‘Re-using gemstones and gold pays in so many ways, turning "something old" into "something new" again’
Approximately 40% of all UK engagements happen between November and Valentine's Day, but choosing what to propose with can be a minefield. Why not look at what's hiding in the family jewellery box, says Jessica Diamond.
Valentine’s Day is nearly upon us, which means there are a lot of people out there shopping for a ring and figuring out how they’re going to pop the question. If this is you, stop for a moment because the solution — at least to the first thing — might be closer to home than you think. Going bespoke is currently the ultimate indulgence in luxury and, as such, jewellers are increasingly receiving requests for one-off designs made with stones, and even gold, from family heirlooms.
The reasons why this is such a good idea are two-fold.
Firstly, using what already exists is the most environmentally-friendly option. While responsibly-mined gold and diamonds do exist, little is better than taking a stone that’s already come out of the ground and re-using it. Secondly, gemstones and jewels hold sentimental value, reminding us of loved ones and larger family connections. Instead of letting these pieces languish at the bottom of a jewellery box, we should be wearing them (and their familial memories) with pride — albeit in a new incarnation.
Eliza Walter was presented with the solitaire diamond ring, in the top right hand corner of this photograph, but a client who wanted a more contemporary take on the traditional style.
Of course, today’s engagement rings are a far cry from what was fashionable 60, 30 or even 10 years ago, so couples are using the opportunity to go bespoke to stamp their own contemporary mark on the designs.
Eliza ended up setting the solitaire in a thick, wavy band of gold.
Take, for example, the traditional solitaire diamond ring — a single stone secured with prongs that jewellers such as De Beers and Tiffany & Co have championed for decades. It is (or maybe was) the archetypal engagement ring, the ring of our mothers and grandmothers (which perhaps explains the shift away from it). Eliza Walter, the founder of jewellery brand Lylie, recently made the perfect example of a re-imagined solitaire (remodelling from £3,500). Her client presented her with a three-carat diamond ring set in white-and-yellow gold that had once belonged to her grandmother; Eliza re-set it in a chunky wave of yellow gold and used the diamonds on the band of the original piece in a new wedding ring.
Eliza's finished design is an excellent example of the current vogue for statement engagement rings where the band plays as big a part as the diamond.
These types of sculptural engagement rings are having a ‘moment’, as brides become braver and challenge the longstanding fashion for delicate bands that are often utilised in order to make the diamond look bigger. Now, the band is as much a part of the design as the stones.
When a client approached Cassandra Goad about re-setting a round, brilliant diamond that he’d inherited from his family she worked closely with him to understand his future wife’s style (remodelling from about £2,500). ‘After many conversations, it became clear that she loved chunky yellow gold rings,’ says Cassandra. ‘I reimagined the piece, incorporating the heirloom diamond into a bold wrap-around yellow gold design, with the stone set in a rub-over setting.’
A before and after of the ring Cassandra Goad designed for a groom to propose with.
Multi-stone rings are also on the rise, but they’re different from the traditional three-stone ones of yesteryear. Cigar-band rings (the name given to rings with a band that is wide all the way round) are in vogue and offer ample space for multiple, smaller gemstones.
Annoushka Ducas's sketch for a bespoke ring feature three existing diamonds — and the finished product, below.
Cassandra worked on a design with a client who wanted to use her mother’s engagement ring as the starting point. The original ring wasn’t her style, but as her mother had sadly died it held enormous sentimental value. The Sloane Street jeweller set all the stones in a wide band and even used the gold from the original ring in the new iteration.
When a groom came to her with three family diamonds, Annoushka Ducas, the founder of Annoushka, set them in a thick, rose gold band alongside two baguette-cut sapphires (remodelling from £10,000). ‘Reimagining a family stone is a beautiful way to carry forward the story of a treasured piece. It honours the past while creating a meaningful heirloom for the future,’ she says. Kind and careful consideration is given to the heirloom gemstones’ shape, clarity and unique characteristics, she goes on to explain. ‘We ensure the new setting celebrates its natural perfections (or wonderful imperfections), while reflecting the style and story of its new owner. It’s a meeting of past and future in one design.’
Serena Ansell recently finished work on a five stone, classic-style ring for a couple who presented her with diamonds from both sides of their respective families (remodelling from about £5,000). ‘I knew the bride-to-be wasn’t shy of chunky jewellery and loved classical pieces. And as I love art history I relished designing this ring that takes inspiration from Ancient Greek and Roman artistry.’
This ring by Serena Ansell was inspired by the bride's love of chunky jewellery and her own appreciation of Ancient Greek and Roman artistry.
One of the dismantled rings belonged to the client’s grandmother. ‘She was married for over 60 years so to include the diamonds in my ring feels very special,’ said the client to Serena, via email.
Considered design and unique touches are a calling-card of jeweller Hattie Rickards (remodelling from £5,000). Her design process can involve weeks of back and forth in order to better understand her client’s lifestyle and taste. A couple — Bianca and Johnnie — brought Hattie an heirloom, old-cut diamond from Bianca’s mother. ‘Bianca is a homebody often found in jeans and a t-shirt at home in Dalston or barefoot on the beach in Portugal,’ says Hattie. ‘They loved my signature design, but we refined it to create a ring that perfectly suited the shape and scale of Bianca’s hands, and to create a silhouette that would suit her style.’
‘Even though it is undeniably “me”, the fact that Johnnie and I went to Hattie together means that when I look at it I see something that is “ours”, and also I see my mum, thanks to her beautiful stone. For me, that's what truly makes it a modern heirloom,’ says Bianca.
Hattie Rickards transformed this old-cut diamond into something that suited a laid back bride's style and hands (below).
Working on another commission, Hattie set a loose, family diamond in a bold, square setting, which lent the round, brilliant cut stone ‘a distinct and confident modernity’. She added baguette-cut diamonds and an unusual stripe of channel-set, custom-cut green sapphires and even hid the groom’s birthstone on the inside of the shank.
Hattie's bold, square setting completely changes the look of this round-cut diamond. The groom's birthstone is hidden on the inside of the shank.
While gemstones are the obvious (and easy) precious material to ‘recycle’, some independent jewellers are also able to re-use gold. Lylie is one of them. ‘We understand the sentimental value of the original gold itself, so we offer a re-casting service using heirloom metal,’ says Eliza. The jeweller also runs a ‘Gold Exchange’ scheme whereby heirloom gold can be offset against part of the remodelling costs and responsibly recycled — perfect if, for example, the original ring is yellow gold and the client wants to use white or platinum in its place. It’s another sustainable way of keeping already-mined material in circulation while reducing the cost of the new commission. From pre-loved to loved once more, re-using gemstones and gold pays in so many ways, turning ‘something old’ into ‘something new’ again.
