Inherited Rings – Use, Re-Purpose or Re-Design? Vikki’s Story

Vikki's Inherited Ring. It's Beautiful, Diamond-Covered Design Was Simply Too Big for Vikki.

Vikki was at a Crossroads. She came to me with an inherited ring from her mother. She thought the design was beautiful, but the ring’s scale was an issue. Not only was the ring too big for her finger – its design was just too big for her hand.

Vikki was upset that her mother’s ring was not being worn, and she asked if I would help her find a way to get the ring out of the jewelry box and onto her finger.

Not only was I willing to help – I was eager to!

The Brainstorming Begins

Vikki wanted to know if there was a way that we could create three rings from the original. She explained that her two daughters adored their grandmother’s ring, and that they had actually been the ones to suggest having it redesigned.

I thought that was a lovely idea! There were plenty of diamonds to use for a redesign, however neither of us wanted to just scrap the ring for parts. We decided to preserve as much of the original design as possible.

Making A Plan

From the Side, You Can Clearly See the Three Merged Bands.

Vikki’s ring was composed of a central halo ring, sandwiched between two slimmer stacking band rings.

I asked Vikki if she could see herself wearing just the center ring. She wasn’t sure, so I showed her one of my display rings that featured a similar design with a similar taper as the one we were considering. She tried it on and confidently announced, “I’d wear that!”

I told her I’d first free the center portion of her mother’s ring and then rebuild it as necessary so that she could wear it.

Surgery on Vikki’s Inherited Ring

The Finished Products, Ready to Wear!

When I separated the three rings, Vikki’s center ring was very thin. I re-shanked it to make it thicker and re-tipped a number of prongs. It was now ready to wear!

I brought Vikki the ring, and it was a joyful moment. After that, I showed her how many leftover diamonds we had to work with and offered some setting styles for her daughters’ rings. We decided to make two simple straight diamond bands using the remaining diamonds.

Two Rings for Her Two Daughters

Vikki and Her Daughters Loved the Rings!

I finished the rings for Vikki’s daughters and brought them to her. She wanted to give them to her daughters right away, but decided to patiently wait until Christmas to surprise them with the beautiful diamond bands.

Shortly after Christmas, I received an email from Vikki which included a warm “Thank You” letter and a picture of the three lovely ladies proudly showing off their new re-purposed inherited rings.

Wear It, Don’t Warehouse It

A Redesign Turned One Unworn Ring Into Three Beautiful Reminders of A Loved One.

The wonderful thing about inherited jewelry is that it symbolizes a loved one, whether they are with us or not. That’s a value you can’t count on your fingers!

I firmly believe that it’s better to redesign diamonds and wear them than to let them sit, unchanged, like a fly in amber – that reminds no one of a person’s love, humor, or wisdom.

If you can’t wear it like it is because it’s not your style, there’s no shame in redesigning it! Every time you look at your redesigned jewelry, you’ll be reminded of the one who lovingly gave you the original piece.

Embrace the memory. Embrace the gift. Embrace the change. Wear it, don’t warehouse it!

Redesigning Jeweler,
Calla Gold