20+ People Whose Common-Looking Jewelry Items Can Boast a Rich Past

Luxury jewelry from museum collections is not the only one with interesting stories. The jewelry we treasure also has a history. Some people inherited and preserved a piece of family legacy, some discovered a real treasure in a box of costume jewelry, and some poured their whole soul into a piece, crafting it with their own hands.

“My grandma has a ring that is her most prized possession. She’s always said one day she would pass it down to me.”

“I am the first person in our family to get a Master’s Degree, and as I lined up for graduation, she handed me my own...identical to hers and told me she was proud of me.”

“Together 6 years, married 2, preggo 7 months, and just got the engagement and wedding band upgrade of my dreams.”

“I bought a jar of broken jewelry pieces for $30. Thought it was mostly a dud until I came across this Victorian 15ct gold amethyst brooch. So beautiful.”

“This is a 24k ring my grandmother passed down to me from when she graduated medical school, I believe.”

“Found a neet sterling silver necklace for $20 at the flea market today.”

“This was my great-grandma’s ring that made its way to me. Its blue topaz and diamond. Has anyone ever seen a gemstone cut like this?”

“My grandmother gave me this ring. I loved it, but didn’t see myself ever actually wearing it. So I did this.”

“I made these barnacle rings with 18k yellow gold and pastel-colored sapphires.”

“My recent cloisonné enamel pendant”

“My boyfriend got me this gorgeous ring for my birthday.”

“He’s from Hawai’i and wanted me to have something that represented the islands. The band and leaves are gold, in the shape of maile leaves. The stone is black coral, which is the state gem!”

“Flea market find. A lady was selling her mother’s jewelry.”

“She was asking $1 each because ‘it’s all fake jewelry’ and ‘mom could never afford real stuff.’ 14k gold ring with white stones. I ended up telling her what it is/is worth and gave her $100 for it. The melt value of the gold is $150.”

“After 8 years together, he finally proposed and I’m obsessed.”

“I just inherited my grandmother’s 11-diamond bracelet for my college graduation. I am still shocked!”

“Wanted to see how pearls would look with copper, so I did this.”

“I’m not much of a jewelry person but this little moth copper brooch was too unique to leave behind.”

“Head-over-heels for my ’new’ late-Victorian garnet and seed pearl beauty!”

“I have a small collection of vintage/antique rings, and I think this one is my new favorite!”

“A 14k yellow gold diamond and ruby bracelet I fabricated using my clients’ old jewelry!”

“Bought this antique opal ring and I can’t get over how gorgeous the stone is!”

“My mother gave me this ring she’s had for a while. Does it hold some value?”

• Do not wear this ring another day until you get the stone prongs secured. You are about to lose a very expensive diamond. © australian_girly / Reddit

“My mother-in-law gave me her mother’s ring and gave me her blessing to change it however I wanted. Here’s the before and after.”

“Besides my son, the best thing I got from my marriage-my ex mother-in-law’s wedding ring.”

“The yellow stones move around the diamond.”

Most ordinary wire rings and expensive gold jewelry with precious stones can be equally valuable if there are some sentimental memories associated with them. Also, some celebrity couples choose to give up their engagement rings, and here is why.