remodelling Jewellery

There’s not much point in having jewellery sat in a drawer.  It's made to be worn and most likely, if it's been passed down through generations, then that was the intention. However, if you don't like the design of the piece, even if it holds huge sentimental value, then you probably won't enjoy wearing it.

All of the materials used to make jewellery can be used again to create a totally new piece and the possibilities are endless.  You can add materials like gemstones if you like, change the metal colour, or completely transform the design.

It is best to talk to a jeweller about exactly what is possible with the materials and budget you have.  They will also listen to what kind of designs you like and maybe advise you on ideas that they have.

It is up to the designer to guide you through the process and bring to life their ideas via drawings or computer aided design, CAD. Once the final design is decided upon, the process of assessing the materials you already have can begin.  This will involve removing any gemstones from the piece and deconstructing it to work out exactly how much usable metal you have and what its worth.

How much does it cost to melt gold to make new jewellery?

To work out exactly how much metal you have that can be used to make something new, all the stones need to be taken out of the piece and the metal weighed and assessed.  If the piece has a UK hallmark, then this makes things easier. 

If you have already agreed on a design and a price for the work, then the cost of this process will be included.  If you are still unsure about whether you want to go ahead with the remodelling work, then a jeweller may charge to carry out the work of unsetting your stones.  Often, a jeweller will agree to deduct this charge from the future quote if you decide to go through with having the piece remodelled.

How much does it cost to remodel a ring?

This depends on the design of the piece and which metals it is to be made out of.  If you are melting down a gold or platinum piece of jewellery and want to use the stones to make something in silver, then the money you get from the gold or platinum might well cover the cost entirely.

The prices of metals change; at the time of writing this article, gold is at an all time high, so it's a great time to be selling.

The exact cost depends on the design.  If there are a lot of stones to be set, then the workmanship involved in individually setting those stones will be relatively high, regardless of the materials used. Crafts like engraving, polishing, and other manufacturing processes will also add to the cost.

There will also likely need to be some metal added to the metal you already have. Once the design is approved, the jeweller will know how much metal will need to be added and will include that in the cost of the quote.

How long does it take to remodel a ring ?

We generally advise that the process will take between 4-6 weeks to complete from the time that the final design is approved.  This gives us time to deconstruct and evaluate the materials you already have and complete the manufacturing process.

Again, this depends somewhat on the design of the piece.  

Does a remade item of jewellery have to be hallmarked?

Yes. In the UK an item that is described as being partly or wholly made from precious metal must be hallmarked.  The time and cost of hallmarking will be included in the quote to make the remodeled piece of jewellery.

Is remodeling jewellery eco friendly?

Yes, using metal and gemstones already in circulation is more eco-friendly than using new materials.  Often, some metal will need to be added to the metal you already have, and the best choice is either Fairmined or Fairtrade gold.

The process of making jewellery requires the use of energy in the form of electricity and, for some pieces, chemical processes are used.  On the scale of an individual item of jewellery being remade by hand, the amount of electricity is very small.

*We are keen to point out that in the context of having an individual item of jewellery remade using metal you already have, ‘recycling it’ is eco friendly. However, this is different from when newly made jewellery is described as being made from ‘recycled metals’.  These claims amount to greenwashing; to learn more check out our hierarchy of ethical metals.