Today, near the end of the day I had a couple come into my shop.
They began talking to me about a year ago. They were referred to me
by a former employee. They came in asking for a square emerald cut
diamond (some of you may call this an Ascher cut, but unless it’s
actually cut by the Ascher Company, you can’t really call it an
Ascher cut) for an engagement ring, which I made up for them. She is
a Native American. At the same time as they ordered the engagement
ring they asked me to custom make them wedding bands using a symbol
from her clan that they had asked the elders in her clan permission
to use on a band. They needed to know that the design wouldn’t be
copied and that all pictures of the design were returned so that the
design couldn’t be copied in the future. It took me quite some time
to get two bands made up that were satisfactory to me (it involved
some rather detailed piercing and I was making them in 950 palladium
which is a little more tricky than most metals) and that I could
give them as a final product. I took significantly longer than usual
on producing these bands as I had to make a number of models up to
get something I was happy with. It was a tedious, time consuming
and, except for the engagement ring, a marginally profitable job.
They came in today to get the bands cleaned and they brought in
their wedding album to share with me. The design I had used on their
band they had also put onto their wedding outfits (all of which they
hand made themselves) and their invitations. Together we looked
through their entire album, showing the building of their teepee
(that they spent their wedding night in), the preparation of her
wedding gown, all of their friends who had participated (including
the minister who’s wife the woman had known since she was a child,
and the woman who had introduced them), the ceremony itself, the
party and of course a picture of the rings on their hands. And to
think that I was a part of that moment in their lives, and that I
will always be a part of that moment in their lives. Every time they
look at those rings on their hands, remember that wedding ceremony,
remember their commitment to each other, they will also remember ME,
whether I’m dead or alive. Now THAT’S why I make jewelry.
Daniel R. Spirer, G.G.
Daniel R. Spirer Jewelers, LLC
1780 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02140
617-234-4392
... And to think that I was a part of that moment in their lives,
and that I will always be a part of that moment in their lives.
Every time they look at those rings on their hands, remember that
wedding ceremony, remember their commitment to each other, they
will also remember ME, whether I'm dead or alive. Now THAT'S why I
make jewelry.
Great story, and I completely agree. Making wedding rings is my
favorite job, of all, because I really feel the significance of the
jewelry for them as I work.
I had a similar experience recently with some friends of mine. I grew
up in montana with my buddy and the world being such a small place we
both ended up in the DC area. So ive spent the last three years
getting to know his girlfriend now wife. My friend came to me for
their engagement ring which was a simple task of finding the setting
they liked and the shape of the stone. The fun part was talking to
them about the designs for their bands. She is rather small so she
didn’t want anything to elaborate, while him being nearly 6ft tall
with “sausages for finger” as he puts it wanted something to stand
out. After all the painstaking sizings to fit his massive fingers it
was great to go to the wedding and have people that i had never met
say how beautiful and unique their rings were.
I think in the hustle and bustle of life, we sometimes forget why we
do what we do in the first place, then life sends us a gentle
reminder. Thanks for sharing Daniel.
This is going to sound really crass but I do it for the money. I
could be just as happy (well, maybe) doing anything else creative.
I’ve just done this so long I’m finally pretty good at it. It might
be really cool to try glasswork but do I chuck all the experience?
Start over?
There’s something about working with my hands that gives me
satisfaction. Manipulating materials, overcoming obstacles, creating
something worthwhile. Jewelry happens to fill the bill rather nicely.
If I had continued with machining instead, I’d probably be doing what
I do now but in a different media.
Which is not to say I don’t enjoy compliments for a ring well made.
It can make my day too. But what I need is to be handed their AmEx.
That…is the ultimate judge of what I do.
You may throw cabbages now, but please, no tomatos.
yes daniel, all those moments and chances to help peoples’ special
times be even more special… you have to love this trade. this a.m. I
was commissioned to make a special piece for someone that is in the
process of dying ( quite rapidly, I understand- so i am making it
immediately).I feel very honoured to be able to help the customer
make the gesture he wants to make to this person, and know that in a
small way I have contributed to a moment of joy/ honour/ love.
I think we all do it for the money. Just for some of us the need
isn’t so great and we can do it or not do it. For others, we just
have to do it and are blessed to be able to make money doing what we
love. But don’t fool yourself. If you didn’t enjoy it, you would be
doing something else for the money. So it’s never all about the money
if you are enjoying it.
