For years I’ve regretted having invested in a high school class ring. It’s not that attractive and, even if it was, I would have very little interest in displaying it. And though I’d considered selling it, the question was: who would want it?

In comes my friend, Mona. She had just taken a few pieces of gold jewelry to a local jeweler who trades the gold, melts it down, and makes new pieces for retail. She left with a few pieces she didn’t care for and came out with a new piece of jewelry that could make any girl swoon.

So that’s what I did! I traded my class ring (plus a plain, gold chain) for the gorgeous item below. It was valued around $270 but looks like a million bucks on my hand. And since all of this happened less than twenty-four hours before my second child was born, it’s like a baby gift to myself. Or, maybe a labor and delivery gift? I mean, come on! All that pain! Anyway, I digress. Here’s a picture of the ring sitting on my Wacom tablet.