Advice about reworking vintage/antique pieces

[Dreamer_D]

My birthday is coming up and I am eyeing a couple of pieces of vintage jewellery for the occasion. Both are serpent rings in 9k gold made in the UK and both have garnets set into them. If I got one of these rings I would like to replace the garnets with nicer gems at some point in the future. Is this a bad idea? How hard/easy is it to find someone who can work on 9k gold in North America? Am I better of trying to find a ring with a nicer gems or a ring with a higher carat gold?

One of my challenges is that I have a larger ring size so my choices are more limited as I don't want to resize a ring substantially. But maybe I am limiting myself too much? How much can a ring like this (you know, the ubiquitous snake rings) be sized? Is it hard to resize 9k gold and match the color?

Many thanks for any advice from anyone who has worked on vintage pieces! This would be my first foray into these lands.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

9 K is popular here in NZ, i dont think its an issue matching the colour when they resize ?
do they not sell 9/10 k at your mall jewellers in the US ?

i have pudgy fingers and i too have looked at serpent rings and wondered if they can be resized without mucking up the snake shape

i think changing the eyes is a good idea if that is what you desire

 

[YadaYadaYada]

I am a larger ring size too so I think it makes sense to get as close to the right size as you need. Would you consider reaching out to David Klass to see if he can work on 9k? I haven’t had to find anyone locally to work on less than 10k but finding a competent jeweler has been a serious struggle. He could also replace the garnets with nicer ones too all in one shot. Replacing the stones isn’t a “bad” idea as unless keeping the piece as original as possible is important. If resale is not a consideration then I don’t think it matters.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I am a larger ring size too so I think it makes sense to get as close to the right size as you need. Would you consider reaching out to David Klass to see if he can work on 9k? I haven’t had to find anyone locally to work on less than 10k but finding a competent jeweler has been a serious struggle. He could also replace the garnets with nicer ones too all in one shot. Replacing the stones isn’t a “bad” idea as unless keeping the piece as original as possible is important. If resale is not a consideration then I don’t think it matters.

This is very good advice thank you. The pieces I’m considering are not antique, just vintage (from the 1960s snake revival period lol) so I don’t think there is any value in keeping them whole. Especially since the garnets are ugly!

 

[lulu_ma]

@Dreamer_D I know you were looking for vintage but this 14kt one is promising. And they can make it in any size fit size!

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[Bron357]

A good jeweller has no trouble working with any metal, except sterling silver because once tempered you can’t really rework it.
I am always updating, upgrading, reworking pieces - especially brooches to bracelets and watches to bracelets.
It’s the labour cost that is high and you might have to ask yourself “is it worth spending $150 to reset a $20 gem”? For special family pieces often cost is not important but you might want to think twice before spending $$$ resizing a lower value ring and changing a gem over.

 

[Dreamer_D]

A good jeweller has no trouble working with any metal, except sterling silver because once tempered you can’t really rework it.
I am always updating, upgrading, reworking pieces - especially brooches to bracelets and watches to bracelets.
It’s the labour cost that is high and you might have to ask yourself “is it worth spending $150 to reset a $20 gem”? For special family pieces often cost is not important but you might want to think twice before spending $$$ resizing a lower value ring and changing a gem over.

Thank you! I was thinking of setting a nicer gem, not another garnet, so I think the math would make sense. But then it might be better to find a higher quality metal. I agree just wearing “as is” could be best.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

@Dreamer_D I know you were looking for vintage but this 14kt one is promising. And they can make it in any size fit size!

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he's a great price

 

[RRfromR]

In my experience, it's very hard to find experienced jewelers who want to work on antiques and most charge so much for the work. It's more profitable for them to make new pieces or sell the ones that are already pre-made.

 

[RRfromR]

A good jeweller has no trouble working with any metal, except sterling silver because once tempered you can’t really rework it.
I am always updating, upgrading, reworking pieces - especially brooches to bracelets and watches to bracelets.
It’s the labour cost that is high and you might have to ask yourself “is it worth spending $150 to reset a $20 gem”? For special family pieces often cost is not important but you might want to think twice before spending $$$ resizing a lower value ring and changing a gem over.

@Bron357 are you comfortable sharing your area of the country? I'm in mid Atlantic and having a tough time finding a jeweler willing to work with antiques, even for basic sizing.

 

[Mreader]

This is very good advice thank you. The pieces I’m considering are not antique, just vintage (from the 1960s snake revival period lol) so I don’t think there is any value in keeping them whole. Especially since the garnets are ugly!

Are the garnets the eyes? If so I wouldn’t bother lol but that’s just me

 

[Dreamer_D]

Are the garnets the eyes? If so I wouldn’t bother lol but that’s just me

No bigger gems set in the head. I wouldn’t bother with eyes either! The one I’m obsessed with has a 5mm ugly round garnet set in its head and it looks pretty straightforward to replace it. But I’m thinking it’s more cost effective to find pieces already in a state I find acceptable.