The most awaited day in a women’s life is the day of her ‘ Wedding.’ And an Indian bride’s trousseau is incomplete without a few pieces from her mother’s jewellery collection.
The attachment a mother holds with her daughter is reflected in the ancestral jewellery she passes on to her; similarly for a daughter it’s not just a mere jewellery piece but also embraces a great emotional value. The contemporary bride shouldn’t stow away these elegant pieces of jewellery but flaunt it and be the powerful modern women walking in sync with today’s trend.
But the statement arises: CAN THESE JEWELLERY PIECES BE ENHANCED IN A MORE BEAUTIFUL MANNER WHILE KEEPING THE ORIGINAL ESSENCE?
My forte is customized jewellery where I personally meet my clients and design the jewellery based on their budgets and choices. On her wedding day the bride sparkles as bright as a diamond in her jewellery. She feels beautiful in her own way and feels more gorgeous on every compliment she receives. For a bride her wedding jewellery is symbolic of the commencement of her new life. But most of the women have the mentality of keeping the jewellery in the safe lockers and years later, pass it on to their daughter and daughters in law. Through years of youth, women enjoy buying new trendy pieces and don’t want to be seen wearing pieces of past years. I strongly believe in staying in tune with contemporary styles, but also enjoy re-incarnating the bride’s trousseau jewellery. It’s like alchemy, only better because you make gold more p recious and designs further beautiful than before.
Here are the seven ways of recreating heirloom jewellery:-
1. Converting the original piece into several jewellery pieces:
This has been the traditional way of modifyingjewellery, and is perhaps the easiest. A long earring with two or more motifs, can be cut into two different earrings and worn more often. Multi-string necklaces can be detached and worn as individual strings. This way the traditional essence and the look is not modified but just worn in another manner.
2. Re-setting of stones:
Stones from your jewellery can be re-set in modern styles, like the illusion setting, where small diamonds are set artistically to make them appear larger. Resetting also ensures that the gems are steadily fastened on the jewellery. While changing the setting, one need not break down the entire piece, but simply alter a portion that requires it.
3. Stringing with gemstones:
Motifs can be detached from necklaces and strung with rare fancy gemstones – a perfect blend of tradition and fun. A choker, which was held back with a chord, can be attached to pearl strings with a pearl bracelet to follow suit.
4. Use of Rhodium:
Rhodium, a metal used for plating can enhance the colour of your jewellery. While white is the most common form of rhodium, it can be done in pink, blue, green, purple and black. Definitely a chic way of being classy and fun.
5. Changing polish :
A change in finish is always an exciting modification. with polish options ranging from burnished copper antique to an exciting bright yellow; one can always re-polish traditional pieces to add the contemporary touch.
6. Wearing it on a different body part:
A cocktail ring shouldn’t be restricted to your fingers; it can be worn as a pendant, strung through a chain. If you’re more of a delicate ring person, then you can interconnect two or three rings and slip it through a chain. Also a pendant can be incorporated in a baju badh or mang tikka as a centre motif.
7. Adding changeable charms & stones:
A regular link chain could become funky by adding charms to the links. No need to pinch yours pockets forthese charms, you could always add a lobster hook to your pendant and make it a charm! These bracelets look great when hung on bag handles too.