Jewelry

I brought my earring in to be repaired, something I'd been meaning to get around to for months. This is my favorite earring, and one with great sentimental value — it was handmade, a fire opal set in onyx, the gift from a girlfriend many years ago. Apparently, because of the delicate nature of the piece, a laser will have to be used to reattach the post. (I lost the other one many years ago attempting to make this same repair.)

In fact, I love this piece so much, I'm even looking into having a duplicate made.

I also brought in another earring, one that my wife gave me some years ago — a large fire opal that was rather precariously perched atop four slender posts. I've never felt entirely comfortable wearing it, because it seemed so delicate (and in fact, the jewel has come loose over the years, even while I wasn't wearing it) , and I've wanted to have it placed in a more secure setting.

That I've resisted wearing this earring has long been a source of irritation for my wife, who seems to take it as a personal affront (though I've tried to explain otherwise). I might reconsider once it's been set — but the truth is, all sentimental value aside, I just prefer the size and the simplicity of my beloved favorite earring.

In my attic is a box of old earrings, the most outrageous, ostentatious things you could imagine. I used to accumulate them, though I cannot recall ever having worn many of them. I've always preferred simplicity.