Finnegan Goldfish and his Lilypad Stacking Rings

You have probably heard that goldfish have a three second memory. You have probably repeated it yourself at some point. Finnegan would like a word with you about that.

Meet Finnegan

The three second goldfish memory is one of the most persistent myths in the animal kingdom and it is completely false. Scientists have known this since the 1950s and 1960s and have been saying so ever since, but the myth refuses to die. The truth is that goldfish have memories that last weeks, months, and in some cases years. They can recognize the faces of the people who feed them even after extended periods of separation. They can learn to navigate mazes. They can be trained to press levers for food at specific times of day, demonstrating not just memory but an understanding of time. In 2022 researchers at Oxford University found that goldfish can estimate distance and navigate their surroundings using a sophisticated process called optic flow. They have personalities. They have social networks. They share many of the same cognitive abilities as humans including object perception, social learning, and spatial awareness.

Finnegan knows all of this. Finnegan has always known.

He sits on his lily pad with great dignity, his calico markings catching the light, surrounded by everything a goldfish of his considerable intelligence could want. The water is lovely. The lotus is blooming. And he remembers everything.

The Rings

This set of three stacking rings nestles together in the most perfect natural way, each one telling a different part of the same pond story. The first features a beautiful deep blue faceted apatite gemstone in an elegant setting, its vivid teal color evoking the still depths of a summer pond. The second is a water lily flower with tiny hidden water droplets resting on its petals, hand carved in extraordinary detail. The third is Finnegan himself, a hand carved calico goldfish sitting upon his lily pad, every scale and fin formed individually by hand.

Wear all three together as a complete pond world on your finger, or mix and match them in pairs or singly depending on your mood that day. Because these are stacking rings they wear like a wider band when worn together, fitting comfortably at a size 7.75 though they have been worn safely at a size 7.5 as well.

• Best fit: Size 7.75, wearable at size 7.5
• Stone: Blue faceted apatite
• Material: Sterling silver throughout
• Includes: Three stacking rings, apatite ring, water lily ring, and Finnegan on his lily pad
• Wear options: Together, in pairs, or individually

One of a Kind

There is only one Finnegan in the world. When he and his pond find their home they will never be made again exactly like this.

A Note from Tamara

I made Finnegan because I think goldfish deserve far more credit than they get. They are intelligent, social, sentient creatures who remember the world around them and the people in it, and they have been quietly proving this to scientists for decades while the rest of us repeated a myth. I hope Finnegan finds someone who appreciates him for the remarkably clever fish that he is. And I hope the water droplets on that lily petal make you smile every time you notice them, because they are very easy to miss and very worth finding.

Shipping

Finnegan and his pond rings are finished, packaged safely, and will be on their way to you within 3 to 5 business days.