Tips for Redesigning an Engagement Ring

Posted on June 18, 2016 by Mary Hood | 1 Comment

 Reimaged engagement ring.

Our personal tastes change as we evolve and encounter new experiences. The thing you once loved in your twenties may no longer hold the same allure for you in your thirties or forties. A style that inspired you in your forties may lose its sparkle for you in your fifties, and so on.

This is a natural process that should be celebrated, not feared or regretted. As the poet Mary Oliver writes:

“We do one thing or another; we stay the same, or we change. Congratulations, if you have changed.”

Of course, your evolved tastes can pose a bit of a conundrum when a cherished piece or an investment piece (like an engagement ring or wedding band) no longer suit your current aesthetic. We may be faced with the choice of leaving it unaltered (but never gaining back the desire to wear it regularly) or altering it in some way with the hope of creating a new version of the piece that you’d enjoy wearing more frequently. 

Needless to say, the choice to alter such a piece carries its own risks, so it’s important to take time to think through your idea and work with a jeweler you trust. You can even ask to see photos of similar projects the jeweler has worked on and inquire about their experience altering a pre-made or vintage piece. 

Getting Started

There are several ways to begin designing alteration(s) to your jewelry. First, list the things you’d like to change—what no longer appeals to you about the piece? If it’s a ring, is the band too thick? What about the texture of the metal? Its color? Next, is there anything you’d like to see added? Would you like to include a stone setting for a new diamond? Would you like the band engraved?

If you’re feeling stumped, look at jewelry catalogs or scan Pinterest for fresh ideas. If a style leaps out to you, be specific about what appeals to you. You can even check our tips for couples designing their own engagement ring since many may apply to jewelry redesign.

Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box.

When Barbara Michelle Jacobs jeweler Barbara Polinksy found herself wanting to change the look of her engagement ring, she turned to a family heirloom for ideas (and then some).

 

Using her grandfather’s wedding band, Polinksy created a new (i.e. repurposed) band and included a tapered bezel setting for the diamond from her original engagement ring. This process could be replicated with a heirloom band of your own—or with a vintage piece from Etsy or Ebay.

Altering your engagement ring, wedding band, or any other significant piece of jewelry is not a DIY project (unless you’re a professional jeweler, of course!). Such important work should be handled by a jeweler that you trust and enjoy collaborating with.

 

Photos: Barbara Polinsky

 

Posted in custom engagement ring design process, custom engagement rings, custom jewelry, custom ring, custom rings, engagement ring, engagement rings, redesign, redesigning jewelry, vintage, wedding bands

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