JEWELRY WITH A STORY - A CONTINUING SERIES
Every piece of jewelry has its own special story creating an emotional connection either about the giver of the jewelry, the occasion it represents, or maybe someone who wore it before you. You can share your own personal story with other B. C. Clark friends by emailing it to info@bcclark.com or Facets@bcclark.com.
12th in our Series: "This is a 45-year-old story... Back in October 1965, my boyfriend was fresh out of the USMC and had just started a job. I was working at a medical clinic. We came in to pick out wedding rings for a wedding in 5 weeks. We left the rings to be sized and I came back in to pick them up because he was at work. Much to my dismay, we were told we could not have the rings until they were paid in full ($99.95 in 1965). Obviously, we didn't have the money, but much pride and promise. I begged the lady to let me take the rings and promised this would be the first bill we paid every month! To my delight, she agreed! She told me she had never done anything like that in her life and she hoped she wasn't making a mistake. True to my word, we paid that $10/month, faithfully. Ten months later, we brought in the final payment in person. I will never forget that lady's kindness... I think she must have been one of the owners to be able to do this. Or maybe she was an angel. I still remember her...she was about 40 years old, dark auburn hair, very distinguished looking. I will never forget BC Clark Jewelers. Oh, by the way, we just celebrated our 45th anniversary and I'm still wearing those rings! Thanks again. God bless you!" (Anita Leathers)
11th in our Series: "On November 10, 1983 my husband and I had our first child, Ashley. It happened to be our one year wedding anniversary. Early the next morning I was told that our baby daughter was having serious problems and would be flown to Children's Hospital. That afternoon Ashley underwent surgery. Needless to say, amid the fear and anxiety of having a critically ill baby, our anniversary was forgotten. That Christmas season was bittersweet. Although Ashley wouldn't be spending her first Christmas with us at home, she was improving and we were thankful for that. Late Christmas Eve night my husband gave me a gift wrapped package with the B.C. Clark label on it. Inside was a beautiful strand of Mikimoto pearls. What a truly wonderful gift to commemorate our anniversary and the birth of Ashley! In early January, Ashley was finally able to come home. Over the years my husband has given me numerous lovely pieces of jewelry from B.C. Clark, but my Mikimoto pearls will always hold a special place in my heart
Although I have worn them hundreds of times during the past 26 years, the most meaningful occasion was not when I wore them, but when I fastened them around our daughter ashley's neck on her wedding day, May 2, 2009."
10th in our Series: "In June of 1997, I received a kidney transplant at Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City. Not only was this a gift of new life and greatly improved health, but my new kidney was a loving gift from my sister. My sister, Kathy, lived in Delaware, which meant that she was away from her family, home and work for over a month. We recovered together in Norman. One evening, Russ, my husband, presented each of us with a lovely B.C. Clark box. We opened them to find identical David Yurman bracelets. The bracleets were to be a reminder of Kathy's loving gift of a new life. To this day, the bracelet remains on my wrist and only comes off for blood work.
October 2007, found our families together again at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. This time our older daughter, Stephanie, donated one of her kidneys to her younger sister, Melanie. And, yes, they each received identical David Yurman bracelets.
Since we have shopped at B.C. Clark's for 33 years, Russ knew right where to go to get the very special gift. The David Yurman bracelet means so much more to us than just a beautiful piece of jewelry."
9th in our Series: "I was in graduate school at Purdue University, where I met my husband who was teaching ROTC there. We got engaged, and, of course, like the two generations before, I wanted my rings from B.C. Clark's, but Bill could not get to Oklahoma until a month before the wedding. I called my mom and asked if B.C., Jr. could do anything. He called us and asked me to describe what I wanted and talked to Bill about price. That Saturday morning, 7 sets of rings arrived in the mail. You can imagine how excited we were. The perfect one was there. Ten years leter we added a second center stone, and B.C., Jr. sent a wonderful letter about how I now have a one-of-a-kind ring. I am still receiving compliments on my rings 40 years later. B.C. Jr., will always have a special place in our hearts, and B.C. Clark Jewelers is the place we go when we want something special. All of the Clark family are wonderful, and the service and quality they provide is excellent.
(Becky Marshall)
8th in our Series: "When I was 16 years old in 1991, my Papa and Mimi started giving me Mikimoto single pearls for an add-a-pearl necklace. I got one a year for about 10 years. I got married, they passed away, and the necklace was put in my jewelry case with a few loose pearls that were never added to the necklace. My husband knew the story and wanted to do something for me for Valentine's, so he went to B.C.Clark's to purchase the rest of the pearls to complete the necklace (took the pearls and necklace without my knowledge). Well, it was a bit more than he wanted to spend, and after sharing the story with one of the sales associates, together they came up with a wonderful design. They made a necklace with the original pearls I received as a teen, evenly spaced on a silver chain. It is absolutely beautiful and I will cherish it always.
