Recycling a piece allows one to breathe new life into it and actually enjoy wearing it. Jewellery is meant to be worn and not kept. Simone has seen an uptick in clients asking to recycle and repurpose their jewellery. For one, it’s sustainable: “It’s environmentally friendly because you’re not using new gold or gemstones. You’re using whatever’s already on the surface of the earth.”
Moreover, personal styles change as people become older. Simone explains, “Often, clients would have collected a different type of jewellery when they were younger. At a certain age, they realise they have too many of these smaller pieces and decide to consolidate them into something bigger than they can wear often. This allows them to manage their jewellery inventory more efficiently and keep up with modern trends.” Then, there’s the matter of heritage jewellery: Pieces that have been bequeathed to the individual or, like in Lilian’s case, pieces they want to pass down to the next generation. In these instances, the sentimental value attached to the jewel is considered.
Denise Lai’s late mother-in-law had bequeathed her four jade hair pins and brooches, which didn’t quite suit her personal style. But Simone was wary of breaking down these pieces, as these antique designs are very special. Simone combined the four pieces and transformed them into a single brooch that had been modernised but kept the DNA of the original pieces. “We try to maintain certain elements of the piece but also want to modernise it into something that the individual will wear,” says Simone.
As long as it’s precious, it can be recycled and repurposed, says Simone. Low-quality gemstones require delicate handling as inclusions make them more fragile. The craftsmen need to take great care when extracting and re-setting the stone, which is why it pays to work with a trusted jeweller with years of experience. In terms of metals, gold, platinum, and silver can be recycled, but Simone has not yet started working with aluminium and titanium because “there are no stable market prices to refer to”.
The process of recycling and repurposing a jewel can take a minimum of two months. In some instances, Simone is given carte blanche to exercise her full creativity; then, there are some clients like Farhana who enjoy the collaborative nature of the process. She wanted to convert a simple, heirloom pair of jade earrings into something “trendy and unexpected”. The process took a few months, but Farhana was pleased with the results, stating that it was “recycled and repurposed as visualised”. She says, “Simone is hands down one of the most artistic jewellery designers in the world for me. The question for me is always, ‘Who else but Simone!’
To read more in Part 1: https://simonejewels.com/blogs/news/bespoke-jewellery-recycling-part-1
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Writer's Bio:
Karishma Tulsidas is a seasoned content strategist with experience in the lifestyle space across print, digital, and social media platforms. She currently heads the content and communications firm Contente and previously served as the editor-in-chief of Tatler Singapore and Robb Report Singapore & Thailand. With a deep passion for jewellery, Karishma has spent the better part of the last decade writing about this topic. She has had the opportunity to handle some of the most beautiful stones in the world and is fascinated by the unique stories that coloured gemstones can tell.
