More than 4 times the weight
30th August 2025 - Customer location - Cairns
Today we are going to remake a 9ct yellow gold Onyx ring. The existing ring weighs just 3.17 grams. The new ring will have a weight of 13.2 grams. That is more than a 400%. increase in the amount of gold used.
The onyx removed from the old ring.
Initially we thought we would use a new piece of Onyx the same shape. However when I went to source a new onyx finding the same shape was not possible. With the old ring no longer going to be worn, the current onyx in “as new” condition, it was decided to re use the onyx rather than going to the expense of having a new one cut to size.
The inside of the ring had been carved out to as thin as possible to reduce the amount of gold used. The ring weighed just 3.17grams, mind blowing!
That extreme thinning made the ring weak and prone to bending out of shape. It also created sharp internal edges that made it uncomfortable to wear.
The new ring would have the inside of the ring closed in. The next change would be to the edge of gold that surrounded the Onyx. We would widen this to improve the look of the ring and to also offer some more protection to the Onyx. To help the customer visualise these changes I did mockups on the computer shown above.
The silver draft to confirm the design and finger size.
With the design changes finalised I then created a draft in silver for the customer to try on before I made the actual ring. This draft would confirm the design changes and I could also resize it if required to determine the perfect size for the new ring.
The inside of the new ring closed in.
Closing in the inside of the ring has made it so much more comfortable to wear. The finished ring was more than 4 times the weight of the original.
All done, the ring is remade.
With the price of gold so high, sadly making rings properly will be seen less and less. Manufacturers will endeavour to reduce gold content in order to maintain margins and meet price points with no regard for how long the piece of jewellery will last or feel when worn. Buyer beware and as always, buy nice or buy twice.