Need Help with Recyling Project Please!

[SB621]

Over the summer I received a pendant and earring set made of 18kt white gold with .54 ctw diamonds and .30 ctw rubies. They are shaped like flowers and really I will never wear them. I have been trying to sell them unsuccessful and really with the price of gold being so high I decided to keep them and do a recyleing project with them. Please tell me what you think about my projects.

First Up- here are the vendor photos for the orginal pieces. I apologize in advance- I tried to do a power point with all my pictures but the stupid thing wouldn''t post so I''m sorry for all the photos!

 

[SB621]

Matching earrings:

 

[SB621]

Now- here is what I want to do with them.

Project 1 Ring

There are 4 rubies that are small- ctw is .30 for all four, but two are the same size and the other two are different sizes. 1 Large, 2 Medium and 1 Smaller. I want to melt down the gold and make a scatter ring with the 4 rubies and I also have 4 small diamonds that I can use as well that were extra links in a tennis bracelet I have. The diamonds are all the same size. What I really need help with is how to design the ring with those 8 stones.

Since I'm melting the gold down I will use white gold for this- I'm hoping it will still look nice with the diamonds and rubies. But I do love the look of gemstones with the yellow gold.

here are some inspiration shots. Is anyone good with photoshop who could shop in my 8 stones?

 

[SB621]

Another inspiration shot:
I hope KD doesn''t mind me posting her awsome ring!

 

[SB621]

Now on to Ring Number 2 Project:

Ok I want to use the .54 diamonds and set them into rose gold and make this ring. I was thinking it could be 2.0 or 2.5mm thick so it would look danity. I''m hoping I have enough diamonds to go all the way around. If I don''t I''m thinking about doing a comfort band at the bottom. Do you think I should stick with Rose gold or do white gold? Most of my jewelry is white gold but I think rose gold would really make this pop.

Thank you to D&T who posted this ring on the SMTR forum. As soon as I saw it I fell head over heels in love!

 

[freefly]

I think the flower pendant and earrings are so pretty. I would make the earrings into a drop style though....

I also love the last ring you posted. What a pretty design. It would look amazing in rose gold!

 

[chrono]

They are so pretty it’s a shame you are taking them apart. Is there any way to modify them to make them more wearable or you just don’t like the flower design?

ETA
I expect the cost of your redesign will also be expensive due to the labour involved. You are resetting a lot of itty bitty melees.

 

[SB621]

Date: 11/5/2009 8:13:27 AM
Author: Chrono
They are so pretty it’s a shame you are taking them apart. Is there any way to modify them to make them more wearable or you just don’t like the flower design?

ETA
I expect the cost of your redesign will also be expensive due to the labour involved. You are resetting a lot of itty bitty melees.

They are beautiful but really I would never wear the flower design- at least not the earrings, I might wear the pendant. My entire thought process is if I have had them 8 months and haven''t worn them once then I should do something with it so I will wear them. As for labor cost I go through a jeweler in Hong Kong so it is MUCH cheaper then going through a US or Japanese Jeweler.

 

[decodelighted]

Though I prefer your inspriation pieces to the originals -- I doubt your proposed recycling project is going to be cost effective or practical.

The cost of the 2nd ring is all in labor. Setting tiny stones like that if VERY time-consuming and expensive. The costs of the stones themselves are negligable. It would probably be cheaper to buy new stones than to pay to have them removed from the original pieces.

Maybe other people can weigh in & discuss whether they''ve ever had success melting down & reusing gold. I''ve heard a lot of discouraging things about that also.

 

[SB621]

Date: 11/5/2009 5:13:40 PM
Author: decodelighted
Though I prefer your inspriation pieces to the originals -- I doubt your proposed recycling project is going to be cost effective or practical.

The cost of the 2nd ring is all in labor. Setting tiny stones like that if VERY time-consuming and expensive. The costs of the stones themselves are negligable. It would probably be cheaper to buy new stones than to pay to have them removed from the original pieces.

Maybe other people can weigh in & discuss whether they''ve ever had success melting down & reusing gold. I''ve heard a lot of discouraging things about that also.

Thanks decode- I think we posted at the same time. I have done several recycling projects with my jewelry out of hong kong and it was very inexpensive so I''m really not worried about it.

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 11/5/2009 5:39:57 PM
Author: Sarahbear621

Date: 11/5/2009 5:13:40 PM
Author: decodelighted
Though I prefer your inspriation pieces to the originals -- I doubt your proposed recycling project is going to be cost effective or practical.

The cost of the 2nd ring is all in labor. Setting tiny stones like that if VERY time-consuming and expensive. The costs of the stones themselves are negligable. It would probably be cheaper to buy new stones than to pay to have them removed from the original pieces.

Maybe other people can weigh in & discuss whether they''ve ever had success melting down & reusing gold. I''ve heard a lot of discouraging things about that also.

Thanks decode- I think we posted at the same time. I have done several recycling projects with my jewelry out of hong kong and it was very inexpensive so I''m really not worried about it.

Then no worries. Love both designs. The spacing of the scattered stones will depend on size of the ring & amount of gold etc -- the designer/benchman can probably advise.

 

[Indylady]

Sarah, I love your pieces! I''m on the same boat that really likes the original design, but you are the one that should really be happy with it. I also liked KD''s thinner scattered band. Could you ''trade'' your jeweler the white gold that you have for yellow gold? I think that rubies and diamonds can look great in white gold, but I think yellow gold makes rubies really stand out.

 

[SB621]

Date: 11/5/2009 6:15:01 PM
Author: szh07
Sarah, I love your pieces! I''m on the same boat that really likes the original design, but you are the one that should really be happy with it. I also liked KD''s thinner scattered band. Could you ''trade'' your jeweler the white gold that you have for yellow gold? I think that rubies and diamonds can look great in white gold, but I think yellow gold makes rubies really stand out.

I was thinking about asking them to trade it. I think they would. The thing is I really don''t have a lot of yellow gold pieces. And I don''t really care for 14 or 18k yellow gold, but i love the 22k yellow gold. I guess I will ask them what they think about that ring and what color I should do it in

hmmm I guess I need to think about this....Does anyone else thing I should go for yellow gold?

 

[Stone Hunter]

Somehow rubies just naturally ask for Yellow Gold. Maybe that''s cause I''m so used to seeing them that way. So yeah I''d ask about the YG.

I like the scattered stone ring idea it will be very cool. Have Fun!!