What would you do with these (diamond) rings?

[FlappicusSmith]

The first pic (single stone) is my engagment ring, which I haven't worn for about 12 years (still happily married!) and it seems silly to have it sitting around unworn. I think it's about 1 c., platinum. As I don't really wear a lot of jewellery I feel self-conscious wearing it now (it feels too ostentatious/ blingy) and it's not really my taste anymore (I've had it nearly 25 years)

The second is my grandmother's engagement ring, which I actually much prefer on my finger. However, while the diamonds are 'good' (according to my mum) the setting is/was white gold plate, which has long since worn off so it's now black/ tarnished. Again, it feels silly having it just sitting around unworn.

I was wondering about having the whole lot reset as an eternity ring version of this, or similar, using the diamonds and the platinum from my engagement ring? Although the stones are a mix of square and round... Or maybe replating my grandmother's ring and wearing that and then doing something different with my engagement ring (but I'm not sure what - I don't think I'd ever wear a diamond solitaire necklace for e.g.). I guess I could keep the stone from my engagement ring for my DD in the future (she's still a child)?

Any ideas? What would you do??

I love your beautiful solitaire engagement ring, looks great on your finger. I'd keep it, but maybe I'm blingy. I'd definitely have your grandmothers ring refurbished, Jewellery work can be quite expensive, so a whole new mingled setting may be quite pricey.

Thanks @leli - yes, my engagement ring is lovely. But I just don't wear it. I've worn it maybe 5 times in the past 12 years and I don't think I'm going to start wearing it again after all this time!

It catches on things, for starters, as the setting is quite high, and it just doesn't feel very 'me' anymore. Maybe I just need to get over myself though!

I should add that I like my engagement ring a lot more from above, than from the side. Here it is - you can see it's quite high, but also the setting itself is a bit clumsy (I don't think it was a particularly good jeweller and they had to reinforce the prongs after one of them snapped and they just kind of added blobs of metal, and I wasn't confident enough at the time to go back to them)

Pity you don't like your engagement ring . I think it's lovely . I would get your grandmothers stones reset maybe in white gold as platinum would be very expensive or even the traditional trio setting in yellow gold which is becoming popular again .

I would get your engagement ring reworked into something you will wear. It’s a beautiful stone so a lower setting or a bezel setting might be more to your taste.

I realise this is a man's ring, but my engagement ring has a similar setting to this - mainly as I was concerned about catching a claw setting, so looked for sonething flatter!

https://www.austenblake.com/design/channel-setting-diamond-mens-engagement-ring-clrn0510701?stone_type=LAB&finish=VG&stone_certificate=AB&ring_size=R16_7&metal_purity=GL_9K_W&stone_shape=PRN&stone_carat=50&stone_clarity=SI1&stone_color=H&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=23052239502&utm_content=&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgvPKBhCxARIsAOlK_EpP6H4zJ3S90BVTkihBgGzhHd5TrTWivnfk5C_30Q3CgzLI56-cBRsaAkfzEALw_wcB&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23052269694&gbraid=0AAAAAC2pF2KF-SrSYrLq9i0RD3Py3pSPO&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgvPKBhCxARIsAOlK_EpP6H4zJ3S90BVTkihBgGzhHd5TrTWivnfk5C_30Q3CgzLI56-cBRsaAkfzEALw_wcB&nis=7

I actually love your grandmother's ring next to your wedding ring. So, I'd either rework your engagement ring into a smoother style, or re work your grandmother's ring into the platinum from your ring, and save the diamond until you decide there is something you want with it, or DD has a use for it.

I inherited a solitaire diamond and had it reset into a simple pendant. I wear it every day and love it.

The price of gold being what it is, I wouldn’t do anything just now. And in fact I’m not sure what exactly you could do with one large, one medium and two small stones. The obvious answer would be some sort of spiral in a single setting but for someone who doesn’t like bling… You could get the smaller ring reset as earrings if you’re prepared to buy another medium sized stone?

Truthfully, I wouldn’t do anything just now. If there’s no need, and no obvious answer calling out to you, I’d save what’s likely to be as much as the 3-stone ring is worth and just wait until the opportunity comes to you.

@InTheNotswolds I just don't think I'd wear it. I already have a few really simple pendants of high sentimental (but low £) value I wear every day that I love and I think a diamond would look weird in amongst them!

