So I got this Antonio necklace off eBay - marks are good, its a nice design. After I get it in the mail I notice it stinks...I mean really, it stinks!
I checked the description again to see if there is anything about smell and email the seller. I want to know if this necklace came from a smokers home or owned pets or what cuz it smells. The seller says, no, that its from the daugher who was disposing of her moms estate. So I explain to the seller that after scrubbing it and soaking it, the thing still stinks.
So, I take it to my jeweler - I put it on the counter and ask him to ck for sterling content and see if he can get the smell out....He doesnt smell it but his assistant does. She exclaims "It smells like something crawled in there and...yuck" yeah, smells like something crawled in there and died.
The links are wonderfully crafted - no holes or other openings that some foreign bug could crawl in and die. So how is that even possible?
Anyway, my jeweler doesnt smell it he just gingerly touches it and says he would have it looked at and let me know about the silver content and see if they can use the sonic cleaner to get the smell out.
OK so a week goes by - I call my jeweler and ask about my necklace. His assistant answers the phone and says 'oh, wait, let me pass the phone'. My jewler says there is good news and bad news.
The good news is that the necklace is sterling.
The bad news is they cant get the smell out...and there is worse news.
The smell, he says, is decomposition.
I'm confused.
Decomposition. What does that mean?
He goes on to explain that the another jeweler that looked at it said that his wife worked at the coroners office and that the smell on the necklace came from a dead person - which the necklace had been on for some time...hence the smell.
OMG! No wonder the smell was awful!
OK, so now I have a necklace that someone loved so much that they were buried in it. And someone was so greedy that they desecrated their resting place, ripped off their necklace and sold it, so that it ends up in my house...
Like I dont have enough issues in my own home....
OK. so now what?!
I think I would be upset if I was buried in my favorite necklace only to have it ripped off my neck by some greedy lowlife.
I consult with my daughter and we come from a culture where we do believe in sprits. My sister also has some training is folk healing and shaman type stuff.
So, after some discussion, we decide that incense and prayer is the way to go - for two reasons:
First, the seller isn't inclined to take back the necklace back and return my $$.
Second, I really like it and would like to keep it, if it doesnt stink.
Its been 14 hours since the prayers and incense. I can tell you that it smells sweet, just like sterling is supposed to (well, it does to me). The stench is gone and I hope the spirit has found some peace in that it has a good home with someone that loves it....
I may never wear it. I have been buying sterling jewelry for over 40 years....mexican for over 30. I have never, never seen or smelled anything like this. It is so freaky. I asked my jeweler if he had seen or smelled anything like this and he said 'never' and chuckled.
