Precious time capsules, heirloom jewellery binds a family’s past with the present. We explore how jewellery designers are guiding custodians of these precious pieces in their meaningful journey.

The beauty of heirloom jewellery lies in the fact that these pieces are never truly owned; rather, they’re loaned to the current generation to be passed down to the next. While many of these treasures possess staggering monetary value, the precious familial connections and the rich histories they hold surpass this inherent worth.

A growing cadre of designers is dedicated to reimagining these treasured but most times outdated items into contemporary jewels that suit the current owner’s style and lifestyle, while ever so thoughtfully honouring their origins. This delicate – and at times emotional transformation – often demands not only exceptional craftsmanship but also a sense of empathy. Designers and brands such as K.S. Sze & Sons, Sarah Ho, Sabine Roemer and Cindy Chao are masters at towing this delicate line, ensuring that each creation – each re-creation – continues to tell its unique story to date, while resonating with its current owner, that is until it’s passed on to the next custodian.

For jewellery artist Sarah Ho, the journey of redesigning an heirloom begins with a conversation. With two decades of experience in fine jewellery design, she’s developed a sophisticated understanding of the craft and the emotions that are at play when working with these cherished items. Hailing from one of Hong Kong and Macau’s most distinguished families, Ho moved to London, where she built her namesake brand and opened a boutique in Mayfair. In 2020, she relocated to Monaco, launching a flagship boutique in the upscale Carré d’Or area. 

“My focus has always been on sustainability, and my design philosophy is to repurpose antique and vintage jewels,” Ho explains. Her Revamp Service has earned her a loyal clientele eager to breathe new life into their treasured pieces. When a client approaches Ho with an heirloom, she first seeks to understand their emotional connection to the item.

“I take the time to get to know the client: their preferences, style, and lifestyle. And then I ask about the story behind the piece,” she says. It’s through these initial dialogues where the emotional weight carried by the jewellery unravels, and often it’s a symbol of important moments in a family’s history. “There are instances when clients are unsure of the origin of the stones, and this can be a particularly exciting experience, for both them and us,” she says.

The design process then becomes a collaborative endeavour, in which clients actively participate by exploring various options until they’re fully satisfied with the final concept. “Our clients are engaged throughout the production process, right up to the final reveal – the most exhilarating moment for everyone involved,” Ho explains. “Older and historic gemstone cuts are fascinating to work with, as they are less common in modern jewellery.” The cyclical nature of design, she explains, allows period styles to refresh and re-emerge, creating an exciting and vibrant landscape for innovation.

Camille Win Sze, president of K.S. Sze & Sons, one of Hong Kong’s oldest jewellers, offers another perspective on redesigning heirlooms. Deciding to redesign or reset an heirloom is a significant commitment, Sze explains, where it’s rather common for clients to inquire about bespoke work but may take years to return when they’re ready to proceed. “It requires a willingness to deconstruct something that’s currently intact,” she says. “Some clients prefer to purchase new jewellery instead of working with existing pieces that hold sentimental value.”

For award-winning London-based master goldsmith Sabine Roemer, the emotional attachment to heirloom pieces takes precedence and is an important consideration throughout the process. “Each piece reflects ourselves, loved ones, or cherished memories,” she says. Roemer, who at 15 knew that jewellery-making would be a lifelong pursuit, specialises in bespoke, one-of-a-kind creations. “Every piece and client is unique, and my approach to each project is just as distinctive,” she says. Some clients, she explains, wish to preserve the original design, while others seek to honour the previous wearer but reimagine the piece to reflect their own style. “Both perspectives carry their own beauty and meaning,” she adds.

In Roemer’s hometown of Pforzheim, where she graduated from the prestigious Pforzheim Goldsmith and Watchmaking School, the relationship between families and their trusted jeweller is a time-honoured tradition. “When a client entrusts me with an heirloom or cherished gemstone, I approach it with utmost respect. My priority is to preserve its essence while thoughtfully reimagining it for modern wear,” Roemer says. “Jewellery is meant to be worn and enjoyed, not hidden away, and adapting it to the present ensures it continues to bring joy and meaning.”

When it comes to redesigning an heirloom jewellery piece, a complete overhaul is almost always not necessary. “Sometimes, I might simply remove certain parts or decorative elements that give it a dated look to create a contemporary version of the original. I may then design a ‘jacket’ that can be worn as a beautiful new frame around the original piece,” Ho explains. This versatility allows the refreshed version to be worn with or without the jacket, enhancing its utility.

As an example, Ho cites her Fonteyn Earrings, which feature a vintage natural blister pearls and rose-cut diamond studs, enhanced with a removable diamond and white enamel gold jacket. This design allows the original piece to be worn alone for a more understated look or with the jacket for a bold statement.

