Would you remake these earrings?

TPF may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others

Pevi

Pevi

Member
Jun 18, 2016
625
2,877
#1
My MIL gave me these earrings, they have two diamonds and a ruby each, set in platinum. They’re antique, probably 1920’s, the diamonds are old cut. I like them, but I don’t loooove them. Would you reset the stones or leave them as they are? My MIL won’t mind if I reset them, but I don’t think she would like it if I sold them.
Working in platinum is also very expensive where I live as there are very few jewelers who work with it. The diamonds are also good, specially in artificial light, as they’re old cut.

So my question is, would you leave them as they are and wear them, or change them up? Thanks!IMG_5807.jpgIMG_5805.jpgIMG_5802.jpg
 
#2
I think they're gorgeous! And they look great on you too. Those settings are extraordinary.

Did your MIL have them reset from screwback to pierced? They didn't usually have pierced earrings back in the '20s. Women with pierced ears were considered rather scandalous. Although I think attitudes were different in Europe.

Personally I wouldn't change them. They're a real treasure. It's not often you see platinum antique diamond-and-ruby earrings. I would hold onto them for a bit. I have jewelry I got years ago that I wasn't terribly fond of at the time that I swoon for now. One's tastes do change. And those earrings do look great on you. :tup:
 
  • Like
Reactions: texasgirliegirl
#5
Thanks, BigPuseSue! The origin of the earrings is not very clear. They may be Peruvian or German. They came to my MIL through her MIL and she was Geman but moved to Peru just before WWII and returned in the 1960’s.
 
#6
Pevi said:
Thanks, BigPuseSue! The origin of the earrings is not very clear. They may be Peruvian or German. They came to my MIL through her MIL and she was Geman but moved to Peru just before WWII and returned in the 1960’s.
Click to expand...

Ah! That makes sense. They do look European/German. And the workmanship of those platinum settings is beautiful. If they were originally pierced they may be from the 1960s. If they were originally screwback they're probably pre-war. Just a hunch. I'm no jewelry expert.

I don't know your family's history but jewelry was an important thing to bring along when fleeing pre-war Germany. It could be hidden in the heel of a shoe and bartered for passage. There's that famous line in the movie "Casablanca": "Diamonds! Everyone here is selling diamonds!"
 
#8
I’m with you, just don’t love’em although the photos may not be doing them justice. Are the diamonds on each earring a different size? You would’t have to reset in platinum. How about a bar type post setting or a dangle?
 
#13
I agree that it would be a shame to lose this history by altering it. However, I also don’t necessarily love the earrings and given that MIL is ok with resetting them, I would consider it. First I’d ask a jeweler to appraise it based on its current setting, which is also good for insurance purposes. Then when the jeweler is all set and done, I would ask them if you changed the setting how would that alter the value, is the value mostly in the stones, is the value also due to the setting. Then I’d make a decision about resetting it. But I wouldn’t consider it if the jeweler said that the original setting makes the earrings quite special. Hope that helps.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pevi
#14
I love them. I adore old cut diamonds and my birthstone is ruby, so maybe I’m a bit biased. I could see those being wonderful and interesting with something like a T-shirt and jeans or gorgeous with an LBD.

If your family digs up a second pair please let me know, hehe.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pevi
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top