My Oldest Pair of Earrings

If you go through your stash of jewelry, there is a high chance of finding a piece that may not be expensive or be long past its prime but you are not ready to let go! I am going to tell you about mine.

....it's a faraway, awe-inspiring place.

I got my mother-of-pearl stud earrings 40 long years ago as a gift from an uncle. He was working for the government of India and posted in Port Blair. It is the capital city of the territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands which are part of the Indian archipelago. In my teenage mind, it was a faraway, awe-inspiring place. This is what I heard from my uncle. These islands are full of mangrove and tropical rainforests, palm tree-lined white sandy beaches, coral reefs full of marine life... Some islands are inhabited by indigenous people of different tribes. Most of them have gradually accepted a modern way of life. But a few of them are still content to practise their traditions which have not changed since Paleolithic times. They won't allow the modern world to meddle with that! They are protected by the government too and nobody is allowed to set foot on these islands apart from some very few officials.

My beloved pair of earrings came from this place. No, it's not from those secluded islands made by bow and arrow wielding indigenous tribes! But it came from Port Blair, the main city where some local cottage industries back then produced beautifully handcrafted goods and trinkets, all from locally acquired materials.

....a pair of beautiful mother of pearl stud!

I had just turned 15 years old and my mother’s brother was visiting for the first time in years. As was his custom, he arrived at our house laden with gifts for me and my brother and sister. We, girls, had got a pair of beautiful mother of pearl studs. Both of ours were flower-shaped but a bit different in pattern. I liked mine but my sister's pair was prettier. I even envied her for a while for that!

In 40 years I have worn this pair on numerous occasions, carrying it to all corners of the planet for vacations. They survived four major (and a few minor) inter-continental moves. I forgot to remove them a few times before showering, and I’ve also dropped them on the floor countless times. I lost them too - several times - but fortunately was able to find them every time (so far)!

My studs...vanished through that gap.

The incident that sticks out in my memory the most was one 12 years ago, when we went to Phuket Island in Thailand, and I almost lost all hope. An Island vacation means a lot of water activities like boating, kayaking, and snorkeling. We were doing multiple activities on the same day, hiking, a mini jungle safari on elephant back, and white water rafting. Just before we set off for rafting, we were told to put on the wet suits provided by the rental company. I hadn't thought much before putting my earrings on that morning, but when I changed into my wetsuit, I realized there was no option but to place my studs in the plastic bag with the rest of my clothes. I happened to notice a small hole at the bottom of the bag- but just then, the group was calling for me and I had to rush to join them. After a very hectic short vacation, we came back, and eventually, I noticed my lovely pair was missing. I looked through all our luggage 3 times without luck. In all the hurry, where I actually put the pair wasn't very clear, even to me. I remembered seeing the tiny hole in the plastic bag and sadly assumed it must have vanished through that gap.

....my fingertip touched something knobbly and hard. A better look and there were my earrings!

After 6 months or so my daughter was sorting her stuff and deciding on a few things to let go of. She is not a person who gives up easily on anything. But she was growing tall and some of her clothes were not fitting anymore. Some bags and tiny purses were just too childish! I was sorting through her discard pile, when I happened across a small purse I had last seen her use during the Thailand vacation. There was a small purse in that pile and I checked the inner content before putting it in the 'let go' pile. Checking the inner pocket, as usual, this time my fingertip touched something knobbly and hard. A better look and there were my earrings! One was caught inside the ripped lining and the other was stuck with a stud pin bent at a 90° angle! It was then that I finally remembered. All those months ago, rushing to change for the white water rafting, I had noticed my daughter’s purse on the coat rack and had swiftly tucked the tiny studs inside for safe-keeping. Imagine, all this time they had stayed with us, only just out of sight! Fortunately, the angled pin was easily fixed with none the wiser.

Since that time, I haven't carried them during vacation time. However, I still wear them from time to time about the house.

Here is a photo of my battered pair.

I would love to see your favorite piece of jewelry too. Why not post your photo wearing that piece here! Even better, if you can add a few lines about it like, where and how long ago you got it.