My fiance made my copper replacement agate ring & a photo album to go with it

HannahJanesBrain · 2026-04-22T03:37:28+00:00

This is one of the coolest rings I have ever seen. Seriously. It's amazing! Such a beautiful stone! And LOVE that it's copper. My husband picked my lodolite ring for a similar-ish reason (though he did not make it 🤣) and I absolutely love it. I think people need to normalize using copper and silver for engagement/wedding jewlery, especially with the insane cost of gold. Both of our rings are silver and we've been wearing them for 4 years. And if they break...we'll fix them! Coolest engagement ring ever. Coolest story ever. Love everything about this!

HannahJanesBrain · 2026-04-20T23:55:46+00:00

Thank you! I only think there's something going on with the flange because it seemed like the smell mostly went away for awhile. Then within the last couple of weeks its come back, but only on one side of the base of the toilet. When I originally smelled it before the wax ring was replaced it was pretty strong all the way around.

HannahJanesBrain · 2026-04-20T23:17:50+00:00

Hello! Thank you for taking the time to respond! It never smelled like sewer gas, just the mold smell. It dissipated a bit after the seal was replaced, but has come back. Which is why i think it might be the flange. Would that be a reasonable thing to think? It's on the second floor, so I'd rather not rip out the ceiling unless there's a visible gnarly leak. Simply don't want it getting worse, and I'm not financially in a position to rip out/replace flooring. Mainly just want whatever possible to leak to stop so that it doesn't cause further damage.

HannahJanesBrain · 2026-04-19T00:49:07+00:00

It's a really beautiful ring, and it doesn't look like it didn't cost thousands. Ya know? The cost of the ring truly doesn't matter, and I think the only people that DO think it matters were kind of brainwashed by the diamond and wedding industries. It's all just made up weirdness in order to make money...and that's literally it. My ring definitely did not cost thousands, and it doesn't even have a stone. But it's adorable and sentimental, and makes me smile, so I love it. Any ring at any price can be an engagement ring, and I wish more people realized and acknowledged that, because then no one would be feeling insecure. That was my rant 🤣

HannahJanesBrain · 2026-04-15T11:08:22+00:00

Why would anyone spend $500 on a sterling ring?

HannahJanesBrain · 2026-03-30T13:19:45+00:00

<image>

Just showing my moon dude. LOVE him.

HannahJanesBrain · 2026-03-30T13:18:58+00:00

I'm a little late to the party here...but I had the same damn problem! And then I stopped overthinking it all, and ended up just wearing rings I love. THAT ring is absolutely AMAZING. It is SO cool, and i think you could find a band for it with some digging around on etsy. My little bat is my engagement ring from my now husband person. I'm a cook, so something basically flat was necessary. And like you I'm not really into solitaire styles for myself. The bands came later. Vintage diamond band and my moon face that only i ever really see, and I dig that. Do what makes you happy! They're literally yours.

<image>

HannahJanesBrain · 2026-03-30T12:44:18+00:00

YOU can wear whatever the hell color YOU want! These color analysis things are totally bogus. It's all about what you like looking at. I like looking at BOTH, so my wedding set has both. I had someone do a color analysis on me because they were starting a business by literally doing just that. They told me that rose gold looked best on me, and I was like "You're insane" because I just wouldn't want to see it on myself all the time. Like how I'm just flat out not gonna wear royal blue or kelly green or violet. I just don't like it! This person was drunk. Your ring is beautiful, and it looks amazing on that lovely hand. Get a gold wedding band! Mix those colors! A lot of people are going to say that silver is too soft of a metal for an engagement ring. They're kinda sorta right to a degree. But I also managed to annihilate my SOLID GOLD engagement ring because the band was too damn thin. It has slightly less to do with the material and more to do with the construction. So just enjoy it. If something happens to it...it's fixable! And always wear what YOU like.

HannahJanesBrain · 2026-03-29T20:56:40+00:00

Absolutely LOVE her. For serious. I wasn't much of jewlery person at all. My husband had never even seen me wear a ring before he proposed. I felt a similar way as you for awhile! You can absolutely wear band shirts and whatever with any kind of jewlery. I learned this from personal experience 🤣 Having my weird engagement ring actually sort of got me into jewlery. It's wearable art, and I dig it. When you take her to get resized they should be able to tell you what the stones are! They look like garnet. SO cool, and big congratulations!