I like that one you linked @IceIceSlippyIce and I also agree witih you about my grandmother's ring. Basically I'm dithering between combinations of

1. rework both mine and my g'mother's diamonds into a new ring using my platinum
2. leave my engagement ring as is and rework my grandmother's into a new eternity ring (will need to buy new metal)
3. Rework my grandmother's engagement ring using platinum from my ring and save solitaire from my ring for a later date

For reworking just my ring I like the one you linked, and also this possibly. Although I think I'd still have the self-conscious problem of wearing it?

For reworking the whole lot together, I like this type of thing (polished, not hammered), but fear that given the size of my solitaire, the ring would be huge. And I'm not sure how it would look with a combo of square and round stones...

Yes you're probably right. I was just having a sort out and came across them both yesterday so hence started thinking how silly it was having these lovely rings sitting around unworn. Maybe I'll revisit this for our silver wedding anniversary in a few years...

I think we have similar styles and jewelry tastes!!
I love those interwoven rings too, but think your engagement diamond is too large to work into something you will feel comfortable wearing.

So I'd go with option 2 or 3 from your list.

Yes, I think you're right... Maybe I can have my G'mother's diamonds turned into the interwoven ring instead? I've just found another (!) old aquamarine ring that's set in 14k white gold, so I might be able to reuse the metal from that...

Although now I'm sitting here with my grandmother's engagment ring on with my wedding ring and I really do like it and could imagine wearing that set every day (barring the tarnished metal issue)

I think I should probably just take them all to a decent jeweller and see what they suggest!

Assuming your wedding ring is platinum, check if you can wear the 2 together without causing excessive wear to the white gold coating.

I'm currently having my mums engagement ring, her wedding ring and my grandmothers rings reworked - all the gold and the tiny diamonds from my grandmothers engagement ring are becoming a intertwined circles necklace and the stones from mums are going to be in a bracelet.
If you are anywhere near Cheltenham, Beards do design and make in house, and their designer has been amazing at working out what was possible.

I'd get your engagement ring reset as a tension setting personally btw

Speak to a jeweller who specialises in reworking to know what is possible before you decide. At least if your ring is not delicate there will be a reasonable amount of platinum. If you have any other platinum jewellery you don’t wear you could add that in. If you have any gold jewellery you don’t wear you could think about a ring stack with some in gold and some in platinum. Even with your own precious metal and stones it isn’t a cheap exercise but if you have the money and you get something you will wear then it might be worth it and you will get a piece you have had an input in designing.

I'm not @CMOTDibbler but your plans for reworking your heirloom jewellery sounds lovely. Is the process of having it reworked/ redesigned expensive?

Why not have it reset into a different setting? Take it a reputable manufacturing jeweller and ask them for help.

Do some research for local jewellery workshops. Not high street jewellers. I’ve had some items remodelled and used scrap gold to add to the designs. It’s worked out really well. I’m so pleased I took the initiative and breathed new life into vintage items that hold lovely memories.
Look for websites like this one. Go visit them.

https://melaniebowlerjewellery.com/

@FlappicusSmith no, comparable to buying not mass produced jewellery off the shelf, less the cost of stones/metal. But they make their own stuff in house anyway and do a lot of made to order so I don't know if that makes it cheaper. The process is lovely too (I did have my eternity ring designed and made by them too) - sit down with the designer, he does a load of sketches to work out what you want, does 3D CAD renders, for my ring I got to try on 3D prints of it, and where for my ring I bought stones I got to choose the sapphires from a selection. I talked with the goldsmith who will make it about the necklace to define the exact finish and met the stone setter - so its really, really personal

I LOVE the style of the ring you linked OP, I've been looking for something similar as I have a few heirlooms that I don't wear.

It's such a waste having something so beautiful just sitting in a drawer - there will be a cost to having the stones reset but if the result is a beautiful ring you'd wear everyday it would be worth every penny!

Now just need to find a friendly jeweller...

I'd sell them and start again with something you love. I think trying to rework that combination of stone sizes and metals will always leave you with a compromise.

Your engagement ring is not blingy at all, it’s only 1ct. I love the setting it’s the Tiffany Lucida which was all the rage at the time, so many people had them made. I would just have it reset as a simple solitaire personally

I think the problem with that is that you don't get much at all for 2nd hand rings and new ones cost £££££ at the moment. But I do agree that the combination of stones in terms of size and shape is tricky

No, I know it's not objectively blingy. It just feels it to me as I don't wear much jewellery and it feels a bit 'much' to wear every day given the size of it. Also the high setting makes me aware of it all the time I'm wearing it, iyswim

I had my engagement and eternity rings melted down and reworked, combining the two into one new ring by a local jeweller.