A single piece of jewellery can hold so many stories and memories. A wedding ring passed down to a loved one, an engagement ring representing the happiest moment of someone's life, a pair of diamond earrings worn by generations of strong women.
The idea of a family heirloom is beautiful.
Yet the reality can be... complicated.
You want to wear it and embrace its meaning, but if it's not your personal style or it's seen better days, you're reluctant to reach for it.
The same goes for your own pieces that fail to excite you as much as they once did.
Fortunately, this doesn't mean you and your precious pieces have to part company forever, because there is another option.
When you remodel your old jewellery, you distil all of that meaning into a new piece you can't resist slipping on every day - giving it the fresh lease of life it deserves.
Here are five telling signs it's time to remodel your jewellery.
1. You look down at your hand and don't love what you see
Your wedding and engagement rings were perfect at the time, but decades on, they're just not sparking joy.
Perhaps your style has evolved, or maybe you went for the most affordable version at the time, and you're in a position to afford an upgrade now.
Just like I no longer wear the Miss Sixty low-rise jeans I was surgically attached to 25 years ago, you don't have to cling to jewellery that no longer reflects who you are now.
Using those pieces to create a new design brings your jewellery in line with who you are now, while keeping the original sentiment intact.
2. You've inherited heirloom jewellery that isn't you
Okay, so it wasn’t a problem for Kate Middleton when she inherited Diana’s Ceylon sapphire sparkler, but many jewellery lovers have found themselves with a beautiful piece that just doesn’t reflect their individual style.
It may involve a - shall we say - delicate conversation with a partner or family member, but I'm sure they'll ultimately agree it's better to rework it into something you love and want to show off to the world.
3. Your knicker drawer is full of unworn jewellery
So many of us have a box tucked away in a drawer, full of jewellery we don't wear but can't part with.
Whether its value is financial or sentimental (or both), we can agree it's not doing much good in there.
Transforming these forgotten pieces into something new means you’ll actually wear and enjoy them again.
One client had held onto her late mother’s jewellery for over 30 years before finally deciding to remodel it, and the result is a stunning ring she treasures every day.
4. Your family has changed
Life moves on. We gain and lose loved ones along the way. Reflecting that in the jewellery you wear with you is a powerful way to keep your favourite people close.
I've worked with clients to add children's birthstones to their wedding rings, for example, or add the initials of a much-missed parent into their inherited pieces.
I just think that's such a beautiful way to carry old and new chapters with you.
5. You’re at the stage where you want to invest in yourself
For years, your spending priorities have been the mortgage, the children, uniforms, university - the endless list of costly essentials. And let’s face it, as a woman, you probably put yourself last on that list of priorities, always putting everyone else before you.
Maybe it’s time to rewrite those rules.
Why not allow yourself to really see the value in investment pieces now, after compromising for so long?
My clients commission remodelled jewellery for all kinds of reasons - to mark their retirement, a big birthday, recovering from an illness, or simply as a "just because" self-gift.
If you ask me, combining old pieces into a new one is a stunning tribute to the life you've lived so far.
Curious about how my jewellery remodelling service could look for you?
People sometimes worry that remodelling means starting from scratch or erasing the past, when it's actually a case of honouring special pieces and reusing them to create a new classic you’re excited to wear every day.
A piece that never fails to make you smile and stir up every story encapsulated within it.
As your jeweller, I take my role very seriously and handle every item with the utmost respect and care, using my decades of experience to rework precious metals, clean up and reset family gemstones, and design one-of-a-kind masterpieces.
Here are some other remodelling resources you might find interesting:
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Remodelling overview - this page is full of useful information and examples to help you understand more about remodelling sentimental pieces of jewellery.
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Understanding the value and cost of remodelled jewellery - explaining more about remodelling, features stories from previous customers, and includes guide prices.
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Reimagine, remodel, rewear - we go behind the scenes of the remodelling process.
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Remodelling heirloom jewellery - I answer some of the most common questions about remodelling, like how to choose the right jeweller and decide on your budget.
I talk a lot about rings when the topic of remodelling comes up, but did you know we can also create earrings, necklaces, and bracelets? Your project, your rules.
If you’ve been mulling over a remodelling project, I'd love to talk it over together and answer all of your questions so you can decide if it's the best move for you.
Book a chat to discuss your jewellery remodel.
