Understanding How to Upgrade Your Engagement Ring, Wedding Band or Heirloom Ring
Rings are built to last forever, but sometimes taste, budgets, and people change over time. Upgrading or modernizing rings is a very common request from our Richmond Hill and Toronto area customers.
There are many reasons why someone may want to upgrade their heirloom ring, wedding band or engagement ring. It can be a case of wanting to have a different setting designed for your stones or perhaps you would like to completely redesign the ring. Many of our customers want to upgrade the quality of their existing diamond and/or add more stones. You may find that your ring needs to be resized? Regardless of the reason, upgrading your ring can be an exciting and affordable process.
Upgrading the diamond in your engagement and wedding ring will often mean redesigning the ring’s setting. A bigger stone will usually require a redesigned ring setting to make the ring work structurally and aesthetically. It’s important to protect your diamond by ensuring it’s properly secured to the ring at all times. An experienced jewellery designer will work with you to upgrade your ring setting to design a setting that will protect your stone and showcase its beauty.
Recently, one of our regular customers came to our Richmond Hill, ON jewellery store to expand her ring. This was the second time JJ came to us to have her wedding and engagement ring modernized.
“Ed and his team at Odyssey Jewellers are exceptional artists and craft-people. They took my simple engagement and wedding rings, bought many years ago, and upgraded them for a milestone anniversary a few years ago,” explained JJ. “They transformed it into a single ring, and added a skirt of diamonds around the original centrepiece diamond, as well as baguettes to the band- reusing several of the original stones, but updating the look and feel.”
JJ’S Ring Before Upgrading Her Engagement Ring
JJ’s Upgraded Engagement Ring
“This year for Christmas, we decided to expand my ring again, as I loved the vision and reality, that Ed and his team created previously. They have outdone themselves, this time, and fashioned a masterpiece, which is definitely a statement ring,” said JJ. “It has two ‘skirts’ around the centrepiece diamond, as well as small diamonds on either side of the baguettes that are in the band. With only a brief chat, Ed was able to translate some loose ideas into a very impressive reality. I couldn’t be happier and I’d like to thank Ed and his colleagues for their artistry and dedication to craftsmanship and customer service.”
The band of your ring is another common element that may need upgraded over time. Some of our customers find their ring’s current material does not have the durability to suit their current lifestyle, or they simply want a different look. Personal taste can change over the years. Maybe you have a yellow gold ring and now prefer the appearance of white gold. Our team of experienced custom ring designers will work with you to determine if your ring’s current setting will work with your new wedding band. In many cases, we find that you can keep your old setting and simply have it mounted on the ring’s upgraded band material. Over time you may find that your lifestyle requires your engagement ring or wedding band to be made of a more durable material. This need has caused many of our customers to upgrade their ring from gold to platinum. A ring band made of platinum may cost more upfront but will wear at a much slower pace than gold and increase the jewellery piece’s overall value.
A well-designed ring is built in a way that all elements of the design work together to create a stunning and elegant look. Modernizing the diamond in your ring can be an exciting, but it can be delicate process. You’ll want to ensure that your new diamond fits into the overall design of your ring. Getting a bigger diamond is a common ring upgrade at our Richmond Hill jewellery factory. Without the right guidance, a bigger stone may compromise the overall look and feel of your ring due to the new stone’s natural colour and clarity not complementing the rest of the ring. There are endless diamond options on the market, and we’ll be your partner to find the right stone for you and your ring.
Many of our customers have enjoyed the results they’ve seen after modernizing their ring with a better cut. This is a great way to improve the look of your ring and increase value. A higher-quality cut will instantly improve the appearance of your ring by providing better proportions that offer more light resulting in greater shine and sparkle.
Another common upgrade people make to their rings is to add more stones, usually added to the side of the band. You’ll want to ensure the new stones match your current ring design and enhance your centre stone. When a ring is upgraded with the wrong stones it can appear off in appearance and not balanced.
When upgrading your ring you may be left with leftover pieces. These materials such as small stones may not be needed in your modernized ring’s new design, but still, they can carry value and personal meaning. Some of these ring materials can be used for future repairs or can be sold for reuse. We’ve seen some of our customers use their ring’s old stones to create a unique and beautiful pendant out of them.
There’s a lot to consider when you’re thinking of upgrading your heirloom, engagement or wedding ring and our team of experts will walk you through the entire process. We’ll work with you to design an upgraded ring that will make your existing diamond looking stunning and protect its overall value. Thinking about modernizing your heirloom ring, wedding band or engagement ring? Get started by speaking to one of our experienced Richmond Hill ring designers today.