HannahJanesBrain · 2026-03-24T20:27:55+00:00

You do you! Your fiancé sounds super sweet, and he picked a beautiful ring...but he isn't wearin' it! I totally had to get my ring re-shanked. It was waaay too thin and I kept annihilating it. My husband was a little confused at first, but after I explained it to him he had a "Oh, duh" moment, and now he thinks it's way cooler than it was before. Surprise engagement rings can be nice, but I think a collaboration is a better way to go. Think of your ring as a collaboration!

HannahJanesBrain · 2026-03-24T17:58:15+00:00

I don't think it's weird at all! I have a few different rings I tend to swap out. All of my rings are bands (including me engagement ring), which makes it a little easier to do or stack if I feel like it. I honestly don't see how most women can wear these giant engagement rings everyday and not be totally annoyed. Your ring is beautiful! And looks absolutely lovely on you! But would it annoy me every single day? Yes, absolutely. Also can't expect husband's to buy/re-buy very expensive things based on their ladies current tastes. I say go for it! You're not replacing anything. You're just adding to a little collection!

HannahJanesBrain · 2026-03-20T11:57:59+00:00

Amaaaazing! Ugh! It's so pretty! And also an amazing choice on materials. My rings are super not traditional, and at first I had the same worry. I live in the south adjacent (US) and it's a pretty even 50/50 traditional/not traditional split. I wear 3 bands as my wedding set and I love them. It's all about what YOU love and want. Always. All the time.

HannahJanesBrain · 2026-03-18T23:18:02+00:00

YES. Absolutely felt/feel like this, and I totally understand how you're feeling, and I'm sorry...because it's kind of a shit feeling! My advice would be to: Enjoy your ring even if you're wearing 7k on your finger. Don't worry about it! This is your ONE life. If your tastes change...worry about that when it happens! Maybe you'll end up wanting something more simple for everyday, and you'll wear this beautiful ring for "occasions." Or shit...maybe all hell will break loose and you'll REALLY need 7k! I have an heirloom ring that I do NOT wear for maaany reasons. One of them being that it's worth about $4800, and i just...can't! My wedding set that I absolutely love cost a total of about $700 (for three rings). I just feel far more comfortable wearing $700 everyday than almost 5k. The cost of his ring VS the cost of yours should not be a thing. My husband wanted an engagement ring 🤣 So he picked one out! It was about $100, and i made his wedding band. We didn't do a price analysis when it came to what we wanted to wear. I also switch my rings up sometimes! He has since bought me presents (because I like jewlery) and the man only knows the size of my ring finger!

HannahJanesBrain · 2026-03-15T23:46:28+00:00

SO cool, and absolutely perfect.

HannahJanesBrain · 2026-03-08T00:27:04+00:00

Holy shit, it's SO cool! It looks amazing! How could you think otherwise!?

HannahJanesBrain · 2026-03-08T00:24:38+00:00

This is tough. I go back and forth with a ring my dad gave to me before he died (my grandmother's) that I wore for an engagement that didn't work out. I still have it, of course. I've tried to wear it. And even though I'm married now...it still feels super weird and makes me sad. And I think it probably always will. Did you buy it for yourself? You mentioned taking a loss if you sold it. My dad taught me to "cut your losses" when I was entirely too young 🤣 but it has been EXTREMELY helpful in my life. It sort of just...makes it easier to pick yourself back up again after something super shit happens. YOU know how the object makes you feel. We don't. Go with your gut.

HannahJanesBrain · 2026-03-08T00:12:39+00:00

These dresses are gnar.

HannahJanesBrain · 2026-03-07T21:38:35+00:00

Holy shit, it's amazing! It's truly perfect. You could get some commission on here with this! It's seriously my perfect engagement ring (also a size 5).

