Jewelry Repairs | Things You Need to Know About Ring Resizing.

It can be daunting leaving your great-grandmother’s precious antique jewelry piece in the hands of a jewelry repairer. As much as they have years of experience, this is a one of a kind piece you cannot get again.

Wondering who or where to send your precious item to is something you need to consider in-depth and to research before making any hasty decisions.

I had a friend who received a great piece of jewelry from a now ex-partner and wanting to have it repaired and mended so she could pass it down to her daughter for her 21st birthday coming up, she rushed down the village center where she had seen a reasonably priced stand set up.

Photo credit: Pasja on Pixabay.

What she didn’t think to do was to have it insured before handing it over in return for a, what seemed like a slip printed at your home, receipt, and ended up going back the next week to find the stand and her pendant had packed up shop and disappeared.

My advice is always be safer than necessary, ‘prevention is better than cure’ as the old saying goes, see some handy advice in this link and take care of your ancestrally historic artifacts. Undoubtedly she was devastated, panicked, and mad at herself for being so naïve and irresponsible.

The silver lining to this tale thank goodness was the fact that this gentleman had tried this stunt in numerous venues with quite a successful track record mind you, but this one however topped the charts when he tried to sell it on. A red flag was raised and he was arrested, the pendant was returned, unrepaired, but thankfully back in safe hands.

Needless to say, she went to a reputable jewelry store the next time, paid more than she originally did, and has thanked her lucky stars since that day. A lesson she has drilled into her children since then too, much to their enjoyment, I mean isn’t this the reason we have children if not to drill them about our mistakes so they too don’t fall into the trap? Hilarious.

Diamonds are forever, so they say.

Jewelry Fit for Royalty
I have not had the luxury of going into a shop where the window display costs the same as our home, I have, however, spent many a day staring too closely and for too long steaming up the windows to the disgust of the sales clerk, at sparkles that seem to have been captured from an emperors treasure chest.

My friend, on the other hand, has a business husband who wants her to solely care for their home and children and not be on the work train of the 9-5, a luxury we have all wished for at one point in our lives I’ll admit.

She has confessed though after multiple gin and tonics that it can get very lonely and boring and as much as she loves the life of being able to travel anywhere whenever they feel like it, she always enjoys being home and in her haven.

Photo credit: Sara Graves from Pixabay.

Living the Good Life
On one such an outing after my work week and the start of a long weekend for the nation, we headed to the shops, she was tipsy and in the mood for a bit of bling. She had had her eye on a gorgeous birthstone ring since I can remember, and waiting for hubby to realize the one she wants could take a while, so she was being her own boss and purchasing it herself.

I, being the poor naïve side-kick, thought you could just go in, buy the prettiest one, and Bob’s your uncle, this is not the case. There are velvet pillows brought out, white gloves put on, and a set of keys pulled off a link tied to a manager’s belt to open the glass cabinet housing the ‘golden egg.’

The main objective is to have your ring custom fit to your finger, it’s not only safer as it won’t slide up and down and risk being lost, but it looks more sophisticated and not like you’re wearing your dad’s accessories.

The ever-so-popular engagement ring from 'Crash Landing on You'.

Professionals in the business will have the necessary equipment to make the process smooth and seamless, stress-free, and if on the higher tier of the brand awareness, a glass of chilled bubbly while you get measured.

If this is a service you feel you deserve, and I can say now I’m sure that you do, have a look at this handy guide on what is reputable jewelry company etiquette, and for advice on how both parties should act, because we give as good as we get, am I right?

We all work hard and treating ourselves once in a while is nothing to feel guilty about, you get out what you put in as my granny liked to say. And if this means a shiny stone blinding people as you walk on the sidewalk so be it.

Second Time Around
So you’ve lost a load of weight, you’re feeling great, you clearly look amazing, the trouble is your now skinny fingers are holding onto your precious rings like a kid with cake on his birthday. You need to head to the jewelers for a resize and quick, there can be nothing worse than a ring falling off never to be seen again.

Photo credit: The New York Times.

Having a ring resized is quite a common occurrence, even more so with engagement rings, as much as the men try their hardest to pick the right size for the moment, and the process takes around 2 weeks to complete. The metal is essentially stretched and molded to fit snugly but still comfortably, and your ring will need a small effort to pull off so it isn’t sliding around.

For an expert in the business visiting companies such as mimisjewelryinc.com/jewelry-repair-restoration-ring-sizing/ is a great way to ensure you are in safe hands when it comes to taking care of your ‘shine,’ and getting the job done right the first time around.

Life is too short to not wear bling, let’s at least make sure it’s the right fit.

