Reworking Inherited Jewellery
Inherited jewellery carries a different kind of value. There’s the material itself, but also the history attached to it.
Words
Erin Freeman
Photos
Erin Freeman
Inherited jewellery carries a different kind of value. There’s the material itself, but also the history attached to it. When we rework an older piece, the aim is to understand what can be meaningfully carried forward and what is better rebuilt.
Diamonds and gemstones are often the most natural elements to reuse, provided they are in suitable condition to be reset. Gold and platinum can also be retained in value, though we generally don’t melt an existing piece down and use that exact metal in the new design.
Older jewellery may have been alloyed differently, repaired over time, or contain solder and other unknown metal combinations. Without knowing exactly what is in the alloy, it becomes difficult to confidently predict how it will behave during manufacturing or how it will wear over the years.
Instead, we’ll often have the original metal refined and apply its value towards the new piece. It’s a way of acknowledging what was there before, while giving the new design the strength and consistency it needs for the next chapter.
The goal is never to reuse everything for the sake of it. It’s to preserve what matters, and build the rest with longevity in mind.
