Supplier BulletinNov 21, 2024
Tasha R Releases 2025 Labbelle Lab Diamond Jewelry CatalogSponsored by Tasha R
EditorsJul 19, 2013
Time to say goodbye
On Saturday, July 13, I returned from a two-week whirlwind vacation to sad news: my grandmother, Anna E. (Rothart) Graff, had died.
On Saturday, July 13, I returned from a two-week whirlwind vacation to sad news: my grandmother, Anna E. (Rothart) Graff, had died.
I quickly unpacked one suitcase and repacked another, then caught a train out to a stop off I-80 in New Jersey, where by brother and sister-in-law scooped me up for the remainder of the ride to Pittsburgh.
On Monday, the day before the funeral, I had the opportunity to visit my grandmother’s house, where she lived independently until the last two months of her life, for the last time.
It’s the same house where I spent hours of my childhood playing 500 rum with her at the kitchen table, and where I spent all my Christmas Days until her house grew too small to hold our growing family and she became, in her children’s view, too old to handle Christmas for everyone.
I knew what I wanted to see in her house; the one thing, in my mind, that is the ultimate link between generations: jewelry.
We didn’t have enough time that day to look through everything--my grandmother had drawers and drawers of jewelry, much of it costume and still in its original boxes--but my mother has promised to put it aside for me so I can sort through it the next time I am home and divide it up among my cousins and their children, my grandmother’s great-grandchildren.
One thing I did take from her house was a very small plain band that I can only surmise was her original wedding band from my grandfather, who died long before I was born. There is no stamp on the ring and I can’t tell if it’s platinum, white gold or neither of the aforementioned.
I quickly unpacked one suitcase and repacked another, then caught a train out to a stop off I-80 in New Jersey, where by brother and sister-in-law scooped me up for the remainder of the ride to Pittsburgh.
On Monday, the day before the funeral, I had the opportunity to visit my grandmother’s house, where she lived independently until the last two months of her life, for the last time.
It’s the same house where I spent hours of my childhood playing 500 rum with her at the kitchen table, and where I spent all my Christmas Days until her house grew too small to hold our growing family and she became, in her children’s view, too old to handle Christmas for everyone.
I knew what I wanted to see in her house; the one thing, in my mind, that is the ultimate link between generations: jewelry.
We didn’t have enough time that day to look through everything--my grandmother had drawers and drawers of jewelry, much of it costume and still in its original boxes--but my mother has promised to put it aside for me so I can sort through it the next time I am home and divide it up among my cousins and their children, my grandmother’s great-grandchildren.
One thing I did take from her house was a very small plain band that I can only surmise was her original wedding band from my grandfather, who died long before I was born. There is no stamp on the ring and I can’t tell if it’s platinum, white gold or neither of the aforementioned.
What I do know is that my grandmother had long, slender fingers and the band would not fit most people. But it fits her granddaughter, because she has the same hands.
For my grandmother’s funeral, I was asked to do a reading. And by asked, I mean that my father shouted across the funeral home’s viewing room, “Michelle, do you want to do a reading?” in front of my entire family, leaving me little choice in the matter. (One of my aunts “asked” my cousin to do a reading in exactly the same manner. It’s just the Graff way.)
Not that I minded. I felt like it was the least I could do for someone who had shown me unconditional love since the day I was born.
Much to my grandmother’s chagrin, I am sure, I am not a particularly religious person.
I don’t know what happens to people when they die: if there is some kind of system for dividing people up according to their behavior on earth (good people go to one place, bad people to another), if your spirit goes on to become something else, or if death is simply the end.
So I selected my reading from the New Testament carefully, avoiding any passages that involved damning people to hell.
What I ended up picking was from the Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians, a letter in which he wrote, “We look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal. For we know that if our earthly dwelling, a tent, should be destroyed, we have a building from God, a dwelling not made with hands, eternal in heaven.”
My grandmother’s “tent” lasted her nearly 100 years, until her heart gave out at the age of 98. It was a long, good life but it was time for her family to say goodbye.
So, we say it: Goodbye, grandma. We’ll always miss you.
More on Editors
The Latest
AuctionsNov 21, 2024
Gold Watch Gifted to Titanic Rescue Ship Captain Sells for $2MThree Titanic survivors presented him with the personalized Tiffany & Co. timepiece about a year after the tragedy.
MajorsNov 21, 2024
Harris Jewelry Ordered to Reopen Claims Portal for Refund RequestsA federal court found that the jewelry store chain violated terms of the settlement reached after it was accused of defrauding customers.
Brought to you by
Navigating Cybersecurity: Essential Guidance for JewelersFrom protecting customer data to safeguarding inventory records, it's crucial to learn how to tackle cybersecurity challenges.
