From your great aunt’s antique brooch to your grandmother’s pearl earrings, we’ve all got a hand-me-down or two gathering dust somewhere. Too sentimentally attached and full of family memories to give away, but not current enough to be in your collection, pieces like this languish at the bottom of your jewellery box or turn to rust in your dresser drawers much more than they’re actually worn.
But it shouldn’t be this way. Heirloom pieces carry precious memories and emotions and shouldn’t be forgotten or discarded. Jewellery is meant to be shown off, so give your sentimental items a second life with these 5 IDEAL tips for repurposing family heirloom jewellery.
TURN IT INTO SOMETHING NEW
Turn your heirloom piece into a beautiful new creation that you’ll love to wear not just once, but time and time again. It’s a great way to honour past pieces, giving them new life and meaning. Gold can be melted down, silver repurposed, and diamonds and gemstones salvaged and fashioned into a new orientation. The possibilities of refashioning heirloom pieces are endless.
However, take caution if you’re thinking about turning it into an ‘en vogue’ item like stackable rings. Trends like this may not stand the test of time and repurposing jewellery isn’t always cheap. If you’re not sure, ask a jeweller for some ideas on how to turn it into a piece that will have an assured, enduring style.
MAKE SEVERAL HEIRLOOMS
When you have a cherished piece that’s been passed down the generations, it’s hard to know who to then pass it on to after you. Showing favouritism is never a good move as it can cause resententment and arguments between family members.
The answer, then, is to turn it into several pieces of jewellery. Respected jewellers like The Diamond Mansion provide a fantastic service in which they recycle old, cherished jewellery, creating new designs. They’re also adept at fashioning bespoke children’s jewellery for special occasions.
REIMAGINE IT
By all means turn those old art deco pendants into a beautiful bracelet if you want to, but don’t think that you have to completely change the piece when you’re repurposing it. Instead, ask; are there any outdated elements that can be easily taken away or refashioned to create a more modern look? Sometimes less is more and keeping true to the original design is a great way to honour the past.
GET AN APPRAISAL
Before giving your heirloom a makeover, first take it to a jeweller and get an appraisal. The piece could be worth more than you anticipated and repurposing it could whittle away most of its value. Before doing anything drastic, it’s sensible to check any item’s value.
DON’T TO ANYTHING AT ALL
Sometimes an item can hold so much meaning that it deserves respect. Jewellery with sentimental value has an intrinsic, unquantifiable worth which is impossible to put a price on.
If you’re going to take away serious value from the piece for future generations, it may not be worth changing it.
If you’re torn between repurposing it and feelings of guilt, then it’s probably best to do nothing with it at all. Just appreciate the piece in all its outdated glory, and you never know – trends are so cyclical that it might be right back in fashion before you know it.