Something Old, Something New: Recycling Your Outdated Jewelry

Jewelry is decorative. People use a variety of pieces to adorn their outfits or they can become a focal point of one’s style. For some, laboratory-made diamond jewelry, like rings, necklaces, and bracelets can become family heirlooms because of the precious stones and gems on them. And for others, these trinkets may simply take up space on the dresser, becoming old and too outdated to wear.

But that doesn’t mean your old fashioned jewelry has to be thrown away. You could repurpose or recycle them.

Recycling Old Jewelry

Recycling jewelry not only lets you experiment with a design that you want, but also provides you with a different end product than the original product. It also helps the environment because you’re not buying new things to consume.

You can recycle necklaces, bracelets, rings, and watches; either as a different version of the same jewelry piece, or create something new altogether.

Necklaces

Necklaces are the easiest among all the jewelry pieces to repurpose. All you have to do is disassemble the necklace, careful not to break the clasp or any part of the chain, and then repurpose the separated parts into something new.

You can use the chain and mold it into a bracelet, or separate the pendant and place it on a completely different chain from the previous one. You can make rings, bracelets, anklets, and a new necklace out of the detached pieces.

Sketch the type of jewelry you want. Visualizing it helps with connecting the parts later on after you’ve disassembled the old pieces. Any excess clasps or chains can make a great pair of earrings. This way, you don’t have to throw any perfectly good piece from the original jewelry.

Bracelets

If your bracelet is made of pure gold or silver, be careful with cutting it as the jewelry is fragile. You can make new rings out of smaller bracelets and other trendy accessories with larger ones. Take apart the pendants and combine it with a different bracelet for a whole new look.

Another way you can recycle your old, outdated bracelet is by replacing the chain with a different one, add pendants and other beads, or give it an interesting twist by layering the chains under one clasp.

Rings

You can recycle rings by replacing the band itself, replacing the gem, or redesigning the patterns around the gem that binds it to the band. Rings are slightly more meticulous to tamper with than bracelets or necklaces, so you need extra care when handling them.

Why Bother Recycling?

You don’t have to force yourself to wear outdated, old-fashioned jewelry. Instead, you can add a new twist on precious jewels and make it trendy again through recycling. Aside from having a brand new accessory to use, you can also earn money off of this recycled jewelry. You can sell it online or at weekend markets.

You don’t need to throw out damaged accessories or let outdated jewelry sit gathering dust in your trinket box. Recycle it. And give it new life!

 

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