Can an old ring be remodelled?

Can you turn your old engagement ring or jewellery into something else?

Often the answer is yes. It can be incredibly rewarding to continue the legacy of a special piece of jewellery by remodelling it into something that will be worn and cherished, rather than something that will just sit in an old jewellery box gathering dust. Gold, platinum and stones can all be remodelled into something new. At the time of writing, it is usually not worth reusing silver.

If you have a jewellery remodelling project you would like to discuss you can contact me here.

What can I do if my wedding or engagement ring is too small?

It’s quite common over time for a wedding or engagement ring to become too small. It’s usually possible to resize an existing ring. To make a ring smaller costs around £40 to £60 for a silver ring and £95-£125 to make a plain gold band or gold ring set with diamonds smaller. To size up a ring I need to add more metal - so the cost varies depending on how much bigger it needs to be. Usually it costs from around £222 to enlarge a gold ring. Some rings are trickier than others to size up but if you want to send me a quick email with some pictures, I can let you know.

What can I do if I don’t like my ring?

I often find that when customers have an engagement ring that they don’t like or don’t wear they can feel guilty and are often at a loss what to do. It can feel not right to sell an engagement ring or wedding ring, especially if it comes with special memories or is linked to a special person or ancestor. But it can feel really liberating to transform the ring or stones into something that feels right, continues its legacy and is a joy to wear.

Can you repair or remake a special ring?

Usually, the answer is yes. Though one thing I’m always clear about is that I won’t copy another designer's work. However, I can usually find a way to do an interpretation that works even better than the original for my customer.

Remodelled Moonstone ring

This was a very special, sentimental commission – we reused an old, worn moonstone from his granny’s silver ring but made it a new 18ct matt gold ring for his wife to wear.

Family stones made into a new ring

Something I love to do is re-use old stones from family jewellery in pieces from my own jewellery collection to give them a new lease of life. This can be a really cost-effective way to create a special piece of unique jewellery. The ring above re-used stones from an old family ring to create a man's wedding band to mark their marriage after many years together. 

Octopus Ring with upcycled diamonds

This unique ring was a gift for a customer’s teenage daughter using my Octopus Ring setting but chunked up with plain silver edges. The diamonds came from my customer’s granny’s bracelet. The ring now works as a beautiful every day piece (rather than something that felt almost too precious to wear).

Heart engagement ring becomes a statement ring

A customer's old heart engagement ring was remodelled using the diamond and including smaller diamonds and gold from other family rings to produce this striking statement ring.

Can the metal from old jewellery be melted down and reused?

Gold and platinum can be melted down and reused. It’s not usually cost effective to recycle and reuse silver. I once even used some old gold from a customer's tooth to make into a new piece of jewellery!

Yellow Citrine ring

I made this ring for a couple who’ve been together for many years but recently decided to have a civil partnership. They wanted to use this beautiful yellow sapphire and the gold from a sentimental ring she was given by him a long time ago – but as a completely new fresh design to mark the occasion.

Mans Shark Skin Signet ring

I made this shark skin signet ring for a gentleman using recycled yellow gold from his late father's rings. He was delighted to have a ring he loved that suited him with the sentimental attachment of gold from his father. The special thing about this ring is he preferred white gold so as it needed a bit more metal we added white gold to the cast. The resulting ring was a very subtle pale gold which was very beautiful.

Can I turn my engagement ring into something else?

Absolutely! The gold, platinum and stones from an old engagement ring can be made into something else. If there isn’t enough metal, then it can normally be added to. Similarly, there is no reason why any old stones can’t be added to with new stones. I love working with the meaning of new stones to tell a story.

Re-Designed Platinum and Sapphire Engagement Ring

I really enjoyed working on this commission – my customer wanted to re-design her engagement ring. Her previous ring was traditional platinum with a large oval sapphire and two triangular diamonds - see below. The gorgeous sapphire now sits in a new setting made from the platinum from her old band and contrasts beautifully with a new spotted oxidised silver band. It’s given the ring a whole new look and life.

Triangular diamonds for a second ring

The triangular diamonds from the client's engagement ring were remodelled to create this second statement ring with five gold bands.

How much does it cost to remodel a ring?

Prices vary but start from £550 upwards for a ring made with 100% recycled metal and stones.

How long does it take to remodel a ring?

From sign-off of the brief and agreement about the cost the lead time is usually around 6-8 weeks but this depends on my order book at the time. Sometimes projects can be quicker.

If you would like to get in touch to discuss remodelling a ring or other piece of jewellery then you can contact me by email here or visit my Tunbridge Wells jewellery shop – click here for directions and opening times.