Silver earrings: Something special for that once in a blue moon

I have quite a collection of sterling silver earrings, also necklaces and bracelets. All were gifts from my beloved Baheej.

Years ago, we found a master silversmith from Maine and bought his jewelry from a store in Boston, starting in the 1970s. He's not alive now but I still have lots of it.

And we bought two pairs of beautiful silver earrings in Finland directly from the silversmiths on our many trips there. I wear silver earrings nearly every day.

As it goes, two of my favorite silver earrings are now singletons - one from Maine and one from Finland. I lost one of each at least 15 to 20 years ago.

Well, I got the idea, a couple months ago, to try and get each one duplicated so I could wear them again. They have a lot of sentimental value to me.

Then I had a lucky memory - I remembered a jeweler in this area who reconfigured some jewelry for me some 12 or more years ago. He's an expert and creative silversmith and goldsmith, an artist. He has a shop in Barrington, in The Ice House, selling his own beautiful creations and also other pretty handmade pieces.

You may know the phrase, "Once in a blue moon," derived from the old novel "Lost Horizons" (James Hilton, 1933). The meaning, of course, is something rare and very special, in Shangri-La, in the Valley of the Blue Moon. The jeweler's name is Bob Moon. And his store is called Once in a Blue Moon. So off I went to Barrington.

I was delighted to find that Mr. Moon could do the earring. But he suggested making a pair of replicas not just one replacement. Then they would be matching but very much like the originals. So we agreed. They are the shape of Thor's Hammer, the Norse God of Thunder. Thor rode across the skies in his chariot causing thunder.

The earrings conjure up memories of being in Finland, walking by the harbor in downtown Helsinki on market day. We saw a silversmith with a stall full of beautiful silver jewelry including earrings. And there they were! Unique. Shining in the sun. So Baheej bought them. The same market where we got another pair on a different trip.

So I have a very fond connection with these earrings. Helsinki is a wonderful place, sparkling at night, full of music and dance, and modern design, and fantastic food. Small by capital city standards, but just right. We have lots of Finnish Arabia tableware, deep blue and white Sotka and Valencia, compatible patterns shipped to us from Stockmans over the years.

Mr. Moon got to work on the Finnish replicas. After a few weeks, I got a phone call - the earrings, pure silver, were done. I went to pick them up the day before the 10th year anniversary of Baheej's death Aug 11.

Perfect timing. So I was able to wear them on Aug. 11. They are so beautiful. Even prettier than the original singleton and made with an improved design for the back, so the wires hook behind and won't slip off. I am thrilled. They are perfect.

The point is: Opportunities such as this are very uplifting. So thank you Mr. Moon, and thank you dear Baheej. Now on to creating the other replica pair. These will be the ones from Maine.

For you, it probably is not earrings, but something else worth saving, or recovering or replacing. These sentimental objects can be very comforting.

• Susan Anderson-Khleif of Sleepy Hollow has a doctorate in family sociology from Harvard, taught at Wellesley College and is a retired Motorola executive. Contact her at sakhleif@comcast.net or see her blog longtermgrief.tumblr.com. See previous columns at www.dailyherald.com/topics/Anderson-Kleif-Susan.