Boutique jewelers are finding an increased appetite for custom pieces that rework family heirlooms and old gemstones. Upcycling inherited items – or even gifts that just didn’t hit the mark – is another way to live sustainably and luxuriously. But where to go to get the expert design and craftsmanship that this requires? We’ve rounded up 11 of the best luxury jewelers online and at retail specializing in custom, bespoke and repurposing family heirloom jewelry, who know how to make new on trend pieces that preserve stories and memories.
How Luxury Jewelry Repurposing can make Family Heirlooms Fresh and On Trend
Perhaps its tied to the onset of spring cleaning. But all of a sudden we’ve been reading and hearing a lot about how upcycling, repairing and renovating family heirlooms like jewelry is A Thing.
Best luxury jewelers online and at retail specializing in custom, bespoke and family heirloom jewelry, who know how to make new on trend pieces from them
what’s behind the rise of luxury jewelry repurposing for family heirloom jewels?
Which makes perfect sense, given four big macro trends in the world of luxury. First, sustainability, and living luxuriously while trying to minimize the damage the Mother Earth has lots of people looking for ways to join the circular fashion economy.
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Reusing, recycling (or upcycling), and donating are all more and more the luxury norm. By 2025, sustainability concerns are expected to influence about 30 percent of fine jewelry sales, according to a report from the Business of Fashion and McKinsey & Co.
post-pandemic de-cluttering
Second, the post-pandemic, finally-free-from-quarantine desire to get rid of all the useless “stuff” in our closets and in our homes and either make it special again or let it go.
best online and retail luxury jewelers specializing in custom, bespoke and repurposing family heirloom jewelry, who make new on trend pieces.
fine jewelry sales are soaring
Third, jewelry is a hot category right now. The Business of Fashion reports that Holiday 2021 sales for fine jewelry grew 32 percent from 2020. Revenue from fine jewelry brands Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Buccellati rose 67 percent during the first fiscal half of 2021. And in total, jewelry sales are up 26 percent from 2019 (aka The Before Times), according to Mastercard SpendingPulse.
Finally, more and more Millennials and Gen-X’ers are inheriting jewelry and other items from their parents and grandparents. The gems may be choice, but often the styles or settings are impractical or outdated.
best online and retail luxury jewelers specializing in custom, bespoke and repurposing family heirloom jewelry, who make new on trend pieces.
Enter the luxury jewelers who specialize in reclaiming valuable and yet somehow unwanted heirloom jewelry. While the economics of repurposing family heirloom jewelry aren’t workable for the large luxury brands, for small and independent boutique jewelers, repurposing old jewelry is a lucrative niche.
Sorellina rings. Courtesy Photo.
As you peruse the Instagram accounts and websites of these smaller artisanal brands, you’ll be reminded of another macro trend that luxury brands are tapping into: the desire for connection – with our past, our families, and society in general. What better way than wearing heirloom jewelry to maintain a tangible connection with one’s family tree?
Best luxury jewelers online and at retail specializing in custom, bespoke and family heirloom jewelry, who know how to make new on trend pieces from them.
11 luxury jewelers specializing in repurposing, upcycling and bespoke family heirloom jewelry
If you’re intrigued by this trending practice, here are almost a dozen experts in repurposing luxury jewelry.
1. Spur Jewelry.
The New Yorker recently ran a profile on Spur, a jewelry renovation business founded by Sophie Fader and Simone Paasche in 2018. The New York-based company focuses exclusively on redesigning heirloom jewelry.
The pandemic drove their business online, and now their Instagram account is a treasure trove of before-and-after photos sure to inspire. Their aim is to be “a concierge service for transforming the jewelry you never wear into new pieces you’ll enjoy every day.”
Built for a virtual world, the designers at Spur can do phone and videoconference consultations to understand what clients have and what they would love to see in terms of an update. Their website also has “customizers” so you can play with some of the common pieces that accommodate heirloom stones.
2. Jessica McCormack – London.
Based in an elegant townhouse on Carlos Place in Mayfair, London jewelry designer Jessica McCormack is a wizard at repurposing heirloom (or unwanted) jewels into new pieces that wearers will love. She coined the phrase “party jackets” to describe how she can craft a new look for an heirloom gem.
“The idea behind the Party Jacket is to breathe new life into old, unworn rings by creating a new design to surround the existing one. The Jacket alters the look but preserves the fabric and essence of the original piece.”
For instance, her “New York Party Jacket” takes a diamond solitaire into a stunning new cocktail ring.
Jessica grew up in New Zealand surrounded by art, antiquities and curious objects collected by her father, an auctioneer. Inspired by influences as wide-ranging as antique Maori carvings and Japanese fairy tales, she designs pieces with female empowerment in mind, with an emphasis on championing young, British, craftspeople.