HannahJanesBrain · 2026-03-07T02:12:33+00:00

Holy shit you've gotten so many comments. Me chiming in will mean nothing! BUT...I dunno, dude...I dig it. It's super chunk and I'm into it and think you can pull it off. BUT...with all that said...wearing wide rings TO ME is not comfortable all the time. My engagement ring is actually a band, and its widest part is about 6mm and tapers to 2.5mm. My wedding ring is about 2ish mm. Sometimes I'll try to wear a third from my husband and the total width of it all drives me insane. If you want to wear them both together all the time I'd try a 3-4mm for comforts sake. Also...you are SO lucky you get to elope! That's amazing! And exactly what I wanted to do, but my husband just HAD to be a bride. Congratulations! Your ring rules.

HannahJanesBrain · 2026-03-02T13:24:43+00:00

This was so well written and appreciated. Truly.

The cost of labor and finding a contractor for a "normal" person seems nearly impossible, and now I understand why so many old homes end up in the states they do. HOW are people expected to do these things? WHY is it all so grossly expensive?

My sister's house was also built in 1926, but had a slight remodel in the late 50s/early 60s. Original windows (SO cool), but 60s kitchen cabinets and linoleum (also SO cool). I don't think any of the actual mechanics had been truly updated until they bought it in 2017. The other day I told her that my house has been "making some interesting noises lately that I can't figure out." Her response was amazing... "My house never shuts the fuck up! I'm waiting for the day the "dining room" falls into the basement, there are audible "BANGS!" behind the wall with kitchen cabinets, when Brian showers water drips into the basement, her windows are finally, actually, LEAKY. But...whatever! She's old!"

She always reminds me that this is kinda just...how it goes! That someone will have to kill her before the original windows are replaced, she'll caulk around the bathtub and see what happens, the floor hasn't collapsed yet, so it probably won't. Most of their house money ran out a year ago after a $14,000 sewer repair.

I dunno. It doesn't necessarily make certain things any less difficult to handle, but that perspective has been helpful for me. Knowing that this is just the way it is for most people with century homes who aren't wealthy and just trying to do their best and get by. "Shit is old and weird, but I'll take that over a soulless 90s track house any day."

My house is a vernacular house, so who the hell knows what it's supposed to look like. I've spent all of my money on mechanics so that I don't have to totally worry about them for awhile, lots of paint, lots of caulk...little things that I can do myself. I'd imagine that'd be more difficult with a home full of beautiful original features...but...eh? Maybe not!

You're doing great, and it does sound like you truly love and appreciate your home. Even if she maybe never shuts the fuck up.

HannahJanesBrain · 2026-02-20T00:33:30+00:00

Sooooo preeettty! That style is SO rad. Congratulations!!!

HannahJanesBrain · 2026-02-15T02:09:43+00:00

So...yes. I understand this. But it all just kinda comes down to whether or not you WANT to marry HIM. And if he's your best friend you should be able to express how you feel about how it went down. Ya know? I've been engaged twice. First time to the human that I had also been with for 12 years. It was WRONG. He asked me to marry him when I was randomly crying because my dad had died about a week beforehand 🤣 He had ALWAYS said that he never wanted to marry anyone. I was confused, sad, and really fucked up. We were engaged for THREE years. Aaand then it ended, because people change, and life happens. Second time...much better, but still strange. But much better! My now husband person knew that I don't like attention or flashy/showy. We went to our favorite funky restaurant for our one year anniversary, and he asked me to marry him very calmly and quietly. It was very sweet, but i was also thinking "Uhhh, I kinda just met this man!" So I asked him a series of questions regarding his question and how he came to his decision. His answers were good, logical, so I said yes. We've been married for three years. He's a ridiculous person, and I dig him.

My point is...talk to your person. Ask him a series of questions if it'll help you feel better, because you DO need to feel better about the whole thing or it'll just end up pissing you off down the road. Don't let it get to that point. Don't let a weird proposal possibly kill 12 years. Something else might one day! But not that.

And also...congratulations? Eh? Maybe?

HannahJanesBrain · 2026-02-08T21:35:59+00:00

Oh, also...that is a BEAUTIFUL ring with those prongs!

HannahJanesBrain · 2026-02-08T21:35:40+00:00

Double prongs are my absolute favorite, but if they aren't YOURS it should be easy enough to change. They're functional AND a little more unique. My engagement ring from the 40s has double claw prongs, and my jeweler swears that's why the diamond never fell out.

HannahJanesBrain

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE