Tips For Creating The Most Meaningful Piece Of Heirloom Jewelry

Heirloom necklaces make great jewelry to pass down because they can be worn by anyone. Most necklaces are one size fits all, meaning sizing will never be an issue for the next recipient. At Messages In Metal, we carry a variety of heirloom necklace options for all occasions. 

Brooches are a jewelry accessory pinned and worn on your shirt, jacket, or hat (or wherever you choose to wear it). They were more popular in the past but are still worn by some people today. Brooches come in all sorts of styles, materials, and colors. While brooches might not be in style today or in the future, it’s also possible to repurpose brooches to make them into more wearable jewelry or accessories. 

Cuff rings can be engraved with special designs and engraved with a meaningful message, name, or date. However, choosing rings as a family heirloom gift can be tricky. Rings are made to fit one size and may not fit every subsequent recipient. 

Earrings never go out of style and can be worn as dangle or studs. Some style earrings can be engraved with initials, monograms, or special sayings. Earrings can also be bought as clip-on to work for recipients who do not have pierced ears. 

Hatpins are more of a vintage accessory that’s not widely worn in modern times. However, hatpins can be quite beautiful and valuable if they are made from fine quality material. While you and future generations may not be able to wear a hatpin, they can be repurposed into a more modern design. 

For example, if you want a family heirloom that represents your family’s history, you might consider a US state pendant necklace. You can choose the state from which your family descended and engrave your family name or family motto on the back. Future generation recipients of the jewelry piece will hold a piece of their family’s history with them and know where they came from. 

You should consider, however, who is likely to inherit the jewelry piece going forward. If you want it to be a piece that any generation or gender can enjoy, choose a more gender-neutral jewelry piece. For example, if you have a family of mostly boys, it’s likely they will inherit your belongings at some point. If the heirloom jewelry piece is too feminine, they may not get as much use from it. 

Heirloom jewelry can be in any style of your choice including earrings, rings, bracelets, pins, etc. Your piece should be something you enjoy wearing but you may consider making your decision based on future recipients. Not all styles of jewelry can be worn by anyone. Men are less likely to wear earrings or brooches but may wear bracelets or necklaces.

Heirloom jewelry does not need to be expensive to be valuable. We place the value on items we deem irreplaceable. But you may prefer to invest in a piece of heirloom jewelry that holds monetary value as well as sentimental value. There are benefits to paying for higher quality jewelry pieces including lasting value, better quality design, and less risk of tarnishing or wearing out. 

Heirloom jewelry becomes more special when you include a unique, personal touch to the design. You could consider engraving something onto the jewelry piece for more family heirloom meaning, like a special date, name, or saying. You may also consider adding a certain gemstone that has special meaning for you or your family. Maybe the gemstone can be your birthstone or birthstone of one of your ancestors. 

Messages In Metal is a reputable, US based, small family-owned business that takes pride in creating heirloom quality jewelry for our customers. We offer a variety of quality jewelry styles that can be personalized in multiple ways. We pride ourselves on our customer service to ensure you get the heirloom jewelry piece you’ve always dreamed of. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have questions about creating your heirloom jewelry piece. 

Make sure you are both on the same page about what you want your piece to look like. Especially if you are having a custom design piece made. Talk with them upfront about pricing of materials, labor costs, and how much each customization will cost you. They should be able to provide you with suggestions based on your budget

Once your heirloom jewelry piece is made, be sure to know how to care for it. The jeweler you choose should give you care instructions for your finished piece. If not, research the internet to find out how best to care for the type of metal or gem your heirloom jewelry is made from. For example, silver jewelry can tarnish when exposed to salt air, humidity, perspiration, cosmetics, chlorine, sulfur, and bleach. 

Your future relatives may like to know the history or process behind designing the jewelry piece they’ve inherited. Consider writing down a brief message to go along with your heirloom jewelry. Describe what the jewelry piece means for you, why you chose the design you did, and what you hope it will mean for those who inherit it.

Make sure you give clear instructions for the next person to inherit your heirloom jewelry to keep the note with it. That way you can ensure it stays with the jewelry piece long enough for other generations to read it. 

There are plenty of corporate jewelry stores to purchase jewelry from. But aside from being expensive, they may not offer custom jewelry design options. By shopping locally, you may be able to find a jeweler in your community more willing to make custom orders. Do a quick online search to find local small business jewelers who take custom orders. It will be helpful to talk to the jewelry maker directly to inform them about your ideas for your heirloom jewelry piece. 

