Estate Jewelry Repair & Redesign: Discover Your Options
When Sophie*discovered she was inheriting some jewelry from a great-aunt, she was thrilled. Sophie’s got a very strong sense of style and collects estate jewelry. “I thought that it would be neat to have a piece of family history to wear on a regular basis,” she explained.
Sophie’s delight turned to dismay when she opened the jewelry box and saw her inheritance for the first time. “Have you heard the phrase a face only a Mother could love? Well, this was a brooch only my great-aunt loved: it was definitely not my style.”
No one is entirely sure what type of animal was supposed to be represented in Sophie’s brooch. It might have been a cat or a bear or a rabbit; the detailing just wasn’t there. What was there were two nice diamonds and a large carnelian, a reddish-brown gemstone that was very popular in the 1940’s. “I thought it was just such a shame that these gems would be wasted, sitting in my jewelry box,” Sophie explained. “But then my friend suggested bringing it to the jewelry store in Plainfield and see if I could have something else made with the stones.”
Estate Jewelry Redesign: Creating A New Look from Old Jewelry
Sophie’s hardly the first person to come across a piece of estate jewelry that isn’t the right style, size, or fit. Estate Jewelry redesign is the art of rescuing the usable pieces of a piece of old jewelry – this generally means the gemstones and metal– and creating a new look with them. In Sophie’s case, the brooch became two pieces of jewelry: the diamonds were used to make a pair of petite diamond stud earrings, and the carnelian became a pendant. The options really are limitless. At Mark Peter’s Diamond Designs, we’ll work with you to turn the piece of jewelry you have into a look you’ll love wearing.
Estate Jewelry Repair: Wear Your Jewelry with Confidence
Sometimes the issue with estate jewelry is not the appearance, it’s the condition or fit. If a piece of jewelry is broken, you can’t really wear it confidently. Luckily, our master jewelers can repair clasps, closures, pin backs, and other damaged jewelry. The goal is always to have the repairs be invisible, so the jewelry appears to be like new. Rings and bracelets can be too large or small. The Mark Peter’s team can resize your jewelry for you so you can enjoy wearing it! Almost every ring can be resized: if you’re not sure, bring your ring in and let us have a look. We’ll inspect your item and give you our professional opinion and an estimate. All work is done on-site to the highest standard.
*Name changed for privacy