and enamel stunner, back in early 2014 from @skinnerauctions. At the time I had logged in to bid live and I was at work, trying to multi-task. That same auction included three different pieces from Picasso–and I remember them just flying upward in price and becoming very intimidated by bidding on this ring. (The three Picasso pieces totaled nearly $400k in the end). It was almost time for this ring to be up for bid, when I got called to help out front at work. I remember thinking, well I guess it’s not meant to be, whatever π©. Then as quickly as I went up, the customer had already left, and I ran back just as the ring went up on the screen. π
Another @skinnerauctions winning bid, although this ring came with two others in a “lot” and it got a slight makeover since I first got it, this might be my first and only ring that features the gemstone Amazonite. Special shout out to @arleiie for helping me with this ππΌ
My “something blue” I wore on my wedding day. I dreamt up this ring–literally had a dream about a huge, bright neon blue sparkling pinky ring that was heart-shaped–and woke up frantically drawing it as best I could before forgetting what I had just seen in my head. Had it made, down to every detail, and it came out exactly how I imagined…even better.
Another auction win, this time from @hajewelry and it actually was a brooch when I got it! I feel like it was originally a ring to begin with, then converted into a brooch, then I turned it back into a ring! Ah, the circle of life.
This star sapphire diamond and enamel ring comes from someone I met on Instagram — @tuliandmeesk
We’ve got similar tastes in jewelry, which makes it fun because she is always buying my rings and I’m buying hers. Was lucky enough to meet up with her while I was in California last fall and buy this piece AND meet Cilla her cute dog.
The first time I ever asked an eBay seller if they would consider doing a layaway was with this ring! And believe it or not, she said yes and worked a 6 month layaway plan just for me. Bless her heart.
This masked lady portrait ring always brings up so many memories for me because I got it on one of my favorite trips ever–visiting London & @heartofsolidgold with @bellflowerbay — it was my first time going to Portobello Road. I feel like we need to go back?!?!
When I turned 30, I wanted to gift myself something π― and I had been saving π° I found this on @ebay a few weeks before my bday and knew it was the one! And yes, everyone should gift themselves π you deserve it!
Got this amazing lapis ring from @sarahjewelry101 while visiting my sister up in Buffalo! That trip was full of great memories and I’ve sadly haven’t been back “home” since. This ring wouldn’t look the way it does without the enamel restoration and side stone replacement from @plattboutiquejewelry ππΌ
This sweet turquoise flower ring is from @reliquarysf and is a testament to why subscribing to your favorite shop’s newsletters is important! The store ran a “secret” sale, which went live and only accessible through a link that was sent out to subscribers. Loved the concept and was excited to buy this piece at a killer price!
This onyx ring is from @sundayandsundayantiques and I found it on Etsy while Christmas shopping for friends & family. It was my first time finding Sunday & Sunday Antiques, which now you know I’ve visited up in Ohio, but this was my first experience with them. I never ended up buying anything for said friends & family that day. Just myself. π
This ring is from @thejewelryboxlf and I spotted it on their Facebook page back in 2014. No matter how much I complain about hating Facebook, it’s things like this, my dad’s daily multiple “funny” video messages and the “On this Day” function that keeps me coming back.
I had to include my Victorian bypass Old European cut diamond engagement ring in my 30 day challenge! I feel like most of my followers know the details and story behind it (if not you can go to GemGossip.com and type in Gem Gossip Engagement Ring into the search box)
ππΌ What you might not know is how my husband proposed (at our house) but before he felt comfortable, he wanted to ask my dad’s permission first. On our way home from my parents’ house, I got to wear this ring for the first time and *keep it on.* I kept staring at it, so much so that I got pulled over by the police. π¨π Luckily Chiefy was in the backseat being cute and the officer let me go with a warning. π
I wanted something I could wear traveling and for everyday. I was set on a sapphire and found the perfect ring from @maejeanvintage — it originally held a synthetic stone and I had trouble finding a replacement. I found a Mehh stone while in Tucson that had potential. @topnotchfaceting worked his magic and now my sapphire seems to be shining from within. ππΌ
A surprise Christmas gift from Matt in 2014–he was so proud of finding this by himself on eBay.
Appropriate to reminisce about this ring because I’ve almost owned it for exactly one year (as of May 2017)! Got it at the @usantiqueshows Las Vegas Antique Show last year from @bluestonetrading
Have you ever seen faceted hematite before?! I’ve only seen a few pieces but never liked the style of them. Then I saw THIS ring from @eragemjewelry and had to have it! Hematite makes me smile because any time I would get it in my Gem ID stone sets, I just knew. If you’re a GG you know what I mean ππΌ
The only time this has ever successfully happened to me: placed a bid online through an online auction house…forgot all about it…ended up being high bidder weeks later once the auction went live.
Picked this ring up in Miami at the antique show in 2015 from @oakgem — first time ever that someone told me “I have a ring you’re going to love” and I actually really did love it!!
First year anniversary gift from Matt–found this on @therealreal and it reminds me of our Sedona honeymoon. π
This ring by @bcejewelry is easily a favorite because A) I got to pick out the opals myself when Becca came to Nashville and B) it was made by Becca herself, one of my favorite jewelry friends.
My only coral ring I have in my collection, this one I found at Heart of Ohio Antique Center back in 2014. It’s a 6 hour drive from where I live, and I’ve recently went again. Highly recommend if you love antiquing!
This is my Gram’s ring–growing up she wore it on her left ring finger every day. She had me appraise it for her when she came to visit a couple years ago and it turns out, the center stone is glass. It still is honestly one of the prettiest rings and I will treasure it forever.
My 27th birthday gift from my parents. Easily the best bday gift I have ever gotten. This reminds me I need to wear this ring more!
My first bid/win with @fellowsauctions — I remember getting this in the mail and getting the email alert that the package had been delivered. I was at work at the time, so I conveniently said I wasn’t feeling well so I could go home early and open this package ππππΌππΌ
A beauty from @excaliburjewelry which commemorates my trip to Tucson 2017 ππΌ
