Reusing precious metal isn’t quite so straightforward as many would believe – you may think all your various carat gold just gets melted together, but it’s far more complicated than that.
In fact, melting together old gold (of various carats and from different manufacturers) can create a whole lot of problems, including discolourations in the metal, pitting, and cracking.
This is because all gold has some form of an alloy or various alloys mixed into it, and without expensive metal analysis, it is hard to determine what those actual alloys are.
Reasons For Remodelling
There are normally 2 main reasons to remodel:
1) Your jewellery holds sentimental value eg: inherited from a loved one.
2) Or for ethical reasons eg: reuse, recycle , repurpose!
If you are considering remodelling as a big cost-saving option it may save you very little, due to how involved the whole process is.
The Process
First, your old gold will need to be refined to bring it back to a material I can work with. This is quite a long, expensive process that involves the jewellery being assessed under magnification, weighed, cleaned and any gemstones removed then sent to a refinery. During this process, all the impurities and any other alloys will be removed from the metal. It is then returned to me as granules.
Most of the old gold I view is VERY lightweight in comparison to my work (my rings can weigh up to 10 times more than a commercially made mass-produced ring). So more often than not I must add a considerable amount of new gold into the mix.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does remodelling cost?
The minimum fee for a gold remodel is around $3000. However, if you wanted to credit the old gold towards a remodel in silver, expect to pay from $990. The amount of work in a remodel can often be 5 times longer than a piece started from scratch. Whilst every job is completely different I find most gold remodels sit in the $2900.00-$5,700 bracket (when crafting in a 9ct gold).
Are you able to use my old gems?
Your gems will need to be of a decent quality to reuse. Often their size and quality determine how they can be set into a new piece. Debra will outline options and risks before commencing with you.
I am often asked if I can say take a large gem and cut it into smaller stones, I am not a cutter so this is not possible.
Please note working with your gems is entirely at your own risk (you will be asked to sign a contract before work commences).
Can you remodel Sterling Silver jewellery?
No, it is not possible.
When I remodel am I able to choose a different Gold colour from my old Jewellery?
Most definitely.
I can mix different alloys with your refined gold granules before casting your new ring.
Ready To Get Started?
So you’re interested in starting your remodelling journey. Here’s a few things you can do to get started:
• Please send a photo of your old jewellery
• Send a photo of any of my designs you like the look of as a reference for creating your new piece.
• Provide your finger size and what colour gold you prefer* ( and yes, I can change your gold to other colours).
Please do not send me photo’s of other jewellers work – I do not copy other jewellers.
From this I should be able to give you a “ballpark” figure, however, sketches and a final quote cannot be ascertained until I have the old jewellery/gems in my possession.
Once we have agreed upon a design ( do note my sketches or design plans will be very basic ).
I will also send a remodelling contract through and ask you to sign and return it to me before any work commences.
Usually, I am happy to take your old gold as a deposit towards the new work, however, if we need to purchase extra gems I may ask for a small deposit. Due to the high demand for my remodelling work please allow at least 6 weeks for completion.
if you decide to leave your old jewellery with me and not get a remodel done it is your responsibility to arrange its return .
If you have not arranged to pick up your old jewellery within 6 months I will dispose of it.
Please be aware you will also be charged a $300.00 fee for my time should you choose not to go ahead.
Gidday everyone!
Our shop is in port and is now closed. The shopping cart function on our website is currently switched off whilst we coordinate our big move across the ditch to Aussie.
This also means we may not be able to fulfil any new custom orders until the new year.
We do however carry a large selection of work in stock ready to ship , so please still send us any enquires as we would love to hear from you! Dismiss
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Remodelling - How it works 
