Upcycling
I am regularly approached about the possibility of re-using/remaking family pieces of jewellery into new. The possibilities are endless.
Below are some examples of my 'upcycled' work with a little bit of the story behind each of the pieces.
Some of the pieces shown below have been complete rebuilds. Others just altered or improved, & a handful have been hand made from new, utilising stones or precious metal from existing pieces of jewellery owned by the client.
It is worth saying that upcycling is not necessarily a quicker or cheaper option. But it is a wonderful way of keeping the emotion of sentimental pieces, such as a mothers engagement ring or a fathers signet ring, close to you.
And this is the response that I get time and time again from my clients who choose this option.
It is always worth a conversation to find out what is possible.
Interested? Please contact me..
Golden Buttercup Earrings
Unloved and unworn gold lounging in a jewellery box has become some of my signature 'Buttercup Earrings'. Set with Topaz's from her Mothers jewellery, and Peridots, she has links to her past, in a style that she loves and wears regularly.
Scrabble Tile
A recently bereaved daughter wished me to fashion a piece of jewellery utilising her father's broken signet ring to keep him close to her heart. Together we designed the above scrabble tile, with her initial, reflecting their joint love of the game.
Discreetly, on the reverse, in her Dads handwriting 'Love Dad xx'
Lydias Engagement Ring
A 1990s style 18ct diamond ring, was gifted to a son, to be secretly recreated into a more delicate ring for a proposal. All went well, I am pleased to say!
Diamonds left over waiting to be set as another job...
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'Eternal'
Wedding and Engagement rings from bereavement combined into a beautiful new piece, enabling their love to continue to be carried and worn daily alongside new love
Eliptical Ring
Much loved (cast) silver ring was unable to be repaired. So utilising the broken ring I fashioned an almost identical replacement in silver wire & sheet as a surprise present from her boyfriend.
A tricky one, all done by email & post, but it happened.
Multi stone adjustable ring
Each stone in this adjustable ring came from several much cherished, but broken or unloved pieces of jewellery owned by this client. The ring has become the journey of her life with a new stone added to represent the future. A pendant was created separately with all the remaining sapphires and gold.
Funked up Cat
I was approached by a client who was looking to funk up his much loved cat pin. Being a man of music a guitar was the obvious choice for his cool cat!
It has now become the image he uses for all his work as BluKat
'Grampy' had some family heirlooms that he wanted to pass on to his new Grandson.
What better way than timeless cufflinks, polished, with a frosty style surface, finished with a bespoke hallmark including the Jubilee mark, from the London Assay Office.
Peruvian Gold
A client visited me with a stone he had been given by a treasured and now passed friend. He also brought me a piece of gold he had actually watched being panned. He had had it many years. 'Could I do something with it?'
For the full story, including photos of the panning , and my clients words, go to my Blog where you will find a 2 minute read of the lovely tale.
Thrupenny bit Cufflinks
This gentleman was looking to create a link to his father by utilising coins given to him from his fathers numismatic collection. These stylish cufflinks worked out really well.