Bride-to-be's plea over missing heirloom ring

A bride-to-be has spoken of her heartbreak after her engagement ring, a family heirloom belonging to her late mother, disappeared while being sent for repair.

Nadya Giffen said the ring was posted by her jeweller using Royal Mail Special Delivery from Harpenden in Hertfordshire to their jewellery workshop in Birmingham after one of its stones fell out. It was due to arrive the following morning but did not reach its destination.

Royal Mail said it understood the ring's "deep sentimental importance", and was treating the matter "extremely seriously". Its security team was carrying out a full investigation, it added.

The ring was originally bought by Giffen's dad for her mum, who wore it until she passed away shortly before her 40th birthday.

"I am absolutely devastated," she said.

"This was my mum's engagement ring and she died when I was 14 so this is the only thing I have left."

Giffen said the ring had been in her family for decades and held immense emotional significance after the deaths of both her parents while she was still young.

"My dad then died a few years later of a broken heart."

She said she had kept the ring safe for many years before becoming engaged and had finally decided to have it repaired ahead of her wedding in October.

According to Giffen, Royal Mail's investigation has established the parcel disappeared somewhere between Hemel Hempstead and Birmingham.

She believes the ring might have been stolen while in transit, although Royal Mail's investigation remains ongoing.

The distinctive ring was one of three rings that disappeared after being sent by her jeweller in separate packages, she said she had been told.

"Somebody has broken into the container at the depot and removed some of the items.

"The reason we know it's gone is because when the jeweller from the workshop received the packet and it had a note to say this has been tampered with."

The jeweller sent a video of themselves cutting open the parcel to prove they had not stolen the ring.

"You can see quite clearly that the package has been torn open," Giffen said.

Since the discovery, she has contacted jewellers, pawnbrokers and auction houses in the hope that someone might recognise the ring.

She said she had also been supported by Royal Mail's CEO office because of the ring's unique appearance.

Rather than focusing on its financial value, Giffen said her priority was simply to have the ring returned.

"I would desperately plead to someone's better nature to just return it... it's all I have left of my mum," she said.

"I just want my ring back, I wouldn't even shout, I would just be really thankful if they could just return it.

"It would give me my peace back."

Royal Mail said its inquiries were continuing.

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: "We understand the deep sentimental importance of this ring and how distressing its disappearance is for Nadya.

"We are treating this matter extremely seriously and our security team is carrying out a full investigation. We remain in direct contact with the customer and will continue to update them as our enquiries progress."

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