The tears say it all.
The minute Kathy Kendra laid eyes on the piece of jewelry created from her late mother's anniversary ring, the crying began.
"It was a very emotional experience," says Kendra, of Shaler. "I cried when I saw it because it was so beautiful. I was apprehensive about trusting someone with the original ring, because my mother cherished that ring. She didn't wear a lot of jewelry, but this was her prized piece."
Now, the ring sits on Kendra's finger, reminding her of the woman who gave her life.
Being able to take a family heirloom and give it an updated look, while preserving its past, is a process fine jewelers do every day.
Robert Hallett, owner of Robert Hallett-Goldsmith in Oakmont, Pa., created Kendra's new ring. She says she knew the minute she spoke with Hallett that she was in the right place. He listened to her and created exactly what she wanted.
Tears such as Kendra's are the biggest compliment a jeweler can receive, Hallett says.
"We take an outdated piece and make it fresh again, all the while preserving the memories and, often, the sentimental value," he says.
Hallett thought of everything, including using the original gold as the lining of the ring. When Kendra wears the ring, the gold that sits against her skin is the same gold her mother felt when she wore the ring.
Re-creating jewelry has been done for a long time, says Amanda Gizzi, spokeswoman for Jewelry Information Center, but it is being done more often. "With the economy the way it is, there is value in an existing piece, so reworking it is a good idea," Gizzi says. "There are lots of boomers passing jewelry down to their children and grandchildren. But the piece may not be what the younger generation will wear, so they turn it into something else. And, jewelry is 90 percent sentimental, so it is worth keeping in the family for generations to come." A simple redesign can begin at $200 to $300, but a complete transformation can range from $1,800 to $2,000, although the sky's the limit once a client begins adding more jewels and precious metals and a more complex design. Nadine Weber of McCandless, Pa., took the diamond from the engagement ring her late husband gave her, and a diamond from a dear friend's ring she inherited, and purchased a third stone from Grafner Brothers Jewelers in Pine, Pa., to create a special piece. She, like Kendra, couldn't hide her emotions. "It is gorgeous," Weber says. "The minute I saw it, I was in tears. I couldn't even talk, I was so taken by the beauty of this ring. They did exactly what I wanted. ... There are many memories preserved in this ring. You can't put a price on the value of that."
Nancy Tucker of O'Hara had a diamond ring in an old-fashioned setting from her late grandmother. The piece sat in a safe-deposit box until she decided she should be enjoying it. When she had the ring re-created at Grafner's, she used the original diamond and added a sapphire. "What's old becomes new again," Tucker says. "I hope to pass this on to future generations, and that they will get to enjoy something so wonderful." Re-creating jewelry is rising in popularity, says Richard Lloyd, co-owner of Grafner's. "There has been an increase in this trend, but it is something we have always done," he says. Architecture of Design Hallett compares the early stages of a redesign to an architect's showing a house and asking if a potential buyer likes the setup of the living room, where the bedrooms are located, or if there is a big enough yard. And just like in building a new house, the jewelry designer has to keep things in proportion and make sure to include everything needed to make it look beautiful to the customer, Hallett says. "Our goal is to form a relationship with our customers, so when they walk in this store, they feel welcome and the entire experience is a memorable one," says Amie Guarino Yadouga, jewelry specialist from Louis Anthony Jewelers in Upper St. Clair, Pa.
"Recycling" jewelry and being "green" is a passion at Beeghly and Co. Jewelers in Greensburg, Pa., which uses a "green" company called Hoover & Strong for materials. Beeghly is committed to being environmentally conscious, says owner Brian Beeghly. Half of all Beeghly products are made from recycled materials. "If you aren't wearing something, why just keep it in a drawer?" Beeghly says. Goldsmith Jon Anderson from Henne Jewelers in Shadyside, Pa., has 38 years' experience creating pieces. He spends a good part of his week re-creating pieces and welcomes a challenge to create something he's never done before. Often, the new piece looks totally different, says John Henne, owner of Henne, whether it be a new setting or a completely redesigned piece. But the thing that remains the same is the value of that piece to the customer. "There are endless possibilities to what we can make," Henne says. "But those things don't matter if the customer isn't satisfied." Sometimes, people are hesitant about what it's going to look like and may be a little scared about it, but it is the jeweler's job to reassure the customer, says Reza Liaghat, owner of Casa D'Oro, in Cranberry, Pa. A way to help lessen fears is by using computer-aided design and manufacturing systems, tools that allow jewelers the opportunity to create a likeness of a piece in multiple dimensions. If there is something a customer doesn't like when she sees the computer image, it can be altered easily.
Once a piece is designed, the information is fed into another computer attached to a machine that cuts a wax likeness. Even with such advancements, you still have to understand not only how to use the computer but, more importantly, the intricacies of jewelry making and design, Liaghat says. Creating the perfect piece still requires hands-on expertise. "If you can think of it, we can make it," Liaghat says. Every piece of recycled jewelry is as individual as the person wearing it, says Caesar Azzam, owner of Caesar's Designs in Shadyside, Pa. "What we do is like Botox for your diamond," Azzam says. "It is kind of like cosmetic surgery, where we pump it up and make a skinnier piece bigger or brighter. I use all metals and stones. I don't discriminate against any materials or stones. You tell me what you want, and I will make it happen."
