A woman brought in a small velvet pouch holding three diamonds: one from her grandmother's engagement ring, one from her mother's solitaire, and a single side stone she had never seen before. None of them had certificates. She wanted them on a chain she could wear to work, not a brooch she would keep in a drawer. That brief is the classic inherited-stone commission. The stones are known; the design is not.
Grade the stones before you design around them
An inherited diamond without a certificate is an unknown until it is graded. We do a first-pass check in-house for weight, cut, and visible inclusions, and we send the client the option of a full grading report if the stones are large. The GIA 4Cs decide whether a stone should be a centre, a side stone, or a pendant alone. A 0.30 carat old-mine cut that looks warm can be a charming centre; the same stone in a modern round brilliant might look dull. We cover the broader choice in choosing a centre stone for a custom ring, but the same logic applies to pendants.
Keep the old setting, or reset the stones?
We never discard an inherited setting without asking. Sometimes the old mount is itself a piece of the story, and a client prefers to keep it in a drawer rather than have it melted. More often, the old setting is worn, the chain is stretched, and the client wants the stones carried forward into something that fits a modern neckline. In that case we melt the old mount only after the stones are out and photographed. Read our notes on upcycling inherited stones into a new piece for the trade-offs.
Design the chain against the neckline, not against the stone
Necklace length is the detail most clients get wrong. A pendant that looks elegant on a 45 cm chain hangs too low over a work shirt; on a 40 cm chain it sits at the collarbone, where inherited stones actually get seen. We use a soft measuring cord on the client before we quote the chain. Chain width is the second decision: a 1 mm cable chain reads light against an inherited stone, while a 2 mm rope chain reads heavy. The setting itself should be small, because the stones are the story.
Plan the piece for the next handoff
Inherited-diamond commissions are usually bought by one generation and worn by the next. We engrave the origin dates on the back of the setting in handwriting, and we keep the CAD on file so the chain can be shortened or relengthened in twenty years without losing the setting. The stones are described in writing on the work order so there is no ambiguity later. Our trade programme supplies the same documentation to retail partners who are resetting stones for clients.
Insuring a reset necklace
A reset necklace should be re-insured as soon as it is worn, because the setting value is new even if the stones are inherited. We provide a written valuation that lists each stone by weight, cut, and colour, and describes the setting. The IGI grading notes are referenced on the valuation for any certified stone, so an insurance adjuster can read the document without calling the atelier. Trade clients on our white-label programme receive the same valuation template with every reset order.
For clients who want to keep the old setting intact, we offer a display mount: the old ring is cleaned, the stones are removed, and the empty mount is boxed as a memento. This is the path most families choose when the old ring carries its own story. We cover the same decision logic in repair versus redesign, but for inherited stones the reset is almost always the right call over a full repair.
FAQ
Do I need to get the inherited diamonds certified first?
For stones under 0.5 carat, usually no. For centre stones above 0.7 carat, we recommend a grading report so the piece can be insured accurately and passed on with paperwork. We can arrange this as part of the commission.
Can I keep the old ring as well as the new necklace?
Yes. Many clients keep the old mount as a separate memento. We photograph it, weigh it, and store it in the client's file before any melting decision is made.
What chain length should I choose?
Daywear pendants sit at 40 to 45 cm. Over 50 cm the pendant drifts under the collar. We measure the client's neckline in the sitting so the number is chosen against the body, not against a chart.
How long does a reset necklace take?
Three to five weeks once the stones are out and graded. If grading is required, add the lab turnaround. We will tell you the combined timeline in writing before you approve the sketch.
Have a pouch of inherited stones sitting in a drawer? Bring them in or send photos. We will grade the lot in-house, sketch two pendant directions at actual chain length, and quote the reset without melting anything until you say so. Trade retailers: our inherited-stone white-label pack gives your team the same grading and chain-length checklist we use at the bench.