A gift from heaven, from Ross and Mary Lou Vivona (aka Papa and Mimi), given to me by my husband, Jeremy Snow on Valentine's Day 2009."
(Shannon Snow, Edmond OK)
7th in our Series: "Around our 25th wedding anniversary, I was at B. C.Clark's having my diamond solitaire ring checked. I needed to replace the mounting as it was really worn. I left the ring with them and several weeks went by without them calling me to come pick it up. I asked my husband and he told me not to worry. On our anniversary, I opened a box and there was the most beautiful pave diamond wedding band. The center stone was from my original engagement ring and stones had been added. The gold was melted from my husband's gold rings from childhood. I am still thrilled every day when I wear it."
(Carol Lambertz)
6th in our Series: "The call came at 1:15 a.m., May 19, 1956 at the OU dorm where I was a counselor. The caller, David Riggs, asked to speak to one of the residents. "I'm sorry," I replied, "they can't have calls after 1:00 a.m." We continued to talk well past 5 a.m. Two years later we were married.
That date was commemorated on a gold charm "telephone" on a bracelet presented to me Christmas Day, 1966. Dave later had my bracelet converted to a necklace (now filled with seven charms). I still wear it with a great deal of pleasure and wonderful memories.
(Loy Riggs - A recipient of B.C.Clark gifts since 1958)
5th in our Series: "One Christmas I told my husband that I had found a beautiful sapphire and diamond ring at B.C.Clark's that I was dying to have for Christmas. He did not show much interest. I continued to bring it up every couple of days. Finally, a week before Christmas, he said we could go and look at the ring. When we arrived at B.C. Clark, the ring was gone. The salesman looked everywhere, but it had been sold already. I was so disappointed.
On Christmas day my husband presented me with a wonderful gift...the sapphire ring! I couldn't believe it. He had gone to the store without me, purchased the ring, and then offered to take me the next day. The salesman who helped us was not the one who sold it to my husband, so he was genuinely looking through all the cases for the ring and felt terrible that it had been sold.
My husband was so happy -- he loves a surprise!
4th in our Series: "For their 40th wedding anniversary, my father, Frank Ivy, wanted my mother, Inez, to have a special piece of jewelry in the spring of 1976. My mother and I went to B.C. Clark's downtown store to make a selection. There was a ring with an oval ruby surrounded by diamonds that looked lovely on my mother's delicate hand. However, having lived through the depression, my mother couldn't bring herself to spend that much money on a "non-essential" purchase. We left the store empty-handed. Then in June, B.C. Clark ran anad about it being the perfect time to purchase a ruby for a 40th anniversary. I showed it to Mom and told her I thought it was a sign she should get her ring. We went back to B.C. Clark and Mom purchased her "Anniversary Ring." It brought her so much joy and pleasure until her death in 1994. When my father passed her ring to me, I was unsure what to do with it. Then, in the spring of 1995 when I became engaged, my fiance and I of course went to B.C. Clarks. After looking at the many lovely engagement rings, I couldn't make a decision. Then it occurred to me, why not reset the ruby into an engagement ring. We picked out a beautiful setting and B.C. Clark set the ruby in a horizontal position. Now, when I wear my ring, I always feel like my parents are with me.
(Sue Ivy MacHugh)
3rd in our Series: "On my 25th wedding anniversary, my husband gave me an incredible diamond necklace, which I wore on every special occasion. Several years ago it disappeared, and I was heartbroken. Recently my husband passed away. We had been married over 55 years, and I decided to move to a high-rise apartment. When the big day came, the movers took a picture off the wall to pack it, and guess what they found hanging behind that picture as if it were in a very safe hiding place?....my fabulous anniversary necklace!
Now I wear it a lot more often, not waiting for those special occasions, and I'm no longer hiding it!
(Walta Jean)
2nd in our Series: "My great uncle was named William Lacey. He and his wife were married for 47 years before she passed away. At that time, he passed her diamond engagement ring on to my Aunt Lacey. Since then, each generation has passed the diamond ring on to another family member named Lacey. Now my daughter proudly wears the 'Lacey ring'."
(Emmy Lou)
1st in our Series: "When our second child was born, my husband gave me a beautiful pair of diamond ear studs. I always thought of them as one diamond representing each child. I wore them every day. About ten years later on my birthday, my husband gave me a card. On the inside he had written, 'Now that our children are getting bigger, I think your diamond ear studs should too.' We went back to B.C. Clark Jewelers and selected a wonderful pair of ear studs. I am still wearing those today.
On an anniversary a few years later, my husband took that original pair of ear studs and had one pear shaped diamond added to dangle from each round diamond stud. They are so elegant and now have an entirely new formal design.
I think we have created very special heirloom pieces that I look forward to passing on to our children."
(Susan)
