Refashioning or recycling jewellery is an excellent way of breathing new life into an old piece. A range of options is available to the owner, from having diamonds polished or recut, to adding new elements, to resizing, to re-sculpting the piece from scratch.
Refashioning or recycling jewellery, generally, happens in two different ways: either a client will want to use the elements of the item that they have, to design something brand new, or they would like to add elements to the item. The client is advised to arrive with the item to be redesigned or recycled, as well as an image or an idea of what they would like the finished item to look like. An experienced jewellery designer will advise the best approach, considering the weight, heat-sensitivity and delicacy of the item, whilst maintaining a high-quality standard of the finished product.
Often, adding or adjusting elements can result in the entire piece having to be remade, the reason being that in the manufacturing process, some gems cannot handle the intense heat that is required to add elements or sometimes the additions called for in the new design would affect the integrity of the quality of the piece.
A calculation will be done to work out what credit the client will accumulate for the recycling of the old jewellery. The old Gold will be sent to a refining company and new Gold is purchased to make the new design. A common misperception is that the same Gold is used for the item, which would have a negative impact on the overall quality and durability of the piece as it misses the crucial step of refinement. The client can then accept the offer and would then move into the design phase.
Once the client’s budget has been established, taking into account the credit that they have accumulated from the sale of their old jewellery, the jewellery designer can then offer suggestions on what type of metal and what kind of stones can be used. Designs can be finalised and a final quotation will be drawn up for the clients’ designs. After the client accepts the quotation, the transaction takes place. If the valuation has changed in the interim (remembering that commodities prices are linked to the stock exchange) the price on the quotation will change.
Gold Stock Investment then accepts a 50% deposit on custom made items, but in the case of jewellery recycling, the jewellery is considered the deposit. The design is then handed over to a goldsmith who is responsible for the manufacture of the uniquely designed piece. The manufacturing process can take between two to four weeks depending on the intricacy of the design. The new item of jewellery is then made ready for collection, with a valuation certificate for the replacement cost which includes the labour, the design work and the inflation.
For a consultation on the valuation or refashioning of your old jewellery, contact a specialist at Gold Stock Investment today.
