THEY might have belonged to someone’s great-grandmother, someone’s sister, or mother – whatever their origin, a woman knows a bracelet she found threaded with 11 rings is meaningful to someone.
Former Ballarat woman Pauline Harrison found what she believes may be a sentimental heirloom in a Sturt Street gutter more than 16 years ago.
After countless attempts to find the owner, she is renewing her efforts.
Mrs Harrison, who now lives in Ararat, found the bracelet in a Sturt Street gutter sometime between 1999 and 2000. At the time she owned an embroidery shop opposite Ballarat Base Hospital and was instantly drawn to the glinting, silver piece in the gutter.
The heavy-link silver charm bracelet is threaded with eleven rings.
One a signet ring, another has two hands shaking engraved. Some of the rings have diamonds or small stones. Some have personal engravings.
“One has a cut diamond with a purple stone,” Mrs Harrison said.
“I picked it up. I thought ‘someone has lost something that is important’.”
Mrs Harrison kept the bracelet in her shop for a week before handing the bracelet into police. No-one ever claimed the sentimental piece of jewellery.
“The police told me I could collect it or it would go to an auction. I really wanted the owner to find it, so I kept it,” Mrs Harrison said.
The bracelet has the name Kathy inscribed on the front, another personal message is inscribed inside.
“We’ve moved around a lot,” Mrs Harrison said.
“Every now and then I put an advertisement in the paper to try and find the owner, but I’ve had no luck.”
“The other day I was talking to my daughter and found the bracelet I told her I really wanted to find the owner.”
Mrs Harrison's daughter, Katrina, has backed up her mother’s heartfelt plea.
“We would love to find the owner as some of the rings must have a lot of sentimental value,” Ms Harrison said.
“It has a unique inscription on the back … that the rightful owner could provide.”
Mrs Harrison is asking anyone who thinks they are the owner of the bracelet to contact The Courier on 5320 1262. Mrs Harrison is asking for the owner to recall a personal inscription on the inside of the bracelet. Then she will know they are the rightful owner.
