Heirloom redesign: reset an old diamond ring.

What redesigning an old diamond ring involves

A productised version of the most common commission we do, and one strand of the wider bespoke jewellery we make to order on the Bedfordview bench. You bring an existing piece, typically with a centre stone you want to keep, in a setting you no longer want to wear. We grade the stone (if it is not already on a current GIA report), discuss whether re-cutting is worth doing, design the new ring, manufacture it on the bench, and hand it over with all paperwork. If the piece does not need a full redesign, our ring resizing and repair service covers resizing, claw repair and replacing a lost stone instead.

The original metal is usually returned to you as scrap, because 9 kt or 14 kt heirloom gold cannot be reused in a new 18 kt or platinum mount, and structurally remelting decades-old gold is rarely a good idea. The metal is yours , kept, sold, or melted to a different piece, at your discretion.

The brief

What is most useful at first contact:

• Photograph(s) of the existing piece, on a hand if possible.
• The story (1-2 sentences). Whose ring was it? Why is it being remade now?
• The GIA or EGL report if there is one. (If not, that is fine; we grade it as step one.)
• What the new ring should feel like. Solitaire? Three-stone? Halo? Bezel? Reference images very welcome.
• Budget band for the redesign work, separate from the centre stone (which you already own).
• Deadline (anniversary, proposal, retirement gift).

The process

1. Wk 1

   Initial viewing or video brief

   We see the existing piece, at the Bedfordview viewing room, or by insured courier and video. We agree the brief in writing.

2. Wk 1-3

   De-mount & grade

   The centre stone is taken out of the existing mount in your presence (or under recorded handling, if remote). It goes to GIA South Africa for fresh grading. We send you the report when it returns.

3. Wk 3-4

   Re-cut conversation, if relevant

   If the original cut grade is materially below modern targets, we discuss whether re-cutting is worth the weight loss. Most heirlooms are not re-cut; the few that are gain real light return.

4. Wk 4-5

   Design & CAD

   2D sketches, then a CAD render, then a fit-check resin if the design warrants it. You sign off in writing before bench work.

5. Wk 5-9

   Bench manufacturing

   Mount made from new metal (platinum or 18 kt as briefed); centre stone set; finishing and polish.

6. Wk 9-10

   Hand-over

   Bedfordview hand-over or insured courier. Original GIA report, signed across; original metal returned in a separate envelope; manufacturing-defect guarantee lodged.

Price

Heirloom Redesign starts at R 18,000 design and bench, before metal cost. Total investment varies with the metal weight, complexity of the setting, and any additional sourced stones (e.g. matched sides for a three-stone). Typical complete commissions sit in the R 25,000, R 75,000 band, exclusive of the centre stone you are bringing.

We quote in writing after the brief, before any de-mounting or grading. There are no surprise costs added during the commission; if anything changes the scope, we discuss it and re-quote in writing first.

What is included

• GIA grading of the existing centre stone, at our cost.
• Up to two CAD revisions before bench start.
• One round of standard sizing (within ±2 sizes) on the finished ring.
• 24-month manufacturing-defect guarantee on the bench work.
• Complimentary inspection, prong-check and clean in year one; at cost thereafter.
• Original GIA report signed across with the stone at hand-over.
• Original metal returned to you in a sealed envelope.

What is not included

• The cost of new centre stones, if the design adds them (e.g. matched sides). Quoted separately.
• Engraving, hand-finishing, or precious-metal upgrades beyond the original brief.
• Insurance valuation for the new piece (we provide the documentation, you arrange the cover).
• International dispatch (national insured dispatch is included; international is quoted on the brief).

Read the worked example

For a step-by-step walk-through of a real heirloom-redesign commission, 1962 1.04 ct round brilliant, two matched 0.62 ct sides sourced from the bench, single platinum three-stone, see A grandmother’s solitaire becomes a three-stone, twenty-five years on.

Redesigning an old diamond ring, common questions