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It was a platinum fob chain simple and chaste in design, properly proclaiming its value by substance alone and not by meretricious ornamentation—as all good things should do. It was even worthy of The Watch. As soon as she saw it she knew that it must be Jim’s. It was like him. Quietness and value—the description applied to both.

In the middle of the story, the narrator provides the description of the watch chain that Della finds for Jim as a parallel to his character. From Della’s perspective, the watch chain is valuable without being overly gaudy or ostentatious. It’s made of platinum, a strong metal that can stand the test of time, and Della sees Jim as similarly valuable, worthy, and strong. The value of the watch chain, like the value of Jim, is inherent rather than surface level. The fact that Della sees quietness in both the watch and Jim suggests that he is humble.

“Don’t make any mistake, Dell, ” he said, “about me. I don’t think there’s anything in the way of a haircut or a shave or a shampoo that could make me like my girl any less.”

At the story’s climax, Jim reassures Della that nothing she does to her hair can impact the way he feels about her. He begins the statement by telling her not to get the wrong idea about him to show he feels offended by the implication that he would be shallow enough to stop loving her because of something as trivial as hair. The quote defends both his honor and his love for Della. Similarly, Jim’s indignation supports Della’s earlier assertions about Jim as a humble man who prides himself on integrity. Jim’s integrity is also central to the narrator’s message that places Jim as a wise and moral man.

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