Ring that never gets worn... what would you do?

[clgwli]

I posted about a vintage ring I received when my grandmother died a while ago.  I still haven't completely refurbished this ring and I think I know why.

I don't like wearing it.

Here's the ring
http://coloreddiamon...-your-jewels/2744/0/

I don't like the way it feels on my hand at all.  The size is right (actually it's a slight be large at this point) but it is very very uncomfortable to wear.

I had mentally decided I would just replace the sides with sapphire or ruby but just whatever was found first... I'd call it fate.  I never have sent it in to be fixed up though because I don't ever see myself wearing it again.

I'm torn between keeping it for someone else to wear decades later or do I try to reset the diamond?

I loved my grandmother deeply.  Even though she was 97 when she passed away a few years ago, I still was so upset because she was very dear to me.  I would love to keep a part of her with me, but I also am not sure if I should destroy a ring from the 1920s.

So what would you do?  Be honest with me, I can take it

[Mrs Mitchell]

I would either try to make as much of the stone and setting as possible into a pendant, or leave it for someone else to enjoy. It's a lovely ring, but I know what you mean - I had a really gorgeous emerald that I just never wore. It didn't work on my hand, although it was perfect on paper.

I personally wouldn't take it apart. 

[lovecolor]

That's a hard...I personally love vintage pieces, and having the emotional attachment to your grandmother's piece would be a no brainer for me to want to keep it the way it is.   If you're thinking about resetting it so you can better utilize the gift... making it a pendent would work best as Mrs. M mentioned, so you can retain most of the setting and keep it still looking like your grandmother's ring but not have the discomfort of the ring on your hand.  It is a very pretty piece!           

[clgwli]

I do love vintage pieces too and prefer to keep them as a whole.  Though I did buy one and took it apart (then resold the mounting later) to make my current pendant.  I'm not sure I would have a want for two round diamond pendants.  I feel almost guilty for doing that now but I love the stone and I do get lots of compliments on the pendant.

This diamond is measuring at about 11 points (or at least the diameter of modern 11 point diamonds) so not large at all.

I really do like the setting a lot to look at, but it sits very high off the finger and the underneath part is obviously hollow.  Something about that actually digs into my finger and feels not very comfortable. 

I have put a bit of money into the ring too to rebuild the shank and fix some filigree work.  Some of the milgrain etching needs to be redone too though.  My grandmother did wear it a lot and it was her aunt's engagement ring from 1925. 

Is there a way to rebuld rings like this to make them comfortable to wear?

[Mrs Mitchell]

Maybe have it sized up, then soldered onto a wide band? Even in a contrasting metal- rose gold? I have a picture in my head, but I can't describe it very well.

[Debangel]

Ooh, I like the idea of soldering it onto a contrasting and more comfortable band.  Something old and something new, and all that.  ((I've mentioning my little pawn shop treasure of a promise ring, where someone had very carefully inserted a new yellow gold bezel and a lively modern brilliant into what had undoubtedly been an empty and worn-out white gold Art Deco filigree ring. It's beautiful.))  You might think of it in terms of a beloved old piece of art that needs a new, updated frame in order that you can put it on a wall in your new home so it can be admired and enjoyed often.

I'll bet anything the DBL factory could come up with a very tasteful solution. =)

[Mrs Mitchell]

Actually, now I think about it, doesn't Ah2bqat have a ring made like that? I think it was her mother's ring. Let me see if I can find a photo....

[clgwli]

You guys are good!

It is already about a half size too big, but I would love to add rose gold to it.  Hmmm.....

I wonder if it would be wise to bring it with me to NYC and see what might be done with it in person.  I mean just have people look at it.  If they can't do something that's fine, but I wonder if something could be done.

Some of the filigree work still needs repair, but wonder if we could avoid that by making the band more comfortable.  I think on this ring because it is a dome but the metal is thin it just "digs in" no matter how big it is on me.  Adding more and flat surface would help.

If I did rose gold, I'd definitely go for rubies on the side instead of sapphire, which is fine since ruby was her birthstone.

Debangle did you share photos of that ring?  I'll look soon but if not please do post when you can!

[Mrs Mitchell]

I cannot for the life of me find Bloocat's pictures. Maybe she'll see this and direct us to the thread... It's a gorgeous ring.

I'm pretty sure this could be done, but do take it with you and have David look at it - it would be awesome mounted on rose gold!

[clgwli]

I tried searching last night too and came up empty handed.  I even tried doing a generic search to see what else has been done.  Oh well...

I don't know why that ring just sitting there was bugging me yesterday but it was.  I spent a lot of time just looking at it wondering what could be done.  This isn't the first time I've considered remounting though.  I kept it before and I have a feeling I wil do it again   Kind of just makes me sad to see it just sit...

[Mrs Mitchell]

If you mount it intact onto a band, it could be restored in the future with a new shank...

[clgwli]

You think brilliantly there Mrs M

I might wear it a little today after I put the little guy down to nap just to see what I can envision with it.

[DiamondsAreForever]

Keep it intact.  Big fan of heirloom pieces here.

[clgwli]

Okay after wearing the ring I see what the issue is.  Part of the underside is so worn away it is scraping me every time it moves.  If it is the right size it is too thin it digs in.  It needs to be way thicker there to be worn comfortably.  Considering they did reshank and repair some of the filigree I imagine it wouldn't be too difficult to do the underside? 

I think I do want rubies now though... for now. 

At least this will be added to my list of things to do (rose gold ring first) and to just continue to rebuild the ring into something I can wear again.

[GIAGirl]

I say reshank and then pass it on to someone in the family that might wear it. 

[clgwli]

GIAGirl it actually has been reshanked and that isn't the issue.  They actually did a great job on that, but the underside of the dome is what needs to be redone I think.  I hopefully will remember to take it with me to NYC this fall to have them look at it, though this fall will be too early for me to be able to fix it up.  I'd rather get it totally done up with new side stones too all at the same time.  They might have to do some filigree work as well.  The jeweler I took it too claimed they fixed all that up but they did miss some that I can easily see sot hat should be done again.  I know it isn't easy work but still...

Hopefully I will have someone some day to pass it on to... wish I had a little girl but maybe my niece if worse comes to worse

[PtyMom]

Hi Squiggly, I´m in the same exact situation with a ring that belonged to my paternal great grandmother. I don´t particularly like the ring, but I´ve decided I´m going to restore it a little (the shank needs work and the stone needs changing), but I´m more than likely not going to wear it. I´m just going to pass it on to my daughter. Even if she never wears it, she can, like me, slip it on her finger from time to time and imagine what life was like for the women that wore it before her.

My maternal grandmother left me some earrings (she asked my mom to give them to me on my wedding day) and I cherish them so much I´m afraid to wear them... i´m actually contemplating having those copied so I can wear them and still know that I can give the original pair to my daughter when she marries (per instructions!)

Oh and about not having a daughter, you never know if one day you´ll have a DIL you love dearly or eventually have a granddaughter! 
 

[GIAGirl]

This is a tough one....I don't know what to do....