Old jewelry, a new story — redesigning family jewelry

Some pieces of jewelry are no longer worn, yet are too meaningful to part with.

A ring passed down through the family, a pendant received years ago or earrings whose style no longer suits you. Sometimes a piece stays in its box because it is uncomfortable, the size is wrong or it simply no longer fits your life.

Redesigning jewelry offers a way to preserve its personal meaning while giving it a form you will want to wear.

First, we understand what you want to preserve

Before deciding what to change, we want to understand what matters to you about the piece.

Is it the central stone, a particular design detail, an engraved dedication or the fact that it belonged to someone close to you?

Sometimes the right approach is a small adjustment that preserves the piece. In other cases, a stone can become part of an entirely new design. The decision begins with a conversation and the story behind the jewelry.

Not every old piece needs a major change. If a repair, resizing or an adjustment will allow you to wear it again, that option is worth considering.

Examining the jewelry and its stones

Before proposing a new design, we need to examine what we can work with.

We assess the metal, settings, connections and stones, looking for wear or defects that may affect dismantling the piece and the work that follows.

When moving a stone from an old piece to a new one, we also consider whether it suits its intended use. A stone worn in a pendant may not be suitable for a ring worn every day.

Gemological assessment and planning the goldsmithing work go hand in hand: we consider both the stone and the structure that will hold it.

Important information about stones you bring us

A stone that is not ours may contain a hidden fracture or defect that cannot be identified beforehand. During removal, setting or other work, such a defect may cause the stone to crack or break.

We try to assess whether it is possible and appropriate to work with the stone, and explain any limitations we identify. However, even after examination, we cannot rule out every hidden defect and therefore cannot take responsibility for a stone supplied by the customer.

If a stone has particular sentimental value, tell us at the beginning so that we can consider the significance of this risk together before proceeding.

Can the gold from the old piece be used?

You can bring us old gold jewelry as part of an order for a new piece, but we generally do not use that same metal to manufacture it.

This is because we do not know the exact composition of the existing alloy. Even when its karat is known, this tells us the proportion of gold but not which other metals are present or in what proportions.

We generally exchange the old gold for pure gold and use it to prepare our own alloys, with a composition suited to the piece we are making.

As for payment, the amount we pay for your old gold is deducted from the total cost of the new jewelry. This allows you to use the value of the gold you already own while having the new piece made from an alloy whose composition we know.

If using the original gold itself matters to you for sentimental reasons, mention this at the start of the meeting so we can assess and explain what is possible.

From an existing piece to a new sketch

Once we understand which elements you want to preserve and what is possible, we begin developing the design.

At TzurGems Jewelry & Gemstones, Rafael, our artisan goldsmith, develops the sketch by hand. The existing stone, its dimensions and your story become part of the planning process.

The aim is to create jewelry that suits you today while considering what you wanted to retain from the original piece.

During planning, you can ask questions, consider options and refine the proportions, metal and way the piece will be worn. Before work begins, we agree on the design and the changes to be made to the existing jewelry.

A change to consider carefully beforehand

Dismantling or melting a piece may be irreversible. It is therefore important to reach a clear decision before work begins, especially with family jewelry.

If a detail matters to you, tell us in advance. You can also photograph the piece before it is changed to document its original appearance.

Once the design is approved and production begins, it is generally no longer possible to change the agreed direction.

Jewelry you can wear again

Sometimes a familiar stone in a new setting creates the connection you were looking for: something of the original stays with you, and the jewelry finds a place in everyday life.

If you have a piece you would like to change, bring it to a design consultation. We will examine its condition, listen to what matters to you and consider how to proceed.

Book a design consultation — NIS 300

The design consultation is arranged in advance and lasts up to one hour. Its fee is deducted from the order price when you proceed with making the jewelry.