Have you tried Jewelry Recycling? Do you have jewelry that's just taking up space in your jewelry box? Often we own jewelry that has a nice gemstone or a beautiful clasp, but we don't particulary like the piece it's in. Or perhaps it's a necklace that needs restringing or has broken pieces or is out of style. Why not redesign? Maybe it can be reworked into a piece you'd like better. You'd be amazed at the new life you can unearth from a dowdy or unwanted piece. This is a great way to save money and not be wasteful.
Through the use of a highly reputable precious metal refining company I can also help you recycle the metal from jewelry you don't like; you can use the proceeds to buy a re-made piece or new piece. I have a customer who has netted almost $3000 from the sale of some old gold and silver jewelry that she had inherited, plus some dental gold and old silver half dollars. She used the money to have her diamond from her engagement ring set in a new white gold band as well as having several custom-designed rings and bracelets made.
One of my customers inherited a box full of vintage jewelry from her Grandmother. There were earrings, broken necklaces, a small box full of about a million pearls, and other assorted treaures, including jet and ivory beads. She asked me to convert some of the screwback earrings to post-style and to reinvent some new jewelry from the assorted beads and pearls. You can see some of the results below:
Do you have odd pieces of sterling silver flatware that you don't use anymore? Why have them gathering tarnish in a drawer? They could be great pieces of jewelry in the making.
Spoon Rings! One of my customers had a number of spoons that were imprinted with the name of one of the wonderful old resorts here in Maine. She asked me to make rings out of them.
I've made several over the past few years. My customer's last note to me said, "They arrived in Boston today and my daughter is thrilled". You can see the results at right. Fun, interesting and meaningful!
"For the past couple of years Cathy has been helping me rejuvenate old family jewelry. It is a true pleasure to collaborate with a talented person who really listens to my ideas but also knows how to make suggestions based on her expertise. She has an exquisite sense of design and is adamant that the final product be perfect. She spent a long time on my comet ring so that it would be exactly what I had in my mind's eye. She is a real mind reader at times!
Aside from the "work" of recycling old gems we had such fun meeting, discussing and designing the jewelry. I feel she and I have done a very good thing for my children and grandchildren. They will now actually wear these heirlooms that would have been left in a box in the back of a drawer. Thank you, Cathy!" - E.K., Maine"
Another customer wanted a custom-designed tie tack in her Japanese family crest. She actually recycled some dental gold from old crowns. I sent them to the refinery and she used the proceeds to help pay for the tie tack. The result is at right - lovely in 14k gold.
FYI, don't let the dentist keep those crowns - they're worth a lot of money!
Japanese Family Crests (kamons) are beautiful designs that have been around for centuries and number in the thousands. Because of their elegant and refined style I've been interested in them for a number of years and have produced jewelry in various kamon designs.
Recently I made a series of earrings and pendants for a customer who wanted to share her mother's family crest with other family members.
"After my mother died, I found pictures of her family's crest in her belongings. I asked Cathy to make pendants from the crest design. We put them on strings of pearls (that Cathy restrung - beautifully) which had also been my mom's and I gave them to my daughters for graduation gifts. They have something lovely and meaningful to wear and enjoy for years to come. Cathy is great to work with - gives you options as well as her opinions. I couldn't have been more delighted with the results. I had earrings made for my sister and me and now am having more pendants made for other family members." - M.M., Freeport, ME
Not too long ago a man asked me to help him design a pendant in the shape of an infinity loop, the symbol of his love for his girlfriend. He wanted to surprise her with it by bringing her by my booth at a crafts show and have her think it was for sale and then surprise her with it. His plan was a success and there were hugs and kisses when she realized what he had done. It was so much fun for me to be a part of this moment in their lives and to make a piece of jewelry with such special meaning.
"Thank you, Cathy, for your help in designing this necklace for my girlfriend. From the moment I first contacted you with the concept of what I had in mind, your experience and love for making jewelry shone right through. Your suggestions were right on the mark and working with me on the surprise presentation at the art show really topped off the sentimental value of the piece. She assured me that she loved it - "you could tell by looking at her that she did"-, that she would treasure it forever and would never be able to top the love and effort we both put into it." - S.P.
I used the scads of pearls to create a long necklace that she could wear either long or wrapped several times and a brand-new pair of dangly pearl earrings. The long ivory necklace became a shorter one and a double-strand bracelet. Loose beads were turned into a wonderful funky chunky bracelet.
"I had many pieces of broken jewelry from overseas travel and from my Grandma's jewelry box. Cathy kindly sifted through it, offered me suggestions on how to repair or recreate them, and then made the most beauriful pieces of "new" old necklaces, earrings and bracelets for me. Thank you!" - M.L., Washington, D.C.