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3. Brent Neale – New York.
Brent Neale Winston, based in New York City, designs an extensive offering of contemporary fine jewelry under her eponymous brand name Brent Neale.
However, she also specializes in creating custom pieces and repurposing luxury jewelry. The FIT graduate is expert at upcycling existing stones into new settings and arrangements that match her design aesthetic.
4. Single Stone – Los Angeles.
Town & Country lists LA-based Corina Madilian of Single Stone as one of the go-to jewelry designers for upcycling family heirlooms. They work primarily with antique diamonds – often inherited engagement and wedding rings.
They strive to use recycled metals and also have a thriving business creating bespoke and fine jewelry from vintage stones that they source themselves.
5. Renna – New York.
Among her early professional experiences, New York-based jeweler Renna Taher counts working as a specialist in Sotheby’s jewelry department. Her eponymous line, Renna, first gained notice in 2018 when fashion editors began to embrace her designs. Now the brand focuses on sustainability as a core value, using 100% recycled gold and ethically-sourced stones.
In an interview, Taher notes that when it comes to heirloom jewelry renovation, she gets the most requests to redesign engagement rings. “Women wear their engagement rings every day, and after 10, 20 years, it simply becomes time for a refresh.”
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6. Jemma Wynne.
Another fine jeweler offering services in upcycling heirloom jewels is the brand Jemma Wynne. Their role as “full-service jewelry concierge” includes both creating bespoke pieces with jewels they’ve sourced and repurposing the stones that clients bring with them.
7. Sorellina – New York.
Sisters Kim and Nicole Carosella founded their jewelry design house with the mission of crafting “bold, statement pieces made for the urban, modern day woman.”
In addition to their fine jewelry collections and bespoke service, Sorellina also offers customization for existing heirloom pieces. Among the popular styles are using heirloom stones as the center of new amulets, lockets, and even signet rings.
8. Mociun – Brooklyn.
Among the many services offered by Caitlin Mociun and her team in Williamsburg, Brooklyn is resetting heirloom stones – or pieces like an existing engagement ring – into a new solitaire or cluster style, giving it a modern Mociun design.
Founder Mociun, a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design, says “My team and I take great care to make sure that each custom piece is not only beautiful, but also meaningful. This goes beyond selecting stones and settings — this is about telling your story.” Her website and retail store are not just about jewelry – they also offer a sophisticated edit of home decor items.
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9. Barrio Neal – Philadelphia and New York.
Bario Neal began as a collaboration between designers Anna Bario and Page Neal. In 2008, the two launched Bario Neal as a design-forward, women-owned and feminist company. Each piece in their collections is designed in-house and handcrafted with reclaimed precious metals, Fairmined gold, and ethically sourced stones.
Each piece in their collections is designed in-house and handcrafted with reclaimed precious metals, Fairmined gold, and ethically sourced stones.
10. Retrouvaí – Los Angeles.
Designed by Kirsty Stone, Retrouvaí fine jewelry is handmade in Los Angeles. The name Retrouvaí is derived from the French proverb ‘Retrovailles.’ The brand’s website translates that as “defined as the joy of reconnecting with something from one’s past.”
Stone is passionate about jewelry that is passed down through the generations. She envisions pieces “picking up lifetimes of stories along the way.” The brand can work with clients to repurpose heirloom jewels into new pieces that fit today’s lifestyles and trends while preserving the connection with the heritage of the stones and the memories they carry.
11. Sharon Khazzam.
We end our roundup of the best luxury online and retail jewelers specializing in custom, bespoke and family heirloom jewelry upcycling, repurposing and sustainability with one of our favorites. Sharon Khazzam.
We toured Khazzam’s magical atelier soon after we launched, and if we do ever come into possession of an important gem in need of a new life, she’s going to be our first stop.
luxury jewelers specializing in repurposing, upcycling and bespoke family heirloom jewelry
That’s our take on the best luxury online and retail jewelers specializing in custom, bespoke and family heirloom jewelry upcycling, repurposing and sustainability. Perhaps one of them can transform a neglected jewelry box treasure for you.
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For access to insider ideas and information on the world of luxury, sign up for our Dandelion Chandelier Newsletter here. And see luxury in a new light.
This article contains affiliate links to products independently selected by our editors. As an Amazon Associate, Dandelion Chandelier receives a commission for qualifying purchases made through these links.
Pamela Thomas-Graham is the Founder & CEO of Dandelion Chandelier. A Detroit native, she has 3 Harvard degrees and has written 3 mystery novels published by Simon & Schuster. After serving as a senior corporate executive, CEO of CNBC and partner at McKinsey, she now serves on the boards of several tech companies. She loves fashion, Paris, New York, books, contemporary art, running, skiing, coffee, Corgis and violets.
