How to incorporate family heirlooms into engagement rings

Being much more than an ornament that one wears on their ring finger, there’s a lot that an engagement ring represents and conveys. For those looking to honour their past and celebrate their present with an eye towards a future filled with happiness, incorporating a family heirloom is one of the most meaningful ways to do so. That said, the engagement ring should reflect your style and at the same time not overpower the meaning and sentiment of the family heirloom since you’ve chosen to go down that route. Combining both elements is important, so here’s how to do it the right way. 

Selecting the heirloom

What you’re looking to repurpose could be a ring that your grandmother wore at her wedding, a pendant passed down through generations, or something else with a lot of sentimental value. Speak to your family members to learn the emotions behind them and how they reflect your family history in the best way possible.

Ensure no one has a problem with you using it

It might be your decision to incorporate a family heirloom into your engagement ring, but it’s necessary to have your family members involved in the process as well. You don’t want to ruffle any feathers, which is why a quick and simple discussion with them to know where they stand is important. For all you know, they could come up with an idea to make the ring stand out that you hadn’t thought of. 

Take a look at what it’s made from

Check out the metal type (if it’s gold, silver, platinum, etc.) and the gemstones used to give you an understanding of what’s to be integrated into the engagement ring and how things could be done. Also, do not forget to check the condition of the piece. Heirlooms only come out during special occasions, so check if they need polishing, repairing, etc. 

The design and style

If your family heirloom includes gemstones, take some time to think about how you will use them—keeping the original stones or incorporating new ones. You could also add an engraving, inscription, initial, or symbol that’s important to you and your partner to it. If you’re into recycling precious metals, you could also take the metal from the family heirloom and melt it down to create something new (you could also keep the original metal). Should you have different heirlooms, you could create a hybrid design or sort by combining elements from each one of them (marriage is the merging of two families after all). 

If there’s a gemstone, let it stay that way

An old stone brings with it a unique personality and charm. When choosing a new design, speak to your jeweller to ensure that what you have in mind doesn’t overpower the magnificence of the original. Going down the minimal change route will prove to be a great decision as you retain its character and glory. If your heirloom has a diamond, you could have it as the centrepiece and have smaller gems or decorating details added next to it. 

Find a trustworthy jeweller

This is inarguably the most important part of the process. Things are different compared to creating a new ring, so choose someone who has the knowledge and experience of working with heirlooms, as there’s much less risk. You could ask them to show you samples of their past work to be on the safer side. Do spend time asking about the process so that you fully understand what’s going to happen when your family heirloom is made into something new. Doing so is important as jewellery can break. Work with someone who is honest and will take care of your heirlooms. 

Lead image: Pexels

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