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?

It's not hideous or dated. It's actually all really lovely, but a case of me having enough of my own jewellery that it never gets worn.

Art deco jewellery is very saleable, and it would be a shame to break it up.
My mum was burgled the other year, and some inherited jewellery (which she'd always believed wasn't at all valuable, and had never worn) was stolen. She was delighted when the insurance paid out several thousand pounds!
Definitely think about selling it, but before you do, have a photoshoot where you get glammed up and wear it! It could be great fun, and you'll always have the pictures then.
Try to use the money for something you wouldn't otherwise get, rather than on day to day expenditure, or maybe take the whole family on holiday and make memories?

Thanks to everyone who weighed in. It's interesting to find out how many people have similar situations.

@Londonmummy66 Thank you. That sounds like good advice.

@NormaSnorks You need to investigate age and possible makers. A box of rings with specs of diamonds or cheap battery watches is worth next to nothing. You need to make an effort to work out stones and quality. Also be aware that unless it’s really good quality, it’s probably not worth much. I’d try eBay or pre owned jewellery sites to gauge selling value and then sell via eBay to undercut or go to an auction. Hallmarks and quality of stones as well as design makes a lot of difference to value.

@certainlycertain I have a very good and extensive collection of antique and some very good modern jewellery. Why can you not wear it? I alter what I wear fairly frequently. It’s fun. Ring the changes.

I have had an old diamond ring made into diamond stud earrings, my sister had really ugly old family jewellery made into a fabulous eternity ring. If there is a decent amount of gold in the items then having them remade into something that uses less gold can be surprisingly inexpensive.

Or just sell them and give the kids the money.

I wear different earrings, rings and necklaces every day, and brooches depending on what I'm wearing. The only jewellery I don't change are 2 silver bracelets and do add other bracelets.

I am married but I don't like wedding rings or engagement rings and don't own them. Third finger of left hand is available for any ring.

I have a gold Victorian band engraved with flowers which is probably a wedding ring but I don't wear it as such.

If you won't wear it and no one else wants it, I would sell it and spend on a day out or put towards a holiday for the family, memories you all can keep forever.

If it wasn’t something I’d wear, I’d have them (assuming gold) melted down & have the diamonds reset into something I would wear. That way you retain the sentimental value but repurpose it.
Alternatively I’d sell it and buy something nice instead.

I wouldn’t have jewellery from well known makers remodelled personally. I understand the anti mined diamonds thing… but they were mined a long time ago and it’s less environmentally friends to wear a lab diamond that is newly made then an real, natural diamond that was mined a long time ago(in my opinion of course)

I inherited jewellery and some of it is spectacular. Very old. Very beautiful and probably not something I can wear, because it’s too expensive and very ‘glamourous’ although I’m not sure that’s the right word.

However, I cannot bear to part with something so impressive. I know I could never afford it again. Today’s jewellery is nowhere near as artistically made. So I choose to keep it and am happy in the knowledge that I own something so beautiful.

I shall pass it on one day to my own son, and he can do what he wants with it.

my sister and I inherited a lot from our aunties, none of it was my style so I sold it to a local, reputable jeweller. It raised enough for us both to do something nice with it. My sister has my mums wedding, engagement and eternity ring that we could remodel. Otherwise it’ll never get worn again.

How did the insurance company know the jewellery was worth thousands of pounds?

If DC and partners only object to the diamonds why not have them removed and have something they do like made from the gold?

Let them design something they would / will wear.

With this stuff, the stones are pretty much the point - there's not all that much metal. As pp's have said, breaking up an art deco or a branded piece doesn't make sense, and the others have very plain settings.

@OhDear111 I think I'm very boring that way. I have quite a bit of my own jewellery and unless we're going to something very formal, I almost never wear anything other than a couple bracelets, some small huggies, my wedding and engagement rings and a fitness tracker. Everything's so casual since Covid, I feel overdressed when I wear anything else.

Take a photo of it for remembrance, sell to someone who deals in estate jewellery, buy something I will wear or put the money towards something I really need or an extra payment on the mortgage.

That's a lovely setting. Practical too with the flat setting of the stones.

DD's were left some gold chains by my mum. Very old fashioned, but worth several hundred for the gold. They both bought something they liked better, and wear regularly, and invested the rest.

We just went to our local independent jewellers. We have one that buys and sells vintage jewellery. We got two quotes, but settled on the slightly lower, because he also had nicer things for sake, and gave us a discount on the new pieces.

It's a problem that keeps me awake at night, what to do with the family diamonds. I'd probably sell them and spend the money on something frivolous like my mortgage.

I'm sorry if you're struggling or if this seems insensitive.

I've certainly been very fortunate in some ways in my life, but I too have things that keep me awake at night - having witnessed the death of a sibling in a car accident as a young child, one of my DCs having been critically ill, and in the early years of starting out, paying the rent and then the mortgage. In other words, we all have our shit.

The thread is clearly titled and is in S&B, so a place people tend to come for frivolity, and many posters have participated with lovely ideas that seem relatively inexpensive.

The value something has to someone else has no relation to its value to you. If it brings you joy, keep it. If it really doesn't and no one else wants it then sell it.

The only really important thing is to not break up decent art deco jewellery. It would be an act of vandalism. With respect, a diamond art deco bracelet will have a venue beyond gold bracelets that aren’t very old. If any pieces are made from platinum and are well made, they have value if they set with diamonds. Valuation by a jeweller costs money but I would browse through antique jewellery shops on lime line to find similar pieces and retail value. If your pieces are the real deal op, you might be happy selling. Me? I’d be keeping and wearing!

I had a similar situation. I sold it and used the money to buy something I do wear, with my great grandmother's name engraved in it.

I’d not sell something the class of art deco (assuming it is) and buy poorly made high street jewellery. Most art deco pieces are wearable unless very grand. Settings were light and design much more pleasing than many Victorian pieces. Edwardian pieces tended to lead the way but I love art deco. I have a couple of very good diamond rings from that era and I do wear them. But I change my jewellery around!

It has no value if you don’t like or want it.
I inherited some gold jewellery that I didn’t want or like, neither did dds, and I’m not especially sentimental so I sold it.
I bought myself some new gold jewellery with the money and had enough to take the family out for a fancy dinner after.
I’m not a fan of hanging on to stuff that doesn’t serve a purpose though!