Fifteen Years, Fifteen Stories Competition

At e.g.etal the story telling associated with a piece of jewellery is almost as precious to us as the piece. Over the years we have heard many of these stories. Rings that honour a first encounter, earrings that evoke memories of a favourite grandmother…. These are the stories that make a piece a future heirloom. They are also the reason we do what we do! We would love to hear your story.

If you don’t mind sharing it with us, please send your story (250 words or less) to charlotte@egetal.com.au.

Over the coming months, we will highlight some of these stories online.

One story will be selected to win a unique piece of jewellery from our Fifteen Collection on June 15th.

Stories we love so far…

‘A Goodbye Gift’ by Gemma Zia

When I was 17 my boyfriend of 2 years gave me a necklace as a goodbye gift. It was a string of darkly coloured glass beads. It was my first ‘true love’ and so I kept that necklace and still wear it from time to time today.

When I was 47 years old and divorced, that same boyfriend and I reconnected. Second time round we were hopeful that this was meant to be. There was passion and intensity, but rather than calling his marriage off (!) he called if off with me, and gave me a second goodbye necklace. This necklace was from egetal – a beautiful fine gold chain by Anna Davern. It is exquisite and I wear it more often than just from time to time.

Since then, I have received other pieces from egetal from other suitors – I had suggested to them that egetal has a choice of treasures and mementos. Thanks egetal, and thanks to the boyfriend who found you for me.

‘Simple Lines’ by Talitha Brown

I had just completed my first year of my architecture degree and my best friend was leaving for two years in London. I said goodbye to my Grandfather (for that would be the last time he heard my words while conscious in this world) and found myself wandering around Germany for a two week Christmas roadtrip.

We had wandered into Kunsthofpassage Dresden, and while I was taken with the architecture and design I was equally taken with the silversmith who had a studio within those walls. It was there that I found a silver ring that while simple has not been off my finger for a day. It’s not a complicated design, but it reminded me of a tree sculpture I had used in my major design project, a series of wires that twist and turn around each other taking shape and creating life.

There were many beautiful pieces that day but it was this simple little ring that held my attention and demanded to be taken home and become a part of my everyday life. Symbolizing that I had made it through my first year of a difficult degree, that I was strong enough to say goodbye to an honorary sister for two long years and finally to say goodbye to a loved one forever.

Without it I feel bare. When I look at those simple lines twisting around each other I am reminded of new beginnings and the different paths that lead us through life, and I smile.

‘Lost & Found’ by Matt Tanner

A large group of friends of mine play an annual game of softball in Fawkner Park in Melbourne. Every year we have the same softball diamond. About 6 years ago, after I got home from the game, I discovered that my wedding ring was no longer on my hand.

I went back to the field and searched for an hour until it was too dark. I went back the following morning and kept searching. I went to the park office where we rent some of the gear (bats, bases, gloves, balls) and searched all of the bags of gear including putting my hand into nearly every glove I could find. Asked all of the people that played – but nothing. No ring to be found. I was resigned to the fact that it was lost. We continued to play softball over the following years.

Two years later, when we got together for the event, my team won the toss and we elected to field. I picked a glove out of the gear bag and ran out to have a warm up throw of the softball. The glove didn’t feel quite right and it felt like there was an obstruction in one of the fingers. I pushed in as hard as a I could to extract the object only to find my wedding ring. Lost almost two years to the day earlier, in a glove that would have been used dozens of times and hundreds of people.

Now I have two very special wedding bands.