Many of us will fall into a bittersweet scenario of inheriting personable jewellery from a passed loved one. Whilst this can be a very emotional time, you might be thinking about what it is you should be doing with these items. This decision should be made by you and also other family members who are also involved with the inheritance, but if you are not sure you might consider the following tips:
Clean It
First of all, you should consider having your family heirloom pieces professionally cleaned. These items might be priceless antiques, therefore using some cheap polish to try to get some shine back into the item most likely won’t do it justice. Seek help from a friend or professional who has worked with cleaning valuable jewellery pieces and knows what will keep it safe.
Keep The Piece To Yourself
Secondly, you might consider keeping the item to yourself. This is a family heirloom after all that has been with the family for several years, potentially centuries beforehand. You should keep the ring if you wish to keep the memories of your loved one close by, and also to avoid selling it to another person who might not appreciate the item the same way you will. If you will not wear the item yourself, you might consider asking your children or partner if they would like to wear it and keep it safe for them.
Ask An Antique Expert
If you are looking to have a better understanding of the background of the ring, it would be wise to speak with a jewellery expert as to what era they think the ring is from. Perhaps you are dealing with an antique Edwardian ring that has been in your family for centuries, or maybe the ring was just a luxurious gift from the Hatton Garden engagement ring collection. Either way, it would be a good idea to get a better idea as to what era the ring was made.
Have A Jewellery Appraisal
If you are looking to make some profit from your inherited vintage jewellery, it would be a good idea to get an appraisal for your items. This would give a good idea as to what profits could be made when it comes to selling, and also whether it would even be worth selling. It should be kept in mind that the value of jewellery items is constantly fluctuating , therefore what it might’ve been sold for two years ago might not be the same today
Make Adjustments
If you are wanting to keep the jewellery item but the style is not something you would typically wear, you might consider having the ute made into something else. For example, if you have a vintage engagement ring that is too feminine for you, you might add the ring onto a chain and wear it as a necklace. Also, you can have pieces of jewellery moulded into ornaments for the home. There are endless possibilities as to what you can change your items into, but make sure that you are making the right decision before you jump into any irreversible choices.
Final Thoughts
Overall, inherited jewellery is a beautiful thing to have possession of. There is so much history and life left in most items, so you should take a lot of time to consider what you are willing to do with your inherited jewellery items.