What to do with heirloom diamonds/ red stone?

[SapphireLover]

I have these from my late grandmother (who died before I was born) that sit in a jewellery box and need something doing with.

1. Chunky antique cut diamond earrings- each diamond is about 4mm. They seem like a very old OMC-when I've taken them in to a jeweller I've been told that they from late 1800's. The blue bezels are fake sapphires that are chipped. They are set in platinum and the bezels are super thin.

2. Diamond and red stone ring in platinum. The diamonds are tiny rose cuts and there are a few missing. Its so fragile; the ring is filthy and I am too scared to clean it as I think I would lose more. I think it would be impossible to source more. My mum has always told me that the centre is a ruby, but it could quite easily be a spinel or tourmaline. Its an oval approx 6x 4mm and it seems to be cut quite shallow.

I also have about 40 1.2mm diamonds and this opal (9x6) that I haven't set that I could add into the mix. I know that they aren't the most luxe in the world, but I keep thinking about what I should do with them and wondered if you had any ideas.

My thoughts that I am torn between are

1. Getting the earrings reset with plain bezels and ditching the fake sapphire, wearing them for everyday earrings
2. Getting the earrings made with another gemstones. I wouldn't be able to afford a reset and new sapphires but could afford another more reasonably priced gem. They would still be in the spirit of what my grandmother wanted.
3. Making a 3 stone RHR with the ruby and the diamonds but think that the diamonds seem cut deep and the ruby cut shallow so not sure if overall proportions would be right.

Does anybody have any other ideas?

 

[CindyZ]

What beautiful pieces! I recently inherited a few pieces as well and still haven't figured out how to reset the stones.

I love your idea of keeping the earrings as they are and setting in another stone. If you have blue eyes maybe an aquamarine might look nice. Pearls are always beautiful with diamonds and make your eyes and teeth pop. Another idea would be to flip the earrings upside down so the diamond dangles freely and has movement to catch the light. The post could be moved to the back of whatever gem you decide to go on top.

A agree that the scale of the ruby might not make sense in the same piece as the deep diamonds. My mother has a ruby like that bezel set in a yellow gold pinky ring and I have always thought it looks so simple and chic.

Excited to see what you decide.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

My ideas (not sure how many of these are feasible / labour costs):

1) I really like the idea of keeping the diamond as studs, if you really would like dangles I'd get detachable ones, either in a semi-precious stone or pearls. I personally prefer pearls for versatility, but anything will work.

2) For the ruby ring, I wouldn't combine with the old cut diamonds, I agree it doesn't really work. The rose cuts may be recyclable into a band (as close to an eternity as you can get) and you can probably put the ruby on a simple solitaire band, and then wear both rings stacked occasionally or separately as per your preference. Something very cool/interesting could be if you get coloured stone melee that pairs well with the red (blue or green or yellow melee, you'll have to see what's cost effective) and make a coloured stone halo for your ruby.

3) Part of me would suggest putting the opal into a bracelet but I think it'll take more metal/diamond than you have, so perhaps an opal pendant (or brooch! I think a brooch would be super cool!) with a small diamond (double? But I don't think you have enough diamonds for a double) halo. I think that will make the opal quite wearable and fun!

 

[LightBright]

You can restore the earrings. I have no expertise in sapphires, but please make sure the sapphires are indeed synthetic. You never know. I love the current style. If you simply do not want to wear these particular synthetic sapphires, which I think look great because I like vibrancy, you could replace with real sapphires fairly easily. The drop style is gorgeous.

I would restore the ruby ring. Tiny rose cuts are easily found nowadays. A good bench could restore this ring easily.

I’d halo the opal with your tiny diamonds in a ring or pendant and wear.

These are gorgeous pieces. I wouldn’t do much to change the current forms, they are unique and lovely, cherished, heirlooms.

 

[SapphireLover]

My ideas (not sure how many of these are feasible / labour costs):

1) I really like the idea of keeping the diamond as studs, if you really would like dangles I'd get detachable ones, either in a semi-precious stone or pearls. I personally prefer pearls for versatility, but anything will work.

2) For the ruby ring, I wouldn't combine with the old cut diamonds, I agree it doesn't really work. The rose cuts may be recyclable into a band (as close to an eternity as you can get) and you can probably put the ruby on a simple solitaire band, and then wear both rings stacked occasionally or separately as per your preference. Something very cool/interesting could be if you get coloured stone melee that pairs well with the red (blue or green or yellow melee, you'll have to see what's cost effective) and make a coloured stone halo for your ruby.

3) Part of me would suggest putting the opal into a bracelet but I think it'll take more metal/diamond than you have, so perhaps an opal pendant (or brooch! I think a brooch would be super cool!) with a small diamond (double? But I don't think you have enough diamonds for a double) halo. I think that will make the opal quite wearable and fun!

