Silver Jewellery Remodelling: What Can I Make with My Old Sterling Silver?
Can you remodel old sterling silver?
A common misconception is that jewellery remodelling is only worth doing with gold.
Gold may have a higher market value, but sterling silver often carries something more personal: the story. A broken heirloom. A forgotten gift. A piece that no longer gets worn, but still means something.
If you have sterling silver (marked 925) or fine silver (marked 999) pieces sitting in your jewellery box and you keep wondering what to do with them, the answer is often: yes, they may be worth saving.
It depends on what you want to make, how much metal is available, and whether the silver is suitable for melting and recasting.
This blog follows the first stage of a client's remodel project, where old unworn sterling silver is being transformed into a handcrafted four-leaf clover pendant.
Phase One: Designing the Four-Leaf Clover Pendant
The process began with a photo.
My client sent me an image of a four-leaf clover pendant being worn, along with a simple line template showing the style of clover she wanted the new piece to be based on.
We talked through the size, how she planned to wear it, and how it would sit as part of a necklace stack. Because of this, the finished pendant needed to be around 3.5 cm in diameter — large enough to have presence, but not so heavy that it would pull uncomfortably on the neck.
That balance matters.
This was never going to be a flat clover shape simply cut from sheet silver. My client was drawn to the more organic, sculptural quality of my work, so the pendant needed to feel three-dimensional, full of character, and made by hand.
Building the Clover in Wax
To keep the pendant strong but wearable, I built the form using thin sheets of wax sealed together. This gave me enough thickness to carve into, while still allowing me to control the overall weight of the finished silver piece.
The clover pattern was transferred onto the wax by piercing small dots along the outside edge of the template. Once the shape was marked out, I used a sharp scalpel to gradually