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- Aug 18, 2013
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So, I have dogs. Or at least - I had dogs. Three beautiful setters. And I have loved all of them dearly and fiercely.
But one of them - the first to arrive - was, as we say, my heart dog. I adored him as much as anyone in my life, and when he died last Christmas evening, it broke my heart. Perhaps there will be other dogs, and I still adore the one of the three who remains. But nothing will ever replace my beauty - a proud, beautiful glorious dog - who made *me* feel special, just by knowing he'd chosen to live his life with me. I was his orbit, and his life revolved around me, as mine did, in large part, around him.
When he died, I wanted something special to memorialize him. So I took all the yellow gold jewelry I valued most in the world, and had it melted down into one piece, which was then formed into a heart. This is fitting, as the translation of his pedigree name was 'The fluid beautiful heart'. Please forgive me if I don't post his photo or his name in this thread - even though it's on the pendant; losing him is still far too raw and I don't want to trivialize him by making him 'something I shared online.' This post is about jewelry - nothing more.
My best girlfriend of 41 years had an antique muff chain - which had been her mother's from the time she was a young woman - a long, and heavy chain - and my friend gave it to me to hold this precious piece of jewelry.
He was an Irish Red and White setter, so I had 2 small diamonds (white) and one small ruby (red, obviously) inserted into the heart to signify his breed.And then we had it engraved with his pedigree name, which is Gaelic, the translation of that name, his call name, and the dates of his birth and death.
I don't know how much it weighs - but it's *very* heavy - over 70 grams, I believe, and hangs from top to bottom about 34". But when I hang it around my neck, I can feel it, and I know he's still there with me. When I wear the pendant, I find myself often holding the heart, rubbing it between my fingers. They itch to pat him again, I think, and subconsciously I hold the heart as my way of holding his paws or rubbing his tummy.
I truly believe that one day I will see him again, and I'm counting off the days till then.
Many thanks to David Klass Jewelry, who handled this gently and respectfully. This is my pendant...
But one of them - the first to arrive - was, as we say, my heart dog. I adored him as much as anyone in my life, and when he died last Christmas evening, it broke my heart. Perhaps there will be other dogs, and I still adore the one of the three who remains. But nothing will ever replace my beauty - a proud, beautiful glorious dog - who made *me* feel special, just by knowing he'd chosen to live his life with me. I was his orbit, and his life revolved around me, as mine did, in large part, around him.
When he died, I wanted something special to memorialize him. So I took all the yellow gold jewelry I valued most in the world, and had it melted down into one piece, which was then formed into a heart. This is fitting, as the translation of his pedigree name was 'The fluid beautiful heart'. Please forgive me if I don't post his photo or his name in this thread - even though it's on the pendant; losing him is still far too raw and I don't want to trivialize him by making him 'something I shared online.' This post is about jewelry - nothing more.
My best girlfriend of 41 years had an antique muff chain - which had been her mother's from the time she was a young woman - a long, and heavy chain - and my friend gave it to me to hold this precious piece of jewelry.
He was an Irish Red and White setter, so I had 2 small diamonds (white) and one small ruby (red, obviously) inserted into the heart to signify his breed.And then we had it engraved with his pedigree name, which is Gaelic, the translation of that name, his call name, and the dates of his birth and death.
I don't know how much it weighs - but it's *very* heavy - over 70 grams, I believe, and hangs from top to bottom about 34". But when I hang it around my neck, I can feel it, and I know he's still there with me. When I wear the pendant, I find myself often holding the heart, rubbing it between my fingers. They itch to pat him again, I think, and subconsciously I hold the heart as my way of holding his paws or rubbing his tummy.
I truly believe that one day I will see him again, and I'm counting off the days till then.
Many thanks to David Klass Jewelry, who handled this gently and respectfully. This is my pendant...
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