Thank you @CindyZ and @AllAboardTheBlingTrain.

I think that the three stone ring wont work, you are right.

I actually have this 0.8ct (pre PS) pendant that I don't wear that much as I prefer bigger things around my neck. I am thinking of resetting it and have thought about pairing with the opal and doing something like this with it from @CloudofDisaster . I am torn between doing something with that or a flower pendant with the diamond and the melle (a bit like the VCA flower)

 

[SapphireLover]

You can restore the earrings. I have no expertise in sapphires, but please make sure the sapphires are indeed synthetic. You never know. I love the current style. If you simply do not want to wear these particular synthetic sapphires, which I think look great because I like vibrancy, you could replace with real sapphires fairly easily. The drop style is gorgeous.

I would restore the ruby ring. Tiny rose cuts are easily found nowadays. A good bench could restore this ring easily.

I’d halo the opal with your tiny diamonds in a ring or pendant and wear.

These are gorgeous pieces. I wouldn’t do much to change the current forms, they are unique and lovely, cherished, heirlooms.

Thanks, they are definitely glass, I discussed them with a jeweller who tested hardness.

 

[Bron357]

I agree with keeping the diamonds as earrings rather than making a 3 stone ring with the ruby, but what would you get more wear out of / enjoy more?
Shame about the old ring but keep in mind that having an eternity style ring made to fit those wee diamonds will be expensive. It’s the time / labour that will blow the cost out.
A simple bezel set or prong for the ruby as a ring or pendant will be most cost effective, especially if you can use a stock setting. Same for the opal.
Have a look at Ivy & Rose, they have a range of antique style ring serrings at good prices.
Creating a halo for either the ruby or opal with the wee diamonds is again going to rack up the $$$.

 

[SapphireLover]

I agree with keeping the diamonds as earrings rather than making a 3 stone ring with the ruby, but what would you get more wear out of / enjoy more?
Shame about the old ring but keep in mind that having an eternity style ring made to fit those wee diamonds will be expensive. It’s the time / labour that will blow the cost out.
A simple bezel set or prong for the ruby as a ring or pendant will be most cost effective, especially if you can use a stock setting. Same for the opal.
Have a look at Ivy & Rose, they have a range of antique style ring serrings at good prices.
Creating a halo for either the ruby or opal with the wee diamonds is again going to rack up the $$$.

Thank you. I’d definitely get more wear out of studs rather than remaking them as drops. I think they need to be bezels rather than 4 prongs as that’s what they were when my grandma had them.

The diamonds in the ruby ring aren’t worth saving at all, they are literally diamond chips. I would only save the ruby.

I was looking at Ivy and Rose before. The ruby is about 6x4 and when I’ve looked their stock settings at 7x 5 or bigger

 

[Polyhex]

Beautiful jewelry! I love your ideas and that you have these beautiful pieces to work with.

For the ruby ring, it is definitely possible to source replacement rose cuts if you decide to have the ring repaired and strengthened. Jewelry benches that specialize in antique restoration have spares from antiques, and more are being cut today -- my profile ring has new rose cuts in it. Whatever you decide will be the right choice that honors these pieces, I just wanted to let you know that restoration is possible if you decided you want that.

 

[PreRaphaelite]

Forgive me for being a sentimentalist, but...

An easy solution to the earrings is merely to have the blue drops removed (resold, even, if you have them attached to shepherd hooks?) and to wear the diamonds as classic studs once repolished. They’re lovely.

However, the ruby ring is GORGEOUS as it is, and would be such a shame to alter it. Would you perhaps consider selling the ring and using the proceeds to buy a ring you like better?

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I too am rather found of that ruby ring
i can't help but think about the kind of lady who had the confidence and personality to wear it
I think it would also make a cool pendent

 

[SapphireLover]

Thank you so much for the replies.

Thanks @Polyhex I think I would struggle to find a bench in England that would be able to repair the ring and the cost would be prohibitive. Similarly I dont think it would be worth much if I sold it because of that. To let go of a sentimental piece seems silly. I wouldn't have a clue how much to price it as despite my mum telling me its a ruby, I don't have confirmation that it is. My gut says to keep the ruby and reset it into something.

@PreRaphaelite the bezels are quite thin and damaged and I think they would need remaking. The blue stones are so chipped- one has the whole table literally sliced off I think they wouldn't be usable.

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

I agree with the sentiment that the ruby ring is very nice. I'd think it should be easy to source replacement stones. They are everywhere in antique jewelry and I've seen current designs using them as well. Often from India.

I'd just take off the blue stones , wear the diamonds and if you find you'd really want drops, you can have detachable ones made very easily, like @AllAboardTheBlingTrain said

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

I have the pavé drop and pearls for my hooks. The system is easy and secure. The hook is slightly indented in the middle and so the ring clicks into place