This was a gold-filled wire-wrapped setting I made for a faceted rectangular rose quartz. It was a custom job for a dear friend of our family. He and his wife, both jewelers and designers, traveled around the country by motor home to different shows, selling his own stones, many of ~oldbob's cut stones, and finished jewelry he got in consignment or trade.

Sadly, our friend lost all of the wares he and his wife had in a tragic fire. The blaze turned their motor home into piles of smoking, charred rubble. Their beloved dog perished in the inferno and they barely escaped with their own lives.

Being deeply religious people who try to make good come from the evils they may be dealt, our friends gathered up a few heaps of the little left from the fire, hoping to find something they could use to begin their business again. This setting was one of the few items they found: its beautiful stone destroyed, its golden glitter scorched away, charred ash still clinging in the wraps...but the setting still strong and sturdy, still ready to serve its purpose.

They gave it back to me with hugs and tears.

Strength from within is what counts, no matter what fire and fury we must go through in our lives.