Make the piece you never take off.
Redesign is taking jewellery you already own and making it into something new. Your stones, your story, a form that suits you.
Most Redesigns start with the same phrase.
I want to make this into something I can wear every day. That is what redesign is here for. We take the piece that you have; a sentimental ring from grandma, a wedding set that needs updating, a memory that needs honoring. We build something from it that belongs to the person you are now.
“I take your sentimental or outdated jewellery and we make it into something new together.”
What you need to know.
Entrusting us with a piece of jewellery is not a small thing. So here is everything we would want to know if it were ours. We are open and honest with any question you may have.
We assess the material
The first thing we do is assess the strength and stability of your stones and your metal. The design conversation is created through a guided appointment, assessing your vision and the reality of the materials.
Your material becomes value
Gold can be difficult to reuse and has its limitations. Often we recommend utilising the value of the material towards a new piece. Ask us how it is possible to use your sentimental gold.
Setting carries risk
The most pressure a stone is under is during the setting and un-setting process. Every caution is taken when handling your sentimental materials. Katalyst will go through your options as we design and assess your new creation.
The phases of a redesign.
- 01
Book a consultation
In the studio or on a video call, we have a one on one consultation where we look at what you have and talk about what it could become. Bring the pieces you would like to assess.
- 02
Material Assessment
Before any design happens we check the strength and stability of your stones and metal. Some stones are easily re-set, some materials have limitations. Katalyst Jewellery is here to educate. Even offering local lapidary work, to bring new life into sentimental stones.
- 03
Drawn, then held
You see the new piece as a drawing first. When the design is right, we can create a wax model and/or 3D rendering. We also offer stone viewing options if your design requires supplemental stones.
- 04
Canadian Made
Once the wax is approved, the piece goes into production and is finished at the bench. Most redesigns run eight to ten weeks from the first conversation.
The typical timeline is eight to ten weeks: roughly four weeks of design and six weeks of making. A deposit is taken once you approve the design, and prices depend entirely on what you are making. Once the design is settled a comprehensive estimate is provided.
Not sure whether it is worth remaking?
Sometimes the honest answer is that a piece should be left alone, or what you have inherited is worth more as it is than as something new. We value transparency over selling you a redesign.
If you have a box of jewellery and no idea what is in it, an estate evaluation is the better place to start. We go through it together and tell you what is worth appraising, what is worth remaking, and what is simply material value.
Frequently asked redesign questions
- Are my stones safe?
- Yes. Reusing your stones is usually the whole point of a redesign. We unset them, check each one, and set them into the new piece. If a stone is not sound enough to reset, we tell you before any work begins rather than after. Katalyst Jewellery will exercise reasonable professional care and use methods appropriate to the gemstone and circumstances. However, the Client will be asked to formally acknowledge the inherent risk of damage associated with removing, handling, and resetting Client-owned gemstones.
- What happens to my old gold?
- Honestly, we rarely reuse the physical metal. Gold that has been worn for decades has a range of unknown factors, and it does not always behave in a new piece. Contact us for design options that will use your sentimental gold, despite its limitations.
- Could my stone break?
- It is rare, but it is possible. Setting is the most pressure a stone comes under in its life, apart from being knocked against something. We will always tell you in advance which stones we are confident about and which carry more risk. It is a risk we take together, and it is standard across the trade.
- Can a ring become something other than a ring?
- Yes. A ring can become a pendant, earrings, or two pieces for two people. Redesign is not limited to making the same kind of object again.
- What if the piece has sentimental value and I am nervous?
- It is very reasonable to be nervous. That is exactly why nothing is irreversible until you have seen a drawing, approved a rendering or model, and said yes. If at the end of the design stage it does not feel right, you have lost nothing but a conversation.
- I inherited a box of jewellery and I do not know what any of it is.
- Start with an estate/collection evaluation rather than a redesign. We go through the pieces together and tell you what is worth appraising, what is worth remaking, and what is simply scrap value. Then you can decide what deserves a second life.
Let's take the redesign journey together
We will tell you honestly what is possible, what it would involve, and estimate the overall cost of your design.
Call 403 926 7464 or email kat@katalystjewellery.com. Book a consultation in-studio or online. We try to answer all enquiries within two business days.