To repurpose old jewelry, the most effective approach is to redesign it — resetting its stones and refining its gold into a new piece you'll actually wear. Repurposing keeps the sentiment and the materials of your original jewelry while giving you something modern and personal. Here's how to repurpose old jewelry, step by step.
1. Take stock of what you have
Gather the pieces you never wear — old rings, broken chains, single earrings, inherited brooches. Even damaged jewelry holds value in its gold and stones.
2. Decide how far to take it
You can reset the stones into a new setting, melt and refine the gold toward a new design, or commit to a full jewelry redesign that reimagines the piece entirely.
3. Combine pieces for more impact
Several sentimental but unworn pieces can be combined into one meaningful design — a ring made from a mother's gold and a grandmother's diamonds, for example.
4. Work with your own materials
Using your own gold and gems preserves sentiment, lowers cost, and is kinder to the environment than buying new. Old gold you no longer wear can be refined and credited toward your new piece.
5. Start with a consultation
Every repurpose begins with a free virtual consultation. Send photos, share your vision, and we'll map out the best way forward. Book your free consultation to begin.
Not sure where to start? The most popular repurposing project in my studio is turning a ring into a necklace — the sentiment stays, the form changes.
And if the piece you're thinking about is a ring from a marriage that ended, I wrote a fuller, gentler guide just for that: what to do with your wedding or engagement ring after a divorce.