When 'Beyond Repair' Becomes 'Beyond Beautiful'
When it comes to antique restoration, our motto here at Alx&Co. is "less is more," meaning we like to take a subtle approach when fixing a broken heirloom piece. But, sometimes, the state of the object is simply beyond repair, in which case we, fortunately, have another option: design a new one!
This client brought us a diamond and french-cut sapphire ring that had been in her family for decades - and the ring showed its love. One of the sapphires was cracked, and the ring had been worn down too thin to properly resize, plus the head had a lot of wear that was going to be tricky to replenish. In light of all the structural damage, we decided a better option would be to take the best qualities of the design of the original ring and reset the gemstones into a newly designed piece that would withstand decades more wear.
We had a new sapphire cut to replace the cracked one, and Tim got to work on developing the new design for the setting. The client opted to make some changes to the original design to improve its look, and we accented some of the original details, such as the milgrain detailing that had been worn down over years of wear.
Left: Before, our client’s original rings. Right: After, our finished redesign next to the original setting.
While we rarely show works-in-progress, I decided to share with you the Before Engraving and After Engraving detail shot so that you can see the amazing difference that hand engraving and rhodium plating make in a final ring. As you can see, the Before Engraving ring has a much bulkier look, whereas the After Engraving (final) ring is beautifully refined and finished. A touch of rhodium plating to cool off the warmed white gold, and we have a beautifully redesigned new ring.
Left: In-progress, shows the ring before engraving. Right: After, the finished redesign.
Do you have a piece of jewelry that might be beyond repair? Don't let it languish! Chances are, we can repurpose the gemstones and make you a better version to enjoy for years to come. Book a consultation, and we'll walk you through your options!