Roemer shares a similar ethos. When a client approached her to create a cocktail ring from a rare pigeon-blood ruby diamond ring, she suggested designing a “guard jacket” instead. This approach allowed her to preserve its original beauty while allowing the client to wear the piece casually and elevate it for special occasions, satisfying both the desire for transformation and the need for preservation. 

Indeed, Roemer’s focus on maintaining the integrity and soul of each piece while adapting it to the client’s desires is exemplified in her work. Another example was when a client brought her an old brooch with plans to dismantle it, Roemer instead created a cocktail ring that retained the brooch as its centrepiece, which required minimal alteration. 

“After hearing the story behind this precious piece, I couldn’t bring myself to alter it. Instead, I suggested we design a guard jacket to preserve its original beauty while adding a new element with this new vision of hers,” she says. In yet another case, a client inherited a collection of gold jewellery but never wore gold. Roemer then went on to plate the pieces in rose gold, added diamonds for contemporary sparkle, and transformed them into everyday treasures she now enjoys.

Sketch and the tanzanite that would be used on this Princess necklace by
K.S. Sze & Sons. Its conceptual inspiration was to use a regal Victorian-style classic pendant and modernise it for versatility and using a heavier, more contemporary chain.

Sze & Sons has also undertaken numerous notable projects that emphasise resourceful and practical use of its materials and utility. “We’ve crafted festive brooches bejewelled with the finest rubies and diamond for a holiday sleigh brooch. We’ve often turn cufflinks into earrings; we’ll even add line after line of pearl strands to a single strand, adding tassels, detachable embellishments, such as briolette diamonds, allowing clients to use their genuine gemstones for the purpose of their projects,” Sze says. 

One particularly interesting request that came to Sze & Sons involved replicating the Kianti Crown, a historical artefact preserved in a museum and a point of pride for a multi-generational family from the UAE, using precious stones and pearls. Although the project didn’t come to fruition, the brand has a trademark design idea for this extravagant showpiece. “Almost resembling a six-layered cake and requiring thousands of diamonds, tens of thousands of pearls, craftsmanship skills, and needless to say, time, we did a way to honour the family while bringing this crown heirloom into wearable high jewellery,” Sze says.

Most of Roemer’s commissions often carry significant meaning as well. For example, she was entrusted by the Queen of Sweden to repurpose an antique brooch for a charitable auction. “Drawing inspiration from her love of orchids, I reimagined the brooch into a beautifully detailed orchid design, capturing both its delicate elegance and the personal sentiment behind it,” Roemer says. “The reworked piece not only honoured her vision but also raised significant funds for the charity. Additionally, I created a matching pair of earrings, designed in the same direction, to complete the set, further enhancing the impact and elegance of the collection.”

Taiwanese jewellery artist Cindy Chao, founder of Cindy Chao The Art Jewel, shares a particularly meaningful project that took 10 years to complete. “The 2018 Black Label Masterpiece XVIII Peony Brooch was commissioned by an important client who is now a great friend,” Chao says. “Initially, I started with a simple pair of ruby earrings, using rubies from her heirloom necklace.

During the process, she fell seriously ill, and we lost touch for a time. When she reached out after her recovery, I realised a pair of earrings didn’t feel meaningful enough to reflect her journey.” Chao then went back to the drawing board and designed a fully bloomed peony, a known symbol of health and prosperity in Asian culture. “When we finally completed the piece, she burst into tears,” Chao says. “She then asked, ‘Is this the peony my mother gave me?’” The piece went on to win the Outstanding Exhibit Award at the Masterpiece Fair in London and is now part of the V&A Museum collection.

The memories and experiences these heirloom pieces hold are what what truly make them invaluable. “Family events such as marriages, births, and graduations are often associated with these jewels,” Ho says. “They then become permanent markers, so to speak, of these joyful occasions.” Sze echoes this sentiment, noting that heirloom pieces “tell stories of love and loss.”

Roemer, on the other hand, believes that heirloom pieces are priceless because they represent more than just materials. They are, instead, “vessels of memory, emotion, and legacy.” She says: “When a client entrusts me with an heirloom, it’s not just an object, it’s a piece of their life.” This transformative process then allows for a fresh chapter in the heirloom’s journey, ensuring it remains a cherished part of the client’s life.

For those considering refurbishing heirlooms, Ho advises looking at jewellery they already own but don’t wear. “It’s purely a personal decision, and the client has to be comfortable with making the changes in the first place.” Ho says. “We don’t pressure them into making a decision but, from experience, when a client has taken the first steps on the journey, the experience will remain with them forever, creating a new cherished family heirloom for generations to come.”

Once a jade cigarette holder owned by Sze’s grandfather, it’s been split, polished and set with onyx and diamonds on white gold to make a ring which she wears often

Article:

https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk/jewellery/transforming-heirloom-jewellery-legacy-style/