Wedding Bands Makeover – Loving Your Jewelry Back to Life
A Makeover for My Wedding Band? Many people have a gold wedding band, or a platinum one for that matter, that needs some care and love to bring it back to beautiful life.
In a way, we still see our band as how it looked when we received it and don’t notice that it’s changed. Sort of like me thinking of my adult son Dan, as frozen in time at 13. (He’ll love that!)
In this post, I’ll show you four projects changing gold wedding bands. Also there’s a platinum one with a makeover and some love. Read on…
Back to Wedding Bands!
I’ll share the four projects I’ve done recently that have brought the wow factor back into my client’s wedding bands. And a client’s re-do that ended up in a magazine.
Project #1 – Debbie’s Grandfather’s Wedding Band

Debbie loved her Grandfather and inherited his wedding band. She couldn’t picture how to wear it. It sat in her jewelry box about 15 years.
Our first step was to size it down to her size. Then because she is feminine and petite, I suggested some wonderful swirly engraving on the band. It worked and now Debbie’s Grandfather’s love is on her hand.
Project #2 – Steve’s Gold Wedding Band
Steve’s ring was way too tight and we needed to get it off. And re-sized larger. A total candidate for a wedding band makeover.
I brought my ring saw to his home to be prepared, as he told me he couldn’t get it of.
Did you know that if your wedding band is too tight certain jewelers can saw it off for you? See my blog post on sawing off too tight rings.
If you are interested in the steps to take to remove your ring I also write about that.
Happily while trying the bag of crushed ice and olive oil and twisting method, we thankfully pulled it off. His wife commented that it used to have a cool texture. After showing them some ideas they decided on doing a hammer finish.
First, we sized it larger, then out came the hammer. That was fun. Now Steve’s ring fits well and looks great!
Project #3 – Cheri’s Platinum Wedding Band
I was called in for a simple sizing of a platinum wedding band. She was concerned about what would happen to her engraving when the sizing was done. It would be messed up in the area of sizing.
When we at Calla Gold Jewelry size an exterior-engraved ring like this, we restore the engraving that gets worked off during the sizing and post-sizing polish steps. But if the engraving is old and worn down, the area we hand engrave will look like the Star of India (a big, famous diamond) next to a piece of glass.
In Cheri’s ring’s case, and in typical platinum style, since platinum is quite malleable (movable), the engraving had been pounded down to a softer more indistinct look. Her patterns weren’t really that visible anymore. My blog post about why platinum gets so dull so fast.

I mentioned that I was familiar with the designer who had made her ring and that his engraving patterns were beautiful. She said, “Yes, it looked so nice when I got married. Two kids later, my waistband has expanded and my ring patterns are muddy!”
I said, “How about bringing those patterns back for you?”
“Worth a try I suppose.” She said.
After sizing her ring, all the engraving patterns were engraved back on in detail. This was done by my skilled hand engraver. In the end, her ring looked distinctly patterned and gorgeous again.
Project #4 Debra’s Mom’s Little Gold Wedding Band
In an earlier blog I told the story of Debra and her mom’s little wedding band. She wanted to wear it, but as a plain band she just wasn’t. As a plain band it wasn’t her style.
When you inherit something meaningful but it’s not your style give yourself permission to change it so you can use it.
So we turned it into an element on a pendant she cherishes! Here’s my blog post about that project: Inherited Jewelry, From Unworn to Cherished, Debra’s Story.
Her necklace and story of her mom’s life were featured in Dr. Oz’s magazine The Good Life.
My Message for Your Wedding Bands
Do you have a wedding band makeover candidate? They can be sized. They can be brushed to a matte finish, they can be hammered, they can be polished to a bright finish again and they can be engraved. And there are more choices for textures.
Don’t let the patina of wear make your wedding bands ordinary looking. Bring back their beauty or infuse new style with a trip to the jeweler who will love your jewelry back to life.
Jewelry Beautician,
Calla Gold
Dear Calla:
I found your blog post so inspiring. I too am working with a customer on repurposing her inherited jewelry. I agree with you — it is great fun!
Best regards,
Nancy
Dear Nancy,
How great to hear that you’re doing some re-purposing yourself. Isn’t it just so exciting?
I love the reactions my clients have to the beautiful jewelry that comes back from it’s trip to getting a jewelry makeover.
Thanks for writing Nancy!
Your Fellow Jeweler,
Calla Gold
Calla, this is such inspiring information.I know how you can just forget to look at your band after a while and then you just don’t think to make changes.
Yet the wedding band changes, or makeovers you’ve shown here are great.
The hammer finish, I just love. And that re-engraving you did on Cheri’s engraved band is really a big and pretty change. I need to share that re-engraving idea with a friend.
Tracey
Hi Tracey,
I’ve been doing all these great makeovers on wedding bands and I was bursting to share the ideas! And now I have a place to send people next time the idea comes up.
I’d love to hear from your friend!
Thank you,
Calla
Calla I love all of these stories! My favorite is the story of Debra’s moms wedding band. I found it incredibly beautiful that you were able to take an old abandoned little thing and make it a truly remarable piece that not only could Debra wear but also allow her to have her mom near and dear when she did. Beautiful story!
Hello Tania,
It’s so nice to hear that you liked a particular story. I love stories and Debra’s just warms my heart. Thank you.
Calla
Tania,
Yay! Another story lover! That is so cool that you love the stories. It feels like as much as I love talking about the projects, I really love their stories.
I met a fascinating client yesterday with a great story, when that ring is done I’ll share it with the backstory.
Debra’s creation was so special to me. I can get teary eyed just looking at the image of it.
Thanks Tania!
Calla Gold
I’m so impressed with your creativity and flexibility, Calla! I love that cherished rings can be made-over, and sometimes almost recreated, so that the people who value them so highly can again enjoy wearing them.
Linda
Hi Linda,
You felt it and said it perfectly. There is nothing sadder than jewelry warehoused, unseen and unworn. When it finds a new purpose, when its story is told, when the loving memories are felt visually when it is worn, that is my goal and my happiness as a jeweler.
Thank you Linda for being someone who values cherished pieces of jewelry!
Your Personal Re-Designing Jeweler,
Calla