Remodel!
Remodeling an antique ring or a stone can ensure that you come away with an engagement ring that feels entirely you. “The main thing is to let the stone lead. Antique stones aren’t uniform like modern ones—they’ve got quirks, slightly off proportions, sometimes wear—so you design around that rather than forcing it into a standard setting,” says Thomas.
“Bezel settings can be particularly effective, as they help balance stones that may be slightly irregular in shape,” says Eliza Walter of London-based Lylie. “Compass claw settings also work beautifully for cushion and elongated cushion cuts, subtly enhancing their proportions.”
Her favorite remodeling commission? The engagement ring Walter designed for model, florist, and writer Charlie Newman and her boyfriend, using a 3-carat old European-cut diamond unset from Newman’s beloved late-grandmother’s very dated engagement ring. “I sketched the design, and then we pulled the CAD from the pencil marks and created an engagement ring that is bold and modern, with a sleek bezel setting, while also being imbued with a rich sense of family history and romanticism. We then crafted her wedding ring using the smaller leftover diamonds from her grandmother’s engagement ring, to snugly hug around her engagement ring and with channel setting.”
“Clients aren’t just resetting heirloom stones in traditional mounts… the focus seems to be on chunkier bands and a heavy, bolder look overall,” adds Boston. She recently created an engagement ring using stones from the diamonds taken from her client’s great-grandmother’s antique bracelet. “I felt quite hesitant about dismantling the original piece, as it had such a strong identity of its own. But for the client, the importance was in carrying those stones forward into something his partner could wear every day,” she says.
“We designed an Art Deco-inspired ring that felt true to the period the diamonds came from, but with a more refined, modern execution. The center was framed with a hand-cut emerald channel-set halo, which gave it a beautiful pop of color, and we set additional diamonds from the bracelet along the band to tie everything together. It became a piece that still held the history of the original, but in a form that felt completely new, which is often the most meaningful outcome with heirloom stones.”
Take your time
Take your time, and keep an open mind!
“Many clients begin their search with a specific idea of what they want, only to fall in love with something entirely unexpected,” shares Platt. “Focus on how a ring makes you feel rather than checking boxes on a list of specifications. Fall in love with the ring as a whole, not just the individual characteristics of the stone.” Platt emphasizes that, while quality and grading are important, “it’s often the overall beauty, character, and presence of a ring that create a lasting connection.” All markers that come with careful, thoughtful consideration.
It’s important to work with a trusted and knowledgeable source, and spend time with them. “Whenever possible, I also encourage people to view and try on rings in person rather than relying solely on photographs,” says Platt. “Antique rings can look entirely different on the hand than they do in images, and sometimes a ring that wasn’t initially on your radar becomes the one you can’t stop thinking about. Antique rings have a way of finding their owners, and often the right piece appears when you least expect it.”
