Redesigning an heirloom without losing its history
The practical steps — and the emotional ones — when old jewelry becomes new.
Studio bench notes · 2026-04-21 · reviewed: Master goldsmith review
A redesign starts with documentation, not a torch. We photograph and measure every piece, laser-scan engravings and hallmarks, and record stone positions before anything is unset. That archive means the original can never be truly lost.
What can be carried over
Most stones can be reset; some — heavily abraded, chipped, or brittle stones like old opals — are safer left as they are, and we will say so. Gold can almost always be refined and re-alloyed into the new piece, so the metal itself carries the history.
The part nobody expects
Clients often keep one element unchanged on purpose: a date mark inside the band, a worn edge of the original shank built into the new interior. Tell us what the piece means, not just how it should look — that is where the design starts.
Commission
Begin with a sentence, a sketch, or a photograph.
Tell us what the piece should mean. We reply with a first direction, a price range and a timeline — free, and without obligation.
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