Custom Jewelry Can Give a Family Heirloom a New Life

by Nancy Plante May 27, 2016

custom jewelry Often I hear a customer say, “I inherited my grandmother’s ring but it just sits in a drawer. I haven’t been wearing it. I always wear white gold, and her ring is yellow gold. And I just don’t like the style. I love my grandmother and I feel guilty not wearing her ring.” These thoughts often lead us to design a new piece of custom jewelry.

After all, as precious as the memories are, you may find that you’re not comfortable wearing your inherited ring. Maybe it just isn’t your style, or maybe it doesn’t go with your other jewelry. Maybe it’s too formal or fancy. Or maybe you just aren’t sure if it’s in good condition, and you are afraid you might lose a gemstone.

Heirloom jewelry is wonderful because it is such a connection to the person who originally wore it. You always saw the diamond ring on your grandmother’s hand when she played cards with you, or rocked you to sleep.

A piece of custom jewelry can become a new heirloom

You can restyle your heirloom ring to make it a combination of your grandmother and you. Gemstones can be reset. Your grandmother’s diamond will look beautiful in an updated setting that reflects your style. A custom made ring that you love will be worn frequently and cherished forever. You will think of your grandmother whenever you see the ring on your hand.

This idea might take some getting used to. If you have recently lost a family member you will want to take time to grieve, and you might not want to think of changing anything she had. Put the ring in a safe place. Maybe you’d like to take a photograph of the original ring. You can also write down who it belonged to, and whatever else you know about it, and keep that information with the photo.

Express your style in your new ring

When you are ready, think of how you’d like your new ring to look. Gather pictures from magazines, or from the Internet, that have details that you like, or an overall style that you’d like to recreate. Think of the kind of jewelry you like to wear, and what fits your lifestyle. Will you want the new ring to be worn every day, or would you rather make a ring that you’ll wear when you dress up for special occasions?

You might have additional diamonds or gemstones that you’d like to incorporate into your new ring. Gather everything together—ring, photos, and any additional jewelry pieces with gemstones – and come in to see what the possibilities are. Pam, our designer, is very experienced at working with customers to help them envision their new rings. She can show you a rendering of what your new ring can look like—and even show you how it will look on a hand.

Combining your grandmother’s diamond or gemstone with your own style in a piece of custom-made jewelry is a wonderful way to honor her while enjoying a beautiful gemstone that symbolizes your cherished memories.