Ivy leaf brooch - to repurpose or not to repurpose

[cloud_less]

I've had this platinum Edwardian/art nouveau brooch for a while but found myself not reaching for it often. I love the old-cut studded ivy leaves so much, but the outer navette-shaped frame seems a bit restrictive and goes against the naturalist theme.

Normally I prefer to keep all my vintage/antique pieces intact, but maybe this calls for something different. A few ideas I have in mind:
1. The obvious: keep it as is, looking for ideas/inspo for styling navette-shaped brooches!
2. Still a brooch: remove the outer frame but keep the pin structure, seems doable base on the structure
3. Take out individual leaves and repurpose them as a ring/components of a ring
a. three leaves surrounding a center stone (a ruby, maybe?)
b. a between the finger ring (inspo pics: @ oldcutclubmember's ring made from Victorian components; ivy rings by Boucheron, part of the reason I love the ivy motif in the first place..)
c. a between the finger ring with a ruby stone

 

[cloud_less]

more pics:
Apparently floral-themed brooch is my jam...

 

[seaurchin]

Ooh, pretty! Another idea is to attach a chain to both ends and see if it works as a necklace. That would also leave the original brooch as-is.

 

[Grymera]

Love that brooch! I'd personally reset as a singular ring with two swooping leaves. The in between the fingers ring sounds nice but likely isn't super practical for wearing.

 

[kgizo]

I see what you mean. The leaves are very intricate and beautiful, and the outline doesn’t seem to match. I really like the idea of a bypass ring with two of the leaves.

 

[RRfromR]

I'd do earrings with the two smallest leaves, but I love earrings. My jeweler has these.

 

[RMOO]

Ooooh, yes, earrings like @RRfromR mentioned, and a ring with the largest leaf!

 

[luckygreen317]

Ooh, pretty! Another idea is to attach a chain to both ends and see if it works as a necklace. That would also leave the original brooch as-is.

You have an amazing piece and would personally exhaust other options before pulling it apart.
I immediately thought of @Neptune and her amazing bracelet, which I believe is a brooch conversion:





Jewels by Grace had this bracelet on her site and I thought this was genius:



I completed a brooch conversion project, but my piece was only 1 1/2” wide and very delicate. The design was so delicate it was lost against my skin, so I had it refinished in blackened rhodium. I had a chain attached to it to wear horizontal.

 

[cloud_less]

Love that brooch! I'd personally reset as a singular ring with two swooping leaves. The in between the fingers ring sounds nice but likely isn't super practical for wearing.

make sense! now I think about it bypass ring is more practical than between the finger, and I imagine how easily the between-the-finger ring would snag on something

 

[cloud_less]

I see what you mean. The leaves are very intricate and beautiful, and the outline doesn’t seem to match. I really like the idea of a bypass ring with two of the leaves.

I'd do earrings with the two smallest leaves, but I love earrings. My jeweler has these.

Ooooh, yes, earrings like @RRfromR mentioned, and a ring with the largest leaf!

So many lovely ideas! I don't wear earrings often but it'd make a great gift for my sis who does. The larger leaf as a ring or a pendant would be awesome too. Looks like I now have too many options for a 2+1 combo haha

 

[cloud_less]

Ooh, pretty! Another idea is to attach a chain to both ends and see if it works as a necklace. That would also leave the original brooch as-is.

You have an amazing piece and would personally exhaust other options before pulling it apart.

I can definitely try it on a chain first! Or maybe a choker?

 

[cloud_less]

I immediately thought of @Neptune and her amazing bracelet, which I believe is a brooch conversion:

Jewels by Grace had this bracelet on her site and I thought this was genius:

Haven't thought about the bracelet conversion option before but It's actually the same width as my wrist. I have a small wrist compared to my hand and not gonna lie I kinda like this look!

 

[LilAlex]

more pics:

Not to digress but is this a Gary Roe creation with the briolettes? Just lovely!

 

[cloud_less]

Not to digress but is this a Gary Roe creation with the briolettes? Just lovely!

Yes! Love his work!!

 

[Sparkling Princess]

Oh goodness this is gorgeous!! It’s just calling to be a bracelet!!!

 

[Sparkling Princess]

Haven't thought about the bracelet conversion option before but It's actually the same width as my wrist. I have a small wrist compared to my hand and not gonna lie I kinda like this look!

I replied right away, and then scrolled up to read comments. YES do this!! It is perfection!!!!

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

loving the bracelet idea but i vote trying it as a brooch with out the frame just to see if you would wear it more
it is very beautiful

 

[Bron357]

I’m all for converting brooches to bracelets.
My next little project involves combining a white gold rope watch bracelet (sadly with the watch it’s too petite for my wrist) and a brooch I just scored off eBay for under $200.
I’ll add loops to each end and the hey presto a nice little bracelet. The diamond is around 40 points and actually very nice.

 

[Bron357]

And here is another I converted earlier.

 

[dk168]

Personally, I would keep the brooch as it is and wear it as a brooch as I love it.

However, if it is unloved and does not see much daylight, then yes I would repurpose, and a bangle bracelet would be my choice.

Personal preferences and all that.

DK

 

[Pomelo]

@cloud_less what a gorgeous brooch!

I agree that the outer navette frame isn’t doing the beautiful ivy leaves the justice they deserve.

Could you post a photo of the back of the brooch so we can see its construction and may be able to suggest something that doesn’t require too much work / pull it apart?

I can see both a bracelet/bangle (keeping most of it intact - can you remove the navette frame only?) and ring/earrings/pendant (breaking it up) working beautifully and think it depends on what you like to wear more!

Personally, with such lovely old cut stones in an ivy leaf, I’d prefer it to be a ring/bracelet so that I can admire it myself

 

[RMOO]

That bracelet stack would be outstanding!

 

[Lookinagain]

I like the bracelet idea. If you want to go that way, you should probably show it to whomever you would ask to do the work to make sure that they think that they could bend it the way you need. I had one brooch converted and they wanted to see the side and back of the piece to decide if bending was possible. Here's mine and what the side looked like.

 

[Catmom]

I actually love it. If it was mine, I would have some milgraining added to the outer part and then keep it as is.

 

[oldcutclubmember]

Another vote for it as a bracelet/bangle! I think it’s the perfect size for it and looks so good even just resting against your wrist like that.

 

[cloud_less]

Thank you everyone for the love for this little brooch!

Lots of new ideas from all the replies! I haven't really thought about it as a bracelet before but that's a very tempting idea. Maybe adding milgraining could also help the look.

For reference this is the back side of the brooch. Looks like the pin can be safely removed!