Local craft fairs feature vendors that provide all kinds of services and art. You may stumble upon a local or independent jeweler who would be happy to help you with your custom jewelry piece. Check online or go to your neighborhood craft store to find craft fairs near you. Oftentimes employees at craft shops are artists themselves or know of local artisans. They may be able to point you in the right direction towards where you’ll find a craft fair or jeweler. 

Online specialty jewelers, like Messages In Metal, specialize in making custom orders for their customers. These specialty stores can provide you with all the information you need to know about how to create your perfect piece of heirloom jewelry. Do your research to compare what online specialty jeweler will work best for your needs. 

Make sure to check reviews and testimonials before making a purchase. Online businesses, especially those not based in the US, are known for falsely advertising their products or quality. Make sure you vet your jeweler thoroughly before trusting them with your money. 

Etsy is an online market that links individual artists and small businesses to customers. Jewelers are the largest group of vendors on the site who sell all kinds of jewelry. You can find something on Etsy for every price range and many vendors offer personalization, customization, and made to order gifts and products. On the site you can contact sellers directly to speak to them about making your custom heirloom jewelry piece.

You can buy letter jewelry beads or charms to spell out your name or family name on the necklace. You can also add other beads or charms to make the jewelry piece more beautiful. Jewelry beads and supplies can be purchased at any local craft store. But if you want to make your DIY heirloom jewelry more valuable, you can purchase fine jewelry materials online from certain sellers. 

Do you have a favorite trinket, keychain, or broken or missing jewelry (like one half of an earring set) that can be turned into an heirloom? For example, maybe you can take the stone out of the surviving earring and turn it into a ring. Or maybe you can take your favorite trinket, put it on a chain, and make it a necklace. With just a little creativity, it’s possible to repurpose old jewelry or trinkets into a memorable heirloom jewelry piece for your family. 

Do you have a favorite trinket, keychain, or broken or missing jewelry (like one half of an earring set) that can be turned into an heirloom? For example, maybe you can take the stone out of the surviving earring and turn it into a ring. Or maybe you can take your favorite trinket, put it on a chain, and make it a necklace. With just a little creativity, it’s possible to repurpose old jewelry or trinkets into a memorable heirloom jewelry piece for your family. 

Thrift stores, garage sales, and estate sales are all great places to look for potential heirloom jewelry. If you’re lucky, you may stumble upon a valuable jewelry piece for a very low price. You can then take these jewelry finds and repurpose or customize them for yourself. 

Fine jewelry is more expensive than fashion jewelry. For most budgets, it’s difficult to buy more than one piece at a time. But while this means you will have less in your jewelry collection; your collection will be worth more. A fine jewelry collection is about quality over quantity. Each piece becomes more meaningful because you deem it as more valuable. 

Don’t rush your purchase of fine jewelry. Fine jewelry is expensive, and you want to be sure you are getting the best quality and style before you shell out your hard earned cash. You don’t want to make a hasty decision only to realize that you dislike the piece you bought. Take your time shopping around with other jewelers to compare price and quality. You don’t want to find out you missed out on a better deal elsewhere after you’ve already purchased your jewelry. 

While being impulsive with your jewelry purchases contradicts the previous advice of taking your time, it’s sometimes relevant. There are times or situations where a jewelry piece may catch your eye and you know you must have it. If you have room in your budget to make an impulse buy, do it. Sometimes these purchases end up being your favorite pieces of jewelry.

They also make for a better story to tell later. For example, telling your friends you stumbled upon a gorgeous ring while visiting a small town in Italy is way more exciting than having bought it online. Don’t be afraid to act on your impulses from time to time.

Because your heirloom jewelry collection is likely going to be small, you should consider the style of jewelry pieces you choose. Classic, more simpler style pieces will go with more outfits and occasions than more grandiose pieces. If you’re only going to have a handful of jewelry options to choose from, you want to make the most of those options.

You could consider purchasing one piece or set for special occasions and another piece or set for more casual wear. In this way you will have a jewelry piece to wear with all outfits. 

If you plan on passing your jewelry collection down to future generations, how you care for it now is important. You’ll want to be sure you are storing your collection properly, so it does not tarnish or become damaged. You may also want to check with your jeweler to see if they offer a warranty with your purchase. A warranty may cover annual cleaning or repairs should your jewelry piece break.