Would you reset an heirloom engagement ring as a RHR?

[ringthings]

Would you reset an heirloom engagement ring as a RHR? Or, a diamond pendent?

It sits in a drawer. Would you reset it to wear as a RHR, if you weren't going to use it as an engagement ring?
I usually prefer heirlooms kept as is, but it won't ever get worn like it is, and there's nothing special or unique about the setting.

It's in a very simple 'tiffany-style' setting. Not antique, maybe mid-century.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

If the setting was unique or characteristic in any form, I wouldn''t reset it.

If the setting is commonplace, then I would reset it (unless I knew a family member had a personal connection with it, in which case I would suggest a trade or something).

 

[Lula]

I would re-set it and sell the mid-century mounting on ebay!

 

[PumpkinPie]

Date: 3/22/2010 5:10:19 PM
Author:ringthings
Would you reset an heirloom engagement ring as a RHR? Or, a diamond pendent?


It sits in a drawer. Would you reset it to wear as a RHR, if you weren''t going to use it as an engagement ring?

I usually prefer heirlooms kept as is, but it won''t ever get worn like it is, and there''s nothing special or unique about the setting.



It''s in a very simple ''tiffany-style'' setting. Not antique, maybe mid-century.

Given what you said about the setting not being particularly special, and that it won''t be worn as is, I would definitely reset it!

 

[ringthings]

Thanks for the feedback.

It''s not a unique setting, at all, and not a cool antique band, or anything. Very plain. I''m not sure how old it is- I''ll have to ask. I''d save the current setting, just in case. But, I think it would get a lot more usage and enjoyment as a RHR or pendent. I guess I could wear it as a RHR like it is, but, I''d feel weird with an engagement ring like that. And, I like a more intricate setting than the plain style it has.

I''d never thought of resetting an heirloom ring, until a family member suggested it about a ring another family member received. I had considered adding the one I''ll receive to my future engagement ring as an additional stone, but that might look weird, and I like the idea of something new on one hand, and something old on the other hand. (Or, the something old as a pendent.) I''ll have to look at it more closely on the next visit to see the family. They''re the ones who suggested the idea of the relative resetting another ring, so I would imagine they would approve that this be reset. (I''ll of course talk to them about it.) It''s been sitting around for years unworn, and that''s no way for a diamond to be.

I''d love to design a unique pendent (or ring), maybe add some other stones around it, that reminds me of the heirloom-bestower and the family.

 

[ma re]

Maybe you could sell it as a whole and get yourself something that you''ll love. It would bring you more money than if you''d sell it without the stone and the ring would stay complete. Someone who likes it would get to wear it as it was made, and you could even get yourself a pre-made new piece, so there wouldn''t be a lot of fuss about finding the right stone. Just a thought.

 

[chrono]

Since the setting is a generic 4 prong “Tiffany” style setting, I’d reset it into something that I know I’ll wear more often, be it a pendant or a ring. If a ring, I’d go with a second hand antique setting to keep with the period of the diamond cutting.

 

[junebug17]

I agree with Chrono, if it''s a plain setting and you don''t like it, I''d set it in a vintage/antique setting so you can wear and enjoy the diamond. No sense letting a perfectly good diamond go to waste!

 

[btrflygrl23]

Why not? You can enjoy it and it gets to come out and play with a new life so to speak

 

[reader]

Reset it, but keep the mount. Who knows, the next generation may just adore a plain mount and not the fancier one you have chosen.

 

[CasaBlanca]

Reader's got a good idea.

If it is a heirloom...as in sentimental...I would want to incorporate ALL of it in a new piece.

Melt the metal down and have it "reborn" into something to carry on. After all, there is no life worth living in a drawer...but let that puppy go for another spin...and someday someone else is going to be asking the same question!

at that time it will be a "Century after Mid Century piece!"

PS. it would be really cool if what ever you design would allow a teeny engraving to remind you what it once was...perhaps initials/date or something to correspond with the original piece?

 

[Sizzle]

Date: 3/22/2010 5:10:19 PM
Author:ringthings
Would you reset an heirloom engagement ring as a RHR? Or, a diamond pendent?

It sits in a drawer. Would you reset it to wear as a RHR, if you weren''t going to use it as an engagement ring?
I usually prefer heirlooms kept as is, but it won''t ever get worn like it is, and there''s nothing special or unique about the setting.

It''s in a very simple ''tiffany-style'' setting. Not antique, maybe mid-century.

I imagine someday my ring will be the heirloom and I would want my daughter to wear the diamond in some form or another, whether it''s a pendant or a RHR or her e-ring. I think you should set it into whatever would be worn the most.

 

[ringthings]

Thanks for the comments, everyone. It looks like most people voted yes.

What about you "NOs" out there- why wouldn''t you reset it?
I want to try to think of why I might regret it later, or what disadvantages there might be.

I will likely try to read up on settings and spend a good amount of time deciding on what I really want.
I''d really like to custom design a RHR ring, or maybe a pendent. I''m not sure where to get it done, or what kind of design I''d like, or what kind of budget I''m looking at, so it might be a ways down the road (later in the year, maybe). I''ll be sure to keep the original ring, just in case I''d like it reset. I do like the idea of using the existing mounting/setting and re-doing it into something else, but I will probably hold off on that until I''m entirely sure I''d never want it as it is again. I''m going to try to find designs I would like that would allow the diamond to be removed and reset into something else reasonably easily, too.

I''m tempted to do a pendent, since I''m not sure how many rings I''ll want all the time(if I have my heirloom floral ring, then a wedding ring/set, I''m out of hands). A ring, though, I''d see more often, and I really do like rings (you''d never guess by my screen name). I''m thinking that I might want pink sapphires in it, with vintage filigree and maybe even something that will pair nicely with the ruby/diamond ring I already have. I thought about trying to find diamonds or stones from both sides of the family to add some more sentiment to it. But, it might be easier to design something with the engagement ring stone, then get new stones to halo it or set in some sort of floral filigree design.

It''s a lot to think over. Thanks.

 

[zhuzhu]

I think it depends on what the old setting looks like.

If it looks really obvious like a solitaire ring, with diamond sitting high, I may reset it to a lower profile for practical purposes (RHR rings tend to get hit more than the LHF). However if the setting is relatively low and in good shape, I would leave it alone because 1) resetting diamond comes with risk of damaging the stone 2)Taking the diamond out removes part of the heirloom sentiment associated with the history.

 

[swingirl]

For me it would depend on the setting and the stone. If the setting isn''t unique and doesn''t hold significant sentimental value I would reset the stone, probably in a pendant. (I wear my pendant way more than my RHR) But I wouldn''t get rid of the setting. It is an heirloom and although today it might not be stylish or antique enough, in another 50-80 years it would be. I think of myself as a keeper of family heirlooms not really the owner. They will be passed down again and again. I would love to have my grandmothers'' and great grandmothers'' rings no matter what the style was. It has to do with the fact that the rings sat on their fingers for 50 years.

Please post a photo. I am sure we are all curious what you ring looks like.