AIBU to feel sad my son's inherited ring will be redesigned?

[Cathrube]

My son inherited my mum’s engagement ring as the eldest grandson, which felt really special at the time, it’s quite a sentimental piece in our family.
He’s now planning to propose (which is lovely!), but he doesn’t want to use the ring as it is. His girlfriend prefers yellow gold and wants a peach sapphire as the centre stone, so he’s planning to redesign it and use some of the diamonds in a new ring instead.
I completely understand wanting something that suits her style, and I don’t expect her to wear something she doesn’t love. But I can’t help feeling a bit sad at the thought of the original ring being taken apart, especially given its history.
Part of me thinks it might be nicer if he offered the ring intact to his brother or cousins, and then created something new separately. But I also realise it was given to him, so maybe it’s his choice what he does with it.
Am I being unreasonable to feel like this, or is it fair to want the ring to stay whole?

I actually think offering to buy it off him is a great idea. That way you’ll get the ring and they’ll get money to buy a ring she actually likes. Because really at the end of the day, if she really liked the ring, she’d wear it and having it messed about just signals to me it’s not her cup of tea.

@NeedspaceforlegoNot necessarily for jewellery. Yes, halo rings are now preferred with a central stone and this has been made since Georgian times so not much change. The issue of fashion is around setting and what suits the mood of the moment. There are some pretty dire modern ish rings around that really are nothing special and won’t be coveted in decades to come. A classic diamond set in platinum from the 30s is always going to be lovely. Some rings really won’t come back into fashion. They simply are not special enough.

Ok it might not come back into fashion. But its clearly sentimental to Op.
She should consider trying to do a deal with him to preserve it at least during her lifetime.

If no DGD come along or the fashion doesn't come back then her kids can do what they like with it when shes gone

OP you said everyone was given jewellery, could you swap something for this ring if keeping it as it is is so important to you?

But then what are you going to do with it? Wear it yourself or stick it in a drawer and wait for a possible female grandchild to pass it on to (who might get it redesigned anyway as no guarantee she will like it either).

@Needspaceforlego Given it’s probably not the greatest piece in the world, get it valued, keep it and hand over the value to DS. It just denies DS of having those diamonds.

It isn’t the OP’s ring to get valued and keep, whilst handing over the value. OP can ask DS to have the ring he owns valued, and - if he agrees to that - offer him the value, which he may (or may not) be happy to accept.

@SheilaFentiman Yes! I get that. Op can say how she feels and propose an alternative. DS might or might not agree! No need for shouty bold!

Its a bit odd to leave an engagement ring to a grandson! Personally, I wouldn't want to wear my husband's granny's ring. Why don't you offer to buy it off him and then his fiancée can get the ring she wants. I think that's fair. I don't think k you can demand he keeps it as is.