An Opened Upwardly Missive Of The Alphabet To Tiffany & Co.

What's left of my ring.

Before my hubby too I were fifty-fifty considering marriage, I’d chosen the band I hoped to someday wear: a Tiffany yellowish diamond. Still, when he proposed, on a chilly Oct eve inwards 2012, I was shocked to run across my fantasy band nestled inwards the piddling velveteen box he held inwards his palm. The engagement, the shimmering diamond—it all felt similar an illusion, likewise skillful to live true.

I felt privileged to apparel such a beautiful diamond—and that luster never wore away. As late equally this fall, I told my hubby how lucky I felt to convey the ring. This was no starter ring. This was my forever ring.

But then, this November, I was volunteering for Operation Christmas Child, the charity that sends shoeboxes of toys to children exactly about the world. My project was simple: practise bins of extra toys—coloring books, plastic rings, Beanie Babies—that could live added to whatsoever skimpily filled boxes. Halfway through my three-hour shift, I looked downwards during a grouping prayer too noticed the pump rock of my appointment band was gone.  

Frantic, I called Frank—who, thankfully, was much calmer than me—and thus asked the human who’d prayed to brand an announcement. Everyone inwards the warehouse was asked to carefully cheque the bins I’d assembled, but my diamond was never found. 

I finished my shift, thus sobbed on the hour-long drive home. 

The side past times side day, my hubby too I went to the nearest Tiffany, where nosotros were greeted amongst sympathy too piddling Tiffany-blue macarons. The shop director acknowledged that the prongs—two of which had completely snapped—looked “weak.” She promised the band would live thoroughly inspected past times the Tiffany primary jeweler inwards New York City, too that nosotros would have a written report past times Dec 9th.

December ninth came too went without a word. When nosotros called the client back upwardly line, nosotros were told we’d have the written report past times Dec 18th, which also came too went. After a twenty-four lx minutes menstruation or two, nosotros called again—and were told the cost of a novel rock too the repair would live to a greater extent than than the master copy cost of the ring. This is despite the fact that my band includes dozens of smaller diamonds, which are however intact, too has a platinum band. 

The argue I lost my diamond, they said, was that my band had lost its cast exactly slightly, potentially compromising the setting. In 2013, I’d had the band reshaped, past times Tiffany, but was forthwith told that the society exclusively stands past times its repairs for 1 year. 

When nosotros contested the price, the client service rep said they’d reevaluate the report. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few days later, nosotros received the same price—but amongst a novel explanation: An affect had caused the diamond to autumn out.

In other words, my Tiffany appointment ring—which cost equally much equally a pocket-sized car—can’t withstand everyday wear, because I definitely don’t pass my days punching people (or brick walls).

My hubby chose Tiffany for quality. But Tiffany doesn’t sell quality. Tiffany sells an illusion built on Audrey Hepburn movies, piddling bluish boxes, too trays of macarons. 

Yes, a diamond is replaceable. As my hubby told me, the band isn’t his honey too fidelity—it’s exactly a symbol of it. (Thank goodness my union doesn't convey the lifespan of my ring!) But the band is the total of my human relationship amongst Tiffany—and that relationship, I tin assure you, is over.