How Much Does it Cost to Redesign Jewellery?

9 Jun

In recent years, we've seen a significant shift away from the fast, disposable fashion culture that dominated for decades. More and more of us are becoming conscious of our environmental impact and our personal 'footprints'. This growing awareness is steering us away from cheap, throwaway items and towards more ethical, sustainable fashion choices.

At the heart of this movement is the concept of jewellery redesign. Taking old or inherited jewellery and transforming it into something new and unique isn't just sustainable; it's arguably the most ethical approach to owning jewellery. These pieces aren't just beautiful; they're imbued with sentiment, history, and love. Redesigning them creates a bespoke jewellery experience that's rich in meaning and unmatched by any other.

But what does it cost to breathe new life into old jewellery? How much should you expect to invest in remodelling these cherished pieces?

Let's delve into the various factors that influence the cost of jewellery redesign and give you an idea of what you might expect to pay.

Understanding the Jewellery Redesign Process: What’s Involved?

Grasping the intricacies involved in jewellery redesign is key to appreciating its cost. Each piece requires a distinct approach, shaped by its unique design and character. Let's walk through the typical steps in this specialist service, crafted by skilled hands with years of experience.

1. Unsetting Your Gems: The journey begins with our expert goldsmiths delicately removing diamonds and gemstones from their original settings – a meticulous and time-consuming task. The more stones involved, the more intricate the process.

2. Cleaning and Calibration: Once freed, each gem is cleaned and measured precisely. It's at this stage we often find that older gemstones vary in size and shape, unlike their modern counterparts. This might lead to slight adjustments in your design.

3. The Art of Casting: We employ professional casting techniques tailored to your design. This could involve single or multiple casts, especially if your piece features a mix of precious metals. Each element is cast separately to ensure perfection.

4. Hallmarking – A Legal Must: In compliance with UK law, your piece is sent to the Sheffield Assay Office for hallmarking. Here, it’s rigorously tested and stamped, guaranteeing its metal purity.

5. Setting and Polishing – The Finishing Touches: Next, each gemstone and diamond is meticulously hand-set into your new Legacy jewellery piece. This precision work is followed by a professional polish, ensuring your jewellery sparkles brilliantly.

6. Quality Assurance: Finally, your piece undergoes extensive quality checks. We ensure that each Legacy creation meets our high standards, guaranteeing its beauty and durability.

Understanding these steps highlights the craftsmanship and attention to detail in each Legacy redesign. It's an art that transforms your treasured pieces into something new yet deeply meaningful.

Factors Influencing the Cost of Jewellery Redesign:

Size and Scale:
- The size of your design directly impacts the cost. Larger pieces or creating multiple Legacy items demand more materials and labour. Additionally, the number of gemstones or diamonds in both your original and new design influences the price, as setting and unsetting these can be extensive work.
Materials Investment:
- Adding extra precious metals or gemstones to your redesign affects the final cost significantly. Incorporating high-value materials like gold, platinum, diamonds, or emeralds will increase the overall expense.
Precious Metal Choices:
- Combining different precious metals in your new design can raise the price. Note that using your own gold isn't always cost-effective, as melting and refining can be more labour-intensive than using new recycled gold.
Design Complexity:
- The intricacy of your design plays a crucial role. Complex redesigns requiring more time, skill, and materials will be more expensive compared to simpler adjustments like resizing or resetting.
Market Fluctuations:
- The cost of materials is subject to market conditions. For instance, a rise in gold prices can lead to an increased cost for gold-involved redesigns.

Legacy Jewellery Design, showing before, during and after.

7. Jewellers' Expertise:

The skill and reputation of your jeweller are significant cost factors. Renowned or highly skilled jewellery designers and goldsmiths usually charge higher fees. This reflects their exceptional craftsmanship, extensive experience, and the quality assurance they provide.

8. Condition of Existing Jewellery:

The initial state of your jewellery impacts the redesign cost. If the piece is damaged or the gemstones are worn, it may need extra repair or repolishing before the redesign can start. This additional work can increase the overall cost.

9. Additional Services:

Extra services like engraving, gemstone grading, or creating advanced 3D renderings or wax models for your redesign will add to the total cost.

Understanding these factors will help you gauge the investment required for your bespoke jewellery redesign with Legacy Jewellery.

Understanding The Cost Of Your Legacy Creation:

At Legacy, we pride ourselves on crafting unique, bespoke pieces that our clients often describe as life-changing and priceless. But to give you an idea of the investment involved:

Legacy Rings: The journey to create your one-of-a-kind Legacy ring begins at around £2,000 for simpler designs. For larger, more intricate and impressive designs, the cost can rise to £4,000 or more.
Legacy Pendants: If you're looking to create a Legacy pendant, prices start at approximately £750.

Each Legacy piece is meticulously crafted to the highest quality standards, designed to be treasured and worn across generations.

A Glimpse into Our Portfolio: Below, you'll find examples of the stunning pieces we've crafted, along with their approximate costs, showcasing our commitment to excellence and bespoke design.