Yours Truly: Redesign Your Heirlooms
Even grandma would be impressed
You keep it tucked away in your jewelry box but never wear it. It means a lot to you, and you’ll never get rid of it, but you never wear it. You try it on sometimes, but you never wear it. It is an heirloom piece you love but hate to wear. You’re not alone. We have all one, if not several of these pieces of jewelry, passed down from a family member, or found at an estate sale that has beautiful stones and craftsmanship, but the style isn’t you.
Heirloom redesign is a service many jewelry stores offer—you just have to ask. Or we can help you find one. But if you’re the type who needs to see to believe, one of our in-house artists helped a few jewelers we know reimagine some vintage pieces from their stores. A testament to the awe-inspiring power of redesign, here’s what our artist, Sam, said about what she sketched up:
Fire Opal
Kent Jewelers / Downtown Blacksburg, VA
“Because the center stone is a soft fire opal, I knew it would be best suited for a necklace. I wanted to create versatile pieces that could be purchased individually or as a set, and the customer could wear them together or separately, so I split the stones between two necklaces and a pair of simple stud earrings. I converted the piece from white gold to yellow gold because I wanted to play up the warm tones from the fire opal and the red/orange garnets.”
Pink Sapphire
Sundance Jewelers / East Lansing, MI
“The pink and white gold combination on the original ring felt stark and outdated to me, so I wanted to give it a more on-trend look. The new ring is a bridal set that includes an engagement ring and two wedding bands, which is more versatile than a large single ring. I also converted the piece to yellow gold from white gold because I felt the yellow gold would complement the pink sapphire and give the piece a softer, romantic look.”
Geometric Diamonds
Herzog Jewelers / Fort Mitchell, KY
“I wanted to turn this dated ring style into something more interesting for everyday wear. A necklace with geometric shapes completely transforms the piece but still showcases all the diamonds. I converted to yellow gold because the contrast is pretty with the diamonds, but I think this piece would do well in white, yellow, or rose gold. The matching earrings can be worn as a set with the necklace or separate for anytime sparkle.”
Now here’s your (fun) homework assignment:
Have a gander through your jewelry box and find the piece that begs for an heirloom redesign
Hold it, close your eyes, take a moment to remember that special person or moment from when the piece became yours
Put it on and envision something more modern yet still meaningful. Something you’ll actually wear so you can give those stones and metal the love they deserve.
Editor: Samantha Durbin
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