The Complete Guide to Redesigning Family Jewelry in Calgary

By Ian Davidson, Designer & Goldsmith | Davidson Jewels

Old family jewelry holds wonderful memories, but the styles might not fit your everyday life. Today, many people in Calgary are choosing to redesign their inherited rings and necklaces instead of leaving them hidden in a box.

Whether you have your grandmother’s diamond ring or a bunch of broken gold chains, this guide will show you exactly how we turn your family history into a beautiful, modern piece of jewelry you can wear every day.

1. Quick Answers: Redesigning Family Jewelry

What is family jewelry redesign?

Redesigning family jewelry means taking the precious stones and the pure gold value from old pieces to make a brand-new, custom design. This keeps the special memories alive while giving you a fresh, strong piece of jewelry.

Do you melt down my exact old gold for the new ring?

No, we do not melt your old gold directly. Old jewelry has mixed metals and old repairs that make the gold bubbly and weak if melted again. Instead, we give you a credit for its pure gold value and use fresh, strong gold for your new design.

How does the Gold Credit work?

We look at the weight and type of your old gold (like 10k or 14k) to find out how much pure gold is inside. We then use that exact dollar value as a credit to lower the cost of making your brand-new custom jewelry.

2. The Truth About Melting Old Gold

Many people think a goldsmith just melts an old ring in a hot pot and pours it into a new mold. But doing that is actually a bad idea!

Gold jewelry is almost never 100% pure gold. It is an "alloy," which means it is mixed with other metals like silver and copper to make it hard enough to wear. Over many years, a ring might get resized and repaired using different types of metal.

If we melt all those different mixed metals together, the new gold gets "fatigued" or tired. It forms tiny air bubbles (called porosity) inside the metal, making it very brittle. A weak, bubbly ring is not safe for holding a precious diamond!

To make sure your new ring is super strong, your old gold goes to a special refiner to be cleaned back to 100% pure gold. We use fresh, perfect gold for your actual ring, but we pay you for the pure gold value of the items you brought to us.

3. The 6-Step Redesign Process at Davidson Jewels

Turning a decades-old ring into a modern work of art takes careful planning and skill. Here is how we do it at our downtown Calgary studio:

Step 1: The First Meeting

You bring your old jewelry to our studio. Ian Davidson checks the stones for any tiny chips and tests the gold. We talk about your style, your ideas, and how you want the new piece to look.

Step 2: Taking the Stones Out & Getting Credit

Next, we carefully take your diamonds or sapphires out of the old metal. We weigh the leftover gold right in front of you, figure out its pure value, and give you a "Gold Credit" to help pay for the new design.

Step 3: 3D Computer Design

Using special 3D computer software—a tool Ian has been using since 1989—we draw your new ring. This helps us make sure the design is perfectly balanced and strong before we build it.

Step 4: Trying on a Prototype

Why do we use 3D printed resin replicas? We use 3D printed resin replicas so you can physically try on your custom design before it is cast in precious metal. This crucial step guarantees the scale, fit, and intricate details are absolutely perfect, ensuring your complete confidence.

Step 5: Casting and Crafting

After you say "yes" to the plastic prototype, we cast the real ring using strong, fresh gold or platinum. Ian goes to his workbench to carefully shape, file, and smooth the metal.

Step 6: Setting the Stones and Polishing

Finally, Ian uses a microscope to carefully lock your family diamonds into place so they are safe to wear every day. We polish the ring until it shines, ready for its new life.

4. What Materials Can We Reuse?

Not all old jewelry is exactly the same, but almost everything has value:

Family Diamonds

Diamonds are the hardest stones on earth, making them perfect to reuse. We can build a setting that shows off their unique shape. If an old diamond has chipped edges, we can even have it polished so it sparkles like new again.

Colorful Gemstones (Sapphires, Rubies, Emeralds)

Sapphires and rubies are tough and great for redesigns. Softer stones like emeralds or pearls need extra care. Our design skills ensure that delicate stones are placed in safe, protective settings to shield them from bumps and scratches.

Scrap Gold and Platinum

From broken chains to single earrings, any old gold has value. Bring it in! We will find its pure gold value and use that credit to make your new custom jewelry more affordable.

5. Making the Past Look Modern

Here are three popular ways our Calgary clients are making their family stones look brand new:

The Smooth Bezel: Instead of using little metal claws (prongs), we wrap the diamond in a smooth, sleek ring of gold. It looks very modern and keeps the stone safe.
The Sideways (East-West) Setting: We take a long diamond and turn it sideways. This instantly makes a vintage stone look cool and unique.
The Floating "Tension" Ring: As Calgary's official dealer for Niessing jewelry, we can engineer your diamond to look like it is floating magically between the metal bands with no prongs at all!

6. Why Trust an Expert Designer & Goldsmith?

When dealing with special family memories, you need an expert designer and goldsmith, not just a salesperson.

Ian Davidson has been making jewelry for over 35 years and has built over 3,000 custom rings. When you hand over your grandmother's ring, it stays right here in our shop. It is cared for, designed, and built by the exact same team you meet on your first day.

Ready to write the next chapter of your family’s story? [Link to Contact Page / Book a Studio Consultation with Ian]