Unconditional Love | My Ingat na Damang Dama Story.

Today, the husband and I are celebrating two milestones - our tenth anniversary as a couple, and our fifth anniversary as husband and wife. And if there's one person in the world who loves me unconditionally and takes care of me so preciously, it's got to be him.

He may not be the kind of guy who shows his affection by means of flowers and chocolates. Rather, he is the kind of man who would surprise you with your favorite sleeping pack or BB Cream, or go to great lengths just to satisfy his pregnant wife's craving for chicken cordon bleu, french fries with mayonnaise, and fried siomai in the middle of the night.

He is the kind of husband who would take good care of you when you are sick - bring you to the doctor for check-ups (in the worst case stay by your side at the hospital, 24/7), get you the medicine you need (say, Salbutamol for my asthma, or Biogesic for my headache), and make sure you take them on time.

06.06.08

Have someone in your life who takes care of you or has taken care of you the same way? Then share your Ingat na Damang Dama story with Biogesic for a chance to win some amazing prizes!

Contest Mechanics.

There are four ways to send in your entries:

1) Via Twitter. 

Tweet your story and use hashtag #ingatnadamangdama

2) Via Facebook. 

Submit your story via the Facebook Fan Page App. 

3) Via video.

Upload a Video of your story using the Facebook Fanpage App.

4) Via email.

Send in your story via email to biogesicph@gmail.com.

Ten stories will be chosen and each entry will be given a cash prize of Php 5000. So what are you waiting for? Head over to Biogesic's social media pages and start sharing your Ingat na Damang Dama stories!

Need inspiration? Watch John Lloyd's video below!

Promise Rings | Harbinger of Things To Come.

When the husband and I started dating some ten years ago, one of the first few gifts that he gave me was a promise ring. It was a set of promise rings, actually, which he surprised me with on our first anniversary as a couple. I'm chuckling from the cheesiness as I write, but when you're young and you're in love, going through all these mushy, lovey-dovey stuff is inevitable.

Photo credit: Shane Co.

Shane Co.'s 'Always I Promise' Collection is a perfect example of what promise rings should be. It's a collection that embodies the beauty of being young and being in love. The rings included in this collection are finely crafted from sterling silver and set with a selection of precious stones - sparkling diamond, natural ruby or natural sapphire. The stones, in addition, come in a variety of ten beautiful colors: traditional blue, ice blue, Kentucky blue, pink, lavender, green, orange, yellow, white or black.

If any of the available rings don't seem to suit your or your partner's style, you can design your own ring instead. With this option, your husband or your partner need not worry if his ring doesn't look 'masculine' or if it's a tad too girly to be worn by a man. The ladies, on the other hand, can create a ring the way women want it - chic, sophisticated, and elegant all at the same time.

Shane Co. promise rings don't come cheap, though. But considering how something as small as a ring can make your significant other eternally happy, the price isn't so bad. After all your love isn't something cheap, either.

Throwback Thursday | Our Love Story.

This morning, I woke up with the realization that my husband and I have been together for a decade.

We first met in the summer of 2003, through my brother, who was his classmate in college. He was in his senior year and was looking for an on-the-job trainee stint in the company that I was working at. I, on the other hand, was fresh out of college, a fairly new employee at the said company, and on the rebound after calling it quits with my boyfriend from college.

He didn't get hired as an on-the-job trainee in my office. But he did get my number, and the next thing I knew we were constantly texting each other, talking on the phone for hours, and going out on the dates. On the sixth of June 2003, we officially became a couple. Five years later, on that exact same day, we got married.

Bliss. :)

I know this sounds cliche, but I still remember everything as if it was yesterday. How he proposed (more like how he told me, "Let's get married"), how we prepared hands-on for the wedding (from the invitations, the wedding favors, the rings, my wedding gown, down to the background music as I walked down the aisle), and how our garden wedding pushed through despite all the mishaps we had along the way.

My husband may not be the most romantic person in the world, but he sure would go through hell and high water for me. And I would, too, for him. I love him to bits. And for many more decades to come.

B + C | Our Ninth, Our Fourth.

It's been nine years since this...

Hello, meet my boyfriend. :)

And four years since this.

Getting hitched. :)

We may have changed over the years, but the sparkle in our eyes are as bright as ever, and the love even stronger than before. 

To that one man who would go through hell and high water just for me... Happy Anniversary!

Engaged + married. :)

Thank you for being my partner, my confidante, my best friend, 

my sounding board, my benefactor,

my number one fan, my staunch critic, my drinking buddy, 

my inspiration, my motivation, and best of all, my solace in this crazy world. 

I love you forever! Yong won ee saranghae! ♥♥♥