Spring Cleaning: Giving New Life to Old Jewelry

Now that the weather is slowly getting warmer, it’s time for everyone to throw open the windows and air out their winter nests. There’s something about the spring air makes us want to clean out all of the unnecessary clutter that’s been accumulating during the winter months and start out fresh. But when was the last time you went through your jewelry box?

It happens to all of us sooner or later. We buy pieces that are in fashion one season, and out the next. Friends have given us necklaces and bracelets that we wore daily when we were younger. Beloved relatives have left us antique rings. Over time, this leads to your jewelry box becoming a cluttered and tangled mess of unpolished chains, solitary earrings, and rings with missing gemstones. But never fear, there’s a host of solutions when it comes to dealing with unworn jewelry.

1. Give It Away

Donate those old jewelry items to Goodwill. Some lucky bargain hunter will use them to complete the outfit of her dreams. Do you have a friend who has admired any of your old jewelry? Why not give it to them? Not only will it make you happy to see your old jewelry getting new use, but it will remind your friend of you every time they wear it. Young nieces and nephews also adore playing dress-up with old jewelry and you don’t have to worry about it being damaged.

2. Sell It

At this economic stage of our history, selling jewelry for the gold or gemstones has become increasingly common. Now more than ever, people are receiving top dollar for the raw materials that their jewelry provides. Gold and diamonds are especially doing well in the market due to their steadily rising cost. If you are looking for a little extra cash to finish a home project or put a little more gas in your tank, this is the option for you. The same can be said for vintage and antique pieces. Depending on the jewelry piece, we recommend getting an appraisal for the item before selling to ensure that you receive its total worth.

3. Re-purpose It

Some of the jewelry we hold onto has such sentimental value that we can’t bear to part with it. If this is the case, what modifications would you need to make in order for you to wear it? Sometimes, this may be as simple as resizing a ring, repairing a broken chain, or replacing a missing gemstone. Other times, it may mean that the item in question, such as a ring, wasn’t set very well the first time and it just needs a few modifications in order to look like one coherent piece.

However, it is possible to make something completely new combining your old jewelry items. You can combine the gemstones from several pieces and have them re-made into a new piece, something fresh that you’ll want to wear but will still retain the sentimental reminder of who it once belonged to. This method would also be a cheaper way to have a new customized piece as you would be providing the raw gemstone materials.

Re-purposing the metals from old jewelry can be done, but it is a more complicated process. In order to re-use the metal for a new jewelry design, the metal would have to be sent to a refinery in order to remove any impurities that might have been created as a result of creating the original jewelry piece. Creating jewelry with impure metals can lead to porosity, tiny pores in the metal that can jeopardize the structural integrity of the jewelry.

If you need help with maintenance or coming up with a new design for your old jewelry, our master jewelers will work with you to create a stunning new addition to your jewelry collection that you can be proud to wear.

Established in 1912, King Jewelers has proudly styled jewelry and timepiece aficionados from around the world. A pioneer among independent couture jewelers, King Jewelers has built an outstanding reputation steeped in quality, value and first-class customer service. King Jewelers offers bridal consultations for brides and grooms with the expert advice of its in-house bridal stylists and diamond specialists. King Jewelers offers brides and grooms a first-class experience, conveniently offering wholesale diamonds, custom designs for engagement rings and wedding bands, luxury designer bridal jewelry, watches for him, bridal party gifts, and gift registration, as well as engravings, appraisals, and expert jewelry cleaning. With two store locations in Aventura, FL and Nashville, TN, King Jewelers has won numerous awards as the Southeast’s top jewelry store and diamond wholesaler. King Jewelers is the luxury destination in Miami and Nashville for fine jewelry, diamonds, and Swiss timepieces. King Jewelers is Nashville diamonds and engagement rings wholesale store which specializes in bridal custom designs. King Jewelers is a member of the Jewelers of America, American Watch Guild, and the American Society of Appraisers. King Jewelers has GIA Certified Gemologists and offers expert jewelry and watch repairs. For additional information, please visit www.kings1912.com.