Can Old Gold Jewelry Be Made Into a New Piece?

Yes. Old gold jewelry can be redesigned into something new. A jeweler can reset your stones in a new mounting, rework an existing piece into a different style, or use the value of your old gold toward a new custom design. People do this most often with inherited rings, jewelry from a past relationship and single earrings or broken chains that will never be worn as they are.

Before you gather everything into one pile, do the karat math. Gold of different karats cannot be combined without changing the purity of the result. Ten grams of 14K gold holds 5.83 grams of pure gold, and ten grams of 10K holds 4.17 grams. Melt them together and you have 20 grams containing 10 grams of pure gold, which is 50 percent, or 12 karat. That is neither of the karats you started with, and it cannot honestly be stamped 14K. This is one reason a jeweler will sort your pieces by karat first and may suggest crediting some of the gold instead of melting all of it.

What Are the Ways to Redesign Old Jewelry?

Jewelry redesign is the process of turning existing pieces into a new one. There are three common routes:

1. Reset the stones. Your diamonds or gemstones are removed and set into a new ring, pendant or pair of earrings. This is the most common approach and keeps the part with the most meaning.

2. Rework the existing piece. A ring is resized and restyled, a brooch becomes a pendant, or a wide band is narrowed. The original metal stays in use.

3. Trade the old gold toward new metal. Your gold is weighed and valued, and that value is applied to the cost of a new piece made from fresh alloy.

Will Your Actual Gold Be in the New Piece?

Ask this question directly, because practices differ. Some jewelers will melt and reuse a customer's gold for sentimental reasons. Others prefer to credit the old gold and build the new piece from new metal. Reused gold can contain old solder and mixed alloys, which may lead to tiny pits or color differences in a casting. Neither approach is wrong. What matters is that you know which one you are getting and that the karat stamped on the finished piece matches what it really is.

What Stones Can Be Reused?

• Diamonds, sapphires and rubies are hard and handle resetting well.

• Emeralds, opals, pearls and tanzanite are softer or more fragile. They can be reused, but they need a protective setting and a careful hand.

• Chipped or worn stones can sometimes be repolished or placed so a setting covers the damage.

• Small accent stones from several pieces can be combined into one design.

Have the stones checked before the design is finalized. A stone that looks fine in an old setting may show wear once it is removed.

How Does the Redesign Process Work?

1. Bring everything in. Include the pieces you are unsure about.

2. Sort and test. The jeweler separates karats, identifies stones and tells you what is usable.

3. Talk through the design. Bring photos of styles you like and say how you will wear the piece.

4. Get a written quote. It should list labor, any new metal or stones, and the credit for old gold.

5. Approve the design before work starts.

6. Pick up and check the fit.

For how design work is priced, see what is involved in custom jewelry design pricing.

Should You Redesign, Sell or Keep?

• Redesign when the stones or the story matter to you but the style does not.

• Sell when you have no attachment and would rather have cash. Gold is paid by weight and karat.

• Keep as is when the piece is a signed antique or a period design. Altering it can lower its value. Ask before you change it.

FAQ

Can two rings be combined into one?

Yes. Stones from both can go into one design, and the gold can be reused or credited.

Can a wedding ring be turned into a necklace?

Yes. The stone can be set as a pendant, or the ring itself can be worn on a chain.

Is redesigning cheaper than buying new?

It can be, since you already own the stones and some of the gold value. Labor is the main cost.

Can I pawn or sell the pieces I do not use?

Yes. Leftover gold can be sold by weight or used as collateral for a pawn loan.

Start a Jewelry Redesign in Greensburg

The Pawn & Jewelry Exchange has served Greensburg since 2005 and offers jewelry redesign and custom creations, from modernizing a classic piece to combining stones into something new. Our jeweler works on site, so your jewelry never leaves the building, and the shop is home to Brian Nicklaus Jewelry custom designs. Bring your pieces to 206 E. Pittsburgh St. to talk through ideas. Learn more on our jewelry repairs and redesign page.

Visit The Pawn & Jewelry Exchange or call (724) 836-7296 today. Contact us for more information.