When it comes to jewellery remodelling, you might think that the easiest option for an old ring is to simply make it into a new ring. This can be a really beautiful option, but sometimes there is also the potential to create an entirely new piece of jewellery, such as a necklace!

In this blog, I take a look at why someone might want to convert a ring to a necklace, how it can be done, and how we have successfully completed this process for one of our lovely clients. 

How do you convert a ring into a necklace?

Some of us will have an old ring that we would like to preserve but want a more modern or refreshed version that still preserves the original beauty of the piece. Whether it’s a parent’s wedding ring, a family heirloom that has been passed through the generations, or simply an old vintage ring that you found, you want to keep it in a way that retains its sentimental value, but you are also still able to use it.  

This is when you may consider jewellery remodelling to convert your ring into a new piece of jewellery. This often involves taking the metal and stones from the original piece and working with them to create something original that better suits your style.

It is perfectly possible to convert a ring into a necklace, and how this is done can be entirely up to you if you choose to have a bespoke piece made to your requirements by a jewellery designer. It’s a wonderful way to bring new life to old jewellery!

Bespoke commission: our process for converting a ring into a necklace

The brief

We recently completed a commission for a lovely client which involved converting a ring to a necklace, as well as creating a new ring.

The client had an old ring in gold with three diamonds and an emerald. She wanted to remodel it and use the stones to create some new pieces.

She wanted a rub-over setting, which is where the gemstone is securely held into place by a continuous circle of the chosen metal that surrounds the stone. It is an elegant and precise setting that is popular in modern styles and can be specified when you have a bespoke piece made.

Step 1: Decisions

Based on the brief from our client, I had a think about the best ways we could use her original ring. We decided to make a classic ring with the emerald as the centre stone and the two smaller diamonds framing it on either side.

We decided to convert the larger diamond from the ring into a necklace so that the client had a beautiful and elegant matching set of jewellery to display her precious gemstones.

Step 2: CAD

Once the decisions have been approved by the client for the jewellery remodelling, the next step is for us to create a CAD (computer-aided design). We measure the dimensions of the stones before doing this. The CAD enabled her to see the shapes of the jewellery so that she had a clear vision of what the final pieces would look like. It also helps us to calculate the amount of metal needed for the ring.

Step 3: Cast

Once the CAD was approved by our client, the next step in the remodelling process was to make the cast. Casting is a process where the mould for the jewellery is created and then the molten metal is poured into the mould to create the core designs, to which the stones can then be added. In this case, we created the cast for both the ring (with space for the three gemstones) and the necklace (with space for the larger diamond).

Step 4: The model

Following the casting, the model was created in the chosen metal (in this case 18k yellow gold) to ensure the stones would fit perfectly before making the final touches.

Step 5: The final pieces

The emerald and the diamonds were then set into the ring and the necklace to create the final pieces! Our client was absolutely thrilled with the end result. It was really lovely working on this commission and being able to help my client use her old ring to make pieces she can now wear everyday.

I hope you enjoyed reading all about the process of converting a ring to a necklace and a new ring! If you are interested in remodelling an existing ring into a necklace, or any other piece of jewellery, you can read about our bespoke service and you are welcome to get in touch with us to discuss ideas.