Some pieces of jewelry sparkle because of their craftsmanship. Others shine because of the stories they carry. Missy’s custom necklace does both.
Missy first discovered Kimball’s Jewelers after moving to Knoxville in 2013, following her heart and her future husband, Ricky. Though she had seen Kimball’s before, her first visit was casual while she browsed with a friend. That day, she fell in love with a David Yurman ring and took it home. It would not be the last time Kimball’s would become part of her story.
Missy gravitates towards pieces that feel unique—jewelry with personality and presence. That sense of individuality mirrors her life journey, one shaped by love, loss, and resilience.
Missy and Ricky’s love story began unexpectedly. Neither was looking for anything serious when they were introduced through family. Ricky lived over an hour away at the time, but after meeting Missy, he made the drive every weekend to see her. Missy knew her life was about to change.
On their first official date, Ricky—not exactly known for culinary adventure—took Missy out for a rare choice for him: sushi. Missy still laughs about it to this day. That small, selfless gesture spoke volumes.
“There was just something there.”
Years later, as they approached their ten-year wedding anniversary, Missy and Ricky discussed upgrading her engagement ring. Missy originally imagined another marquise-shaped diamond, similar to the original ring Ricky proposed with. But as she explored options with her Kimball’s stylist, Missy found herself drawn somewhere unexpected: a pear-shaped diamond.
“The stylist really got it. They didn’t rush me, and they gave me space to think and feel my way through the decisions.”
Missy then worked with the Kimball’s stylist and custom design team on her first meaningful transformation—turning her original marquise engagement ring from Ricky into a pendant of its own, enhanced by diamonds surrounding the center stone.
That evolution and trusting the process and staying open would soon shape something even more meaningful.
Missy had carefully saved her engagement ring and wedding band from her late husband, who passed away before their daughter, Izzy, was born. She carried those rings through Hurricane Katrina, evacuating with her newborn daughter just 36 days old, and kept them close through twenty years of rebuilding her life.
And then, she brought them to Kimball’s. There, those rings were reimagined as a custom LOVE pendant. Missy entrusted the diamonds from her late husband’s rings to our custom design team, knowing this piece was always meant for Izzy.
“It was well beyond what I was expecting. It was something that was always going to be for my daughter since it was from her dad. It means so much more this way in a pendant she can wear close to her heart.”
She originally planned to surprise Izzy on her 21st birthday, but the moment she saw the finished piece, she couldn’t wait.
“I’ve held onto these diamonds her entire life. Unfortunately, her father passed before she was born. And even though I’ve had these for 20 years, I couldn’t wait two seconds to show her the necklace.”
Now, the necklace is a memory; a love preserved. It’s a legacy she’s passed onto her daughter.
When asked what advice she’d give someone considering a meaningful piece, her answer was simple: go in person and stay open minded.
“Sometimes we think we know exactly what we’re looking for until we see something else. Let the stylists guide you. And don’t assume it’s out of reach. Kimball’s truly has something for everyone.”
At Kimball’s, we believe the most meaningful moments deserve to shine—whether they mark new beginnings, lasting love, or the stories we carry forward for the next generation.
Kimball’s Jewelers—where life’s moments shine a little brighter.
