What would you do with inherited jewellery you don't wear?

[certainlycertain]

Four pieces that have mild sentimental value but have been sitting (expensively insured) in our safe for the past decade. DCs and partners don't want it (anti-mined diamonds) and they never knew the great grandparent it was passed down from. My Mum doesn't want it - she inherited it about twenty years ago, never wore it and passed it down to me.

Would you sell it? Keep it in case a DC or partner changes their mind? Have some of it remade into something else I won't wear?

I had my mum's very 1970's wedding ring made into my wedding ring. The gold was worth £1500 so I ended up with a nice ring that I wouldn't have been able to wear.

The rest of her stuff is so old fashioned it's unwearable. I'm selling the gold then I'll use some of the money to have a particularly hideous ring remade. I'm going to keep a few things that can't be remodelled or sold.

Traditionaly jewellery was coveted as it could be put in your pocket and escaped with if you were fleeing the attacking tribe from two towns over…

"Portable property," as Wemmick says in Great Expectations.

.I sold these, kept the stones and now have a custom made ring with my mums engagement diamond and some other stones. It is now worn permanently rather than being left in a box . It’s quite modern and suits my tastes

If nobody in the family wants it, definitely sell it. Somebody else can get the enjoyment and you get the chance to buy something you want, or save the money for a rain day.

Each of the small stones are the birth stones of family/close friends

I’d had it remodelled into something wearable

Hmm it sounds beautiful jewellery OP. I think it would be a shame to break up the stones from a deco bracelet or an old ring from a very good jeweller.
I would keep for granddaughters.
I understand the issue with mined diamonds, but these were mined a century or so ago. Buying new mined diamonds keeps the market for them going. Wearing a family heirloom is something else entirely, maybe your dc might feel differently when they are a bit older.

That's lovely, and a lovely thought

How is it being insured - I’ve got £££ of jewellery insured and it was £25 a year as long as it’s in our household safe and doesn’t leave the building. If i wanted all risks (so wear it) it would be hundreds of pounds to insure. Thankfully from a “what can I do with it” perspective, it is going to dh’s relatives once they actually legally accept them now probate is granted

Yes, that makes some sense.

I don't think I would break them up or remodel them, as they're more big/valuable stones than truly sentimental ones, and I don't see myself getting any real wear out of them.

It does make you think about how even valuable things are really just more things, in the end.

It's insured on our home insurance. I don't actually remember them making any distinction about it leaving the house, but I have to get it revalued every renewal, which is annoying. I should check.

@certainlycertainI would think it awful if you broke up an art deco bracelet. Vandalism really. I see them as wearable too. Decent auction house for that one I think.

The rings. Solitaires? Big shame no one wants them. If a decent cut, carat, clarity etc they sound like nice pieces. They were mined a long time ago! Maybe get them made into a pendant? Are they set in platinum? Shame no one appreciates 100 year old jewellery in your family. Art deco is sought after by people who know about jewellery and is often higher quality than modern high street jewellery. Who made the ring? A good name has added value.

Earrings. Studs or clips? What era? Probably sell via auction house. Find a decent one that knows about jewellery. Should be easy enough to find in your area.

Very interested in this as I have similar, barely worn. Curious to know what you decide @certainlycertain

OP, my suggestion would be before selling them, find somewhere to bloody wear them too - the experience will then replace the need to keep the pieces afterwards. Or make sure you use some of the money for an experience you will always treasure. Life is for living.

You don’t get much for secondhand jewellery so I’d have it reset into something I’d wear.

I definitely wouldn't break up the bracelet.

The named maker ring is Harry Winston. Yes, everything is set in platinum. The other ring is a 3c OEC and the earrings are 4 ctw OMC drops, both of those were set into modern settings at some point, the earrings are on pretty plain wires.

The DCs and partners are all pretty outdoorsy and just not into jewellery period, never mind diamonds.

I was planning on doing a Waitrose shop this weekend 😂

I would create an account on thesaleroom and set a watch for art deco diamond bracelet and after a couple of months you will have a feel for the auction houses which tend to have sales of these items on a regular basis - Elmwoods springs automatically to mind. You'll also have a feel for the sale estimates as opposed to insurance values. Then you'll be in a better position to consider whether or not to sell them. There's a reasonable market for old mined diamonds.

I made a lot of money from my mum's jewellery! I was surprised how much some items went for. There was one pair of earrings that were totally hideous - turns out they were platinum and diamond and made by a very fashionable 1960's jewellery designer. They started a bidding war (I was watching the sale online). Good quality stuff has value.

Can I asked where/how you sold them?

How you sell them @canyon2000 and did you have them valued first?

I would love to see photos I love antique jewellery.

Having said that I can't bring myself to go through and wear/deal with my late Mum's rather large collection. Even the things she had specifically said who was to have them are still stored at Dad's. It just feels harder than clothes and handbags and stuff.

I'm currently wondering how to sell some jewellery. I have a 2 carat diamond solitaire ring, but the diamond is very flawed. I also have two pairs of sapphire earrings.

I sent photos to a place online i saw, but have heard nothing back. I think i might have to go into a 2nd hand jewellery shop and see if they are willing to buy them.

I have an appointment next week to have my mum's rings remodelled. But if you're not going to wear it, sell it. DF has become remarkably unsentimental recently about the bulk of his belongings; we're amazed at what has value.

Actually I feel quite strongly about this. A friend’s MiL has recently died and among their possessions are things like the MiL’s parents’ IIRC first shoes and similar items – all in a box labelled “this must not be thrown away”. FGS. I told my friend she is perfectly entitled to chuck it all. Maybe take a picture but honestly. Who enforces this on their descendants. I hope my DC continue to think of me when I am gone but equally I don’t intend to insist upon it, and I would feel bad if I thought they were giving house room to tat I insisted they keep.

Not saying your jewels are tat @certainlycertain btw.