Indian Jewellery has always been a centre of many conversations for its opulent design, use of stones, women who adorn them and the grace they usher. This is what I realized when my grandmother gave me her age-old pearl necklace. Though I didn’t like it I accepted it as a token of her memory. I cannot help but fall in love with the gloss of pearls that is intact even till date. Along with the pearl, mala came pearl gold stud earrings too. Both of them were just old fashioned but were very well preserved. 

I took it to a retail Jeweller to understand if I could redesign it anyway to suit the current trend. Here are a few insights that I gained from the Jeweller.

Redesigning in few simple steps

Firstly redesigning old Jewellery is not simple, however very much possible given you to visit a trusted Jeweller. We should do our bit of research to understand the different designs we could transform our existing Jewellery. A simple transformation with no major changes is something we should readily go with. In my case, I decided to transform the pearl mala to a three-layer pearl choker with an oversized ruby at the centre to complete it. The pearl studs were one of those gold earring designs for daily use so I decided to keep them as it is.

Secondly, I went to check on the strength of the rope that is used to bind the pearl choker. Unlike the regular silk thread, ask your Jeweller for a strengthier option- it can be a gold thread to bind or a combination as they suggest. Let them completely decide on this. 

It is good to choose a design by yourself or if there is a Jewellery designer you can approach seek their opinion as they will have an eye for detail and a wider design perspective to offer. So don’t miss on reaching out to one.

Thirdly, look into the weight aspect- additional today gold rate in India that may pool in for the new design or melting costs etc. Ask the Jeweller well in advance on the detailed break up of costs to prepare yourself with the right budget.

Here is what to do with excess gold/stones

Disassembly of my original pearl mala left me with a few excess pearls after the choker was made, I ensured to make a bracelet with some random abstract charms in them beautifying them further. In case you have extra gold on EMI in hand ensure to add some more to it and complement them with a ring or earrings to make it a complete set.

Experience matters

It is strongly recommended to take along with your family and friends while redesigning old Jewellery and select only a reputed, credible Jeweller for this task. Do not hesitate to ponder them with questions as the legacy Jewellery is very dear to you so is the new design that comes out. It is wise to accompany with elders who have experience in these matters and who can as well explain every minute detail to Jeweller.

As I end here, I only hope you redesign your legacy pieces into vibrant modern bling that will last generations.