Restyling jewelry, Part One: Where your money goes

Lonely in the jewelry box?

Do you have a box of dated, too-tight or odd pieces of jewelry, perhaps something like the orphaned earring shown, and wonder if it's worth it remodeling?  

I gave boxes of abandoned pieces to a church rummage sale before the move, but others are earmarked for renos. Remodeling is only worth it if you end up with a piece you love so much you'd sleep in it.

Today, some considerations about the cost of restyling; tomorrow, design and ideas.

What will it cost?

Few of us sweep into a jeweler's without regard for cost, so receive an estimate for the project, but also understand what's behind an estimate.


Restyling is rarely a cheap fix. Just like a house reno, you can make smart choices to keep costs from skyrocketing. 

Actual costs are impossible to give, because there are so many factors, but let's tackle the matter.

The costs behind the estimate

When you restyle, you're paying for things that might not be obvious:

1. Deconstructing the original piece

The jeweler must tear down the original piece without damage to the stones.

Diamond and pearl brooch

Resetting a solitaire is pretty basic, but taking a brooch like this and making a pair of earrings is extensive labour. If you are recycling metal, it has to be melted and sometimes refined.

(Shown, midcentury diamond and pearl brooch from Beladora2, $1,995. I'd wear this exactly as it is with supreme pleasure, but am showing it as an example of what you might start with when remodeling.)

2. New materials and repairs to the old

Diamond ring mount

If you want a stone reset in a stock ring setting, for example, you might pay $500-$1500 depending on the weight of the mount, plus additional costs if you are adding gems. Once you move into the realm of custom settings, the jeweler must complete many more steps to cast your unique setting, and costs rise.

If you bring in a necklace and want to create a bracelet and earrings, you can see how the labour escalates, and you may have to add stones.

Lucifer Vir Honestus jade ring

If you bring a photo of a ring like this Lucifer Vir Honestus jade and ask for "a setting like that", your jeweler has to attempt a near-copy, which she may never have done before. Even if she has the capability, there's an elusive artistry from the hand of the creator. I've seen so many copies fall short of a photo.

I've seen more successful restyles when the customer finds a jeweler she likes, and works within that aesthetic. 

Ask not only to see a portfolio of remodeled work, but also the actual piece when possible ("before" and "after" photos). This is not because you don't believe the photos, it's because feeling the piece in your hands is quite different from the photo.

Sometimes, you are better off to sell a vintage piece than to tear it down and remodel, sentiment notwithstanding, and a good jeweler will advise you that it's not worth it. (More tomorrow about this.)

3. The artisans behind the jeweler

Setter at work

Behind the jeweler is a small army of artisans; few jewelers do everything themselves. They typically employ or source work from designers, cutters, casters, polishers, stringers and setters. 

If you are remodeling an heirloom, the piece may have damage to stones that is invisible to the eye, but weakens the stones; they should not be reset in that condition. The stones may need recutting or repolishing. 

All of these considerations affect cost, which is why it's sometimes a shock to hear the price for restyling, when you thought "I already have the stones".

4. Jeweler's reputation

Just like clothing designers, 'name' jewelers cost more. When you fully understand the materials and labour costs, you can assess how much you are paying for the design.

Keeping costs low(er)

Just like your house reno, spend where it shows, and stay open to ways to manage costs.

Marcy owned a sapphire and diamond diamond cocktail ring that belonged to her grandmother. She wanted a modern ring that fit with her other pieces.

The 2 ct. round sapphire was in good shape, and needed only to be repolished. The side stones were badly damaged diamond trapezoidal baguettes. Replacing them with two custom-cut half-carat stones would cost $5,000. 

Marcy's jeweler suggested replacing the baguettes with pavé instead, which cost $1,000. He showed her the difference by making a wax cast and placing an old baguette on one side, the temporary pavé on the other. The pavé was a 'blingier', more modern look, which Marcy preferred. Total cost of the project was $2,500.

Using white gold instead of platinum, or casting a heavy ring so that the back is hollow reduces the cost of precious metal.

You might also reduce cost by using less expensive materials, such as tourmaline instead of emerald or ruby, white sapphire instead of diamond. Ask to see a range of gems in the colour you're using.

But spend to get it right

Imperial topaz

My friend Alice bought a magnificent set of imperial topaz stones chosen in Mumbai by her daughter.

She took them to her jeweler, Don, who designed a stunning yet simple necklace. Alice's husband, Jean, unaccustomed to buying much jewelry, freaked out at the cost, so she asked Don for a second design, using less gold.

The second design was pretty, but didn't show the stones' beauty like the first. Jean could see the difference and came around. The necklace is gorgeous on Alice, and she is thankful every day that she didn't cut corners.

And if it's not...

The right setting, at last!

Le Duc gave me a small princess-cut diamond 25 years ago. Though I loved his gift, I never really liked the setting, and five years later had it reset. That jeweler didn't scale the setting to the stone, and I was too inexperienced to ask him whether he would. The diamond looked lost, surrounded by too much metal.

Another five years passed; in a small jeweler's shop in Montreal (Bijouterie Arto), I saw a similar diamond set just the way I wanted. (Small stones can be more of a puzzle than large.) This time I got it right; my ring reminds me that mistakes can be corrected. Though I could almost have purchased another ring for the price of the two resets, that stone is sentimental–so it's worth it.

Tomorrow, Part Two: Design ideas and working with a jeweler