When a piece of jewelry that once held sentimental value loses its place in time, or you lose interest because your style has changed, it is often just set aside to collect dust, never to be heard from again. What if you could reimagine what that jewelry might be if it were updated? If your collection is on the brink of dying out, we have a few tips and tricks to breathe new life into it.
1. Assess
Begin with your inventory, laying out each piece and putting it into one of four categories.
Is the piece in good condition, or would a repair be what it needs to get it back to life? Does the piece hold sentimental value? And what are those elements that could be retained to further honor the memory or retain its heirloom quality? What materials is the piece made of, and can they be reinvented into something new? Have you stopped wearing this piece because it is out of style, and would a redesign be all that’s needed to put it back in the rotation? Once you’ve identified the potential of each piece, you can now explore all the ways to update them.
2. Modernize the Design
When it comes to outdated jewelry, a lot of it has to do with the setting, as the setting is the most affected by time. Fortunately, that’s an easy thing to bring up to speed – just update the setting with a contemporary style. For an outdated pendant or something ornate, a skilled jeweler can remove the gemstone and reset it in a cleaner, more simple style.
3. Repurpose into New Pieces
One of the most exciting things you can do with your pre-loved jewelry is to turn them into entirely new pieces. Rings become pendants, or vice versa: pendants become statement rings or brooches; materials, like gold or silver, can be salvaged from an old necklace or bracelet to create stacking rings or hoop earrings. Repurpose charms from an old bracelet and give them new life as a delicate necklace or earrings. Dream big and merge an earring and necklace set into one showstopper piece; incorporate different stones from multiple sources to create a layered, but cohesive, design.
4. Restore When Needed
Sometimes all the piece needs is a deep clean or polish to give it a makeover. Replating that gold chain or using rhodium for white gold rings goes a long way toward a refresh. Sometimes you stop wearing a piece because it has worn out or broken. A simple repair can make you excited to wear your piece again.
5. Preserve
Now that you know what you’re working with, you can collaborate with a skilled jeweler to preserve what it is that made you love the piece in the first place. When you do, the sky is the limit when it comes to reimagining all the ways you can revitalize your pre-loved jewelry. Whether it’s salvaging a birthstone, keeping an inscription from a loved one, or hanging on to the diamond you were given for a proposal, a good jeweler will provide a consultation, sketches, and craftsmanship to help you maintain an emotional connection to your piece and honor its origin story while evolving its design.
Stop by your nearest Schiffman's Jewelers to breathe new life into your old jewelry. You can find us in Greensboro NC, Winston-Salem NC, or Lexington KY!
