Heirloom Ring Redesign, Creating a Custom Engagement Ring in Calgary

An heirloom ring redesign keeps your family's diamonds and turns the setting into a new custom engagement ring. At Davidson Jewels in Calgary, master goldsmith Ian Davidson unsets the original stones, designs a new ring in CAD, prints a resin prototype you can try on, and hand-finishes the piece in 18k gold or platinum. Most redesigns take six to ten weeks and begin at CAD $2,500.

What is an heirloom ring redesign?

A redesign takes a ring you already own — often one passed down from a mother, grandmother, or aunt — and rebuilds it as something new. The stones come out. The old setting is set aside. A fresh ring is designed around the diamonds the family wanted to carry forward, in a style the wearer will actually reach for.

This is not a repair, a resize, or a re-tip. Those keep the original ring intact. A redesign keeps the meaning and the stones, but the ring itself becomes new.

Why redesign an heirloom instead of buying new?

Three reasons come up at almost every consultation I have in Calgary:

• The stones already carry a story. A diamond your grandmother wore through fifty years of marriage is not the same as a stone pulled from a case. That history is part of the ring.
• The old style no longer fits the wearer. A 1940s illusion-set solitaire or a heavy mid-century cluster rarely matches what someone wants to wear today. The diamonds can stay. The setting is what needs to change.
• It often gives you more ring for the budget. When the centre diamond is already yours, the money goes into design, metal, and craftsmanship rather than into buying a stone twice.

Can any heirloom ring be redesigned?

Almost always — but the stones decide most of it. Diamonds reset beautifully. Sapphires, rubies, and emeralds reset well with care. Soft or chipped stones, worn old-mine cuts with fragile edges, and treated stones from older jewellery need a closer look before any work is planned.

So the first thing I do is examine the original ring under magnification. I check each stone for chips, fractures, and wear, and I confirm what the ring is made of. Then we talk honestly about what is realistic. I would far rather tell you at the first appointment that a stone is too fragile to reset than discover it at the bench.

How does diamond resetting work?

Diamond resetting is the heart of most heirloom redesigns. Here is the order of work at the studio:

1. The original ring is photographed and weighed before anything is touched.
2. The stones are carefully unset, cleaned, and inspected under the loupe.
3. Each diamond is measured for size, cut, and condition so the new setting fits it exactly.
4. The original metal is handled according to your wishes and its value is accounted for in the project.
5. The new ring is built in 18k gold or platinum, and your stones are set into it by hand.

Davidson Jewels works exclusively in 18k gold and platinum. If your heirloom is a lighter alloy, that metal will not become part of the new ring — but its value can be recovered and applied against the cost of your redesign.

What does the CAD-to-resin prototype process look like?

I have used CAD at the bench since 1989. For a redesign, it lets us test every idea before any precious metal is cut. The process runs in four short stages:

• Sketch. We talk through band width, profile, head style, accent stones, and finish, and I sketch the direction together with you.
• CAD model. The sketch becomes a precise 3D model, built to the exact dimensions of your stones and your finger.
• Resin prototype. A 3D-printed resin version lets you try the ring on your own hand before you commit to anything.
• Refine. If a head sits too tall or a band feels too narrow, we change the file and reprint. No metal is cut until the prototype is right.

How long does an heirloom redesign take?

Six to ten weeks is typical, from first consultation to finished ring. The time usually breaks down like this:

• Weeks 1–2: Consultation, design direction, CAD model, and resin prototype.
• Weeks 3–4: Approval, refinements, and any extra stone sourcing.
• Weeks 5–8: Casting, hand-finishing, stone setting, and polishing.
• Weeks 9–10: Final quality check and handover.

A proposal or wedding date changes the planning. If you have a deadline, bring it to the first consultation and I will tell you honestly whether it can be met.

What does an heirloom redesign cost in Calgary?

Commissions at Davidson Jewels start at CAD $2,500. Most heirloom redesigns sit between $3,000 and $15,000, and larger heritage projects can run higher. The range is wide for a simple reason: no two redesigns are the same.

The biggest cost drivers are the metal you choose, the complexity of the setting, whether new accent diamonds are added, and how much hand-finishing the design calls for. Because the centre stone is already yours, your budget goes into the parts that shape how the ring looks and how long it will last.

Frequently asked questions

Can the gold from my grandmother's ring be used in the new one?

It depends on the alloy. Davidson Jewels works only in 18k gold and platinum, so an heirloom already in one of those can often be refined and incorporated. A lighter alloy will not go into the new ring, but its value is recovered and credited toward the project rather than lost.

My heirloom diamond is small. Can it still be the centre stone?

Yes. A smaller diamond often shines as a centre when it is framed by accent stones, set within a halo, or paired with a meaningful coloured gem. The design is built around the stone you have, not the other way around.

Do you redesign rings set with coloured stones too?

Yes. Sapphires, rubies, and emeralds turn up often in inherited rings, and each can be reset when handled with care. Every coloured stone is checked for chips, fractures, and treatments first, so the new design respects what the stone can safely take.

Will I get my original ring back, or just the new one?

Because a redesign rebuilds the ring completely, the original setting is not kept. The stones carry into the new piece, and the original ring is documented with photos and a weight before work begins so nothing about it is lost on paper.

Should I bring my partner to the consultation?

Only if you want to. Many redesigns are planned as a surprise, so consultations are private, by appointment, and Ian meets with one client at a time. If you would like to involve your partner later — at the resin try-on, for instance — that is easy to arrange.

Is Davidson Jewels a good choice for an heirloom redesign in Calgary?

Davidson Jewels has been a Calgary studio since 1988, and every ring is designed and handcrafted by Ian Davidson himself. The studio works exclusively in 18k gold and platinum, uses CAD with resin prototypes, and takes one project at a time by appointment. If that approach fits what you are looking for, it is worth a conversation.