CollectionsNov 21, 2024
Channel Elphaba in Muse’s ‘Have a Heart x Cynthia Erivo’ CollectionCynthia Erivo chose Dreams of Hope, an organization dedicated to empowering LGBTQA+ youth, as the charity for this year’s collection.
Weekly QuizNov 21, 2024
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsNov 21, 2024
Rocksbox Opens Pop-Up Store in San FranciscoThe new space was designed to evoke a warm, inviting vibe.
IndependentsNov 21, 2024
Mary Moses Kinney Is Now Part of The Edge’s Team Kinney, who spent nearly 30 years at IJO, has been hired to head Abbott Jewelry Systems’ new virtual marketplace.
Brought to you by
Enhance Your Expertise with IGI’s In-Person Courses in NYCThis fall, sharpen your skills in jewelry grading, quality control and diamond assessment.
CrimeNov 20, 2024
Sotheby’s to Pay $6.25M Settlement to NY State for Alleged Tax FraudThe auction house was accused of helping clients avoid paying taxes on millions of dollars’ worth of art purchased from 2010 to 2020.
Events & AwardsNov 20, 2024
Kering Debuts New Jewelry Award With Sustainability FocusThe four finalists will present their pieces at the 2025 JCK Las Vegas show.
CollectionsNov 20, 2024
Pamela Love Channels Surrealist Artists in New CollectionThe “Camera Oscura” collection showcases earring designs celebrating female Surrealist artists Claude Cahun and Leonor Fini.
Policies & IssuesNov 20, 2024
Columbia Gem House Raises $10K for Reforestation EffortsThe money will fund the planting of 10,000 trees in critical areas across Oregon, Arizona, Montana, and other regions.
Events & AwardsNov 20, 2024
The Jewelry Symposium Opens Registration, Scholarship ApplicationsThe event centered on advancing jewelry manufacturing technology will return to Detroit in May 2025.
CrimeNov 19, 2024
Woman Killed in Armed Robbery of Sacramento Jewelry StoreLocal reports identified the woman as the wife of the jewelry store owner.
AuctionsNov 19, 2024
‘A Tsar’s Treasure’ Fetches $2.9M at Sotheby’s Jewelry SaleA collection of pieces owned by Ferdinand I, the first king of modern Bulgaria, and his family, blew away estimates in Geneva last week.
MajorsNov 19, 2024
Trove Opens First US Flagship in NYCThe Australian jewelry box brand’s new West Village store will showcase new jewelers each month through its Designer in Residence program.
CollectionsNov 19, 2024
Snoop Dogg’s New Jewelry Collection Is All About Love“Lovechild” was created in partnership with Carolyn Rafaelian’s Metal Alchemist brand.
Policies & IssuesNov 18, 2024
Reciprocity Jewels Returns to NYC Jewelry WeekThe group will host several curated events and an exhibition of designer jewelry made with Peruvian gold traceable to the miners’ names.
CollectionsNov 18, 2024
Dolly Parton Shines in Collaboration with Kendra ScottThe collection honors the 50th anniversary of Dolly Parton’s “Love is Like a Butterfly” song, which shares a birth year with Kendra Scott.
Events & AwardsNov 18, 2024
IGI Jewelry Design Competition ReturnsThis year’s theme asks designers to take inspiration from classic fairy tales.
CollectionsNov 15, 2024
Marie Lichtenberg Battles Counterfeits with New ‘Raiz’in Scapular’ DesignsThe latest “Raiz’in” drop showcases a newly designed “Scapular” necklace and donates a portion of the proceeds to Make-A-Wish France.
WatchesNov 15, 2024
Piece of the Week: Citizen’s Commemorative Pocket WatchNo. 1 out of 100, the timepiece was created to mark Citizen’s 100th anniversary and will be auctioned off at Sotheby’s next month.
Recorded WebinarsNov 15, 2024
Watch: 10 Tips to Keep Your Jewelry Store Secure On the latest episode of “My Next Question,” two experts share best practices for store security during the holidays and year-round.
AuctionsNov 14, 2024
18th-Century Diamond Necklace Sells for Nearly $5M Sotheby’s sold the necklace, which potentially has ties to Marie-Antoinette, for $4.8 million to a woman bidding via phone.
MajorsNov 14, 2024
Saks Fifth Avenue Cancels Holiday Light DisplayInstead of its usual elaborate display, the store will illuminate its façade and frame the windows to highlight its flagship’s architecture.
WatchesNov 14, 2024
Grand Seiko Partners With Ben Bridge on First Hawaii Store The new Grand Seiko boutique is located in Honolulu’s Waikiki neighborhood.
SourcingNov 13, 2024
Gem Legacy Adventures Announces 2025 Trip Eleven spots are available for travelers to visit Northern Tanzania and Southern Kenya from July 25 to Aug. 4.
