By Cynthia Sliwa

 

At a party at a friend’s house last weekend, the talk turned (as it so often does!) to the jewelry everyone was wearing. One of the guests pointed out that the necklace Susan, the hostess, was wearing had shifted on her neck, so that the clasp had moved to a position near front and center. “Oh good,” responded Susan as she adjusted her necklace, “now I can make a wish!” 

 

“Make a wish?”

 

“Yes, my grandmother taught me that.”

 

Another guest chimed in that she also had been taught that a migrating necklace clasp is an opportunity for luck, but her version of the tradition is a little bit different: Someone other than the wearer must turn the clasp back and tell you to make a wish.

 

I didn’t receive this bit of homegrown optimism as part of my upbringing, but I thought to myself how charming it is to take something that is an annoyance and spin it into luck.

 

Some jewelry designs inherently require adjustment from time to time. They are a bother, no doubt about it, but sometimes they are beautiful too, and entirely worth the bother.

 

The next time a customer or friend complains about a chain or necklace that has a clasp that loves to travel ‘round the neck, consider diffusing the moment with an empathetic smile and the proffered comment “ah, but see how lucky you are!” We can all use some luck and a wish come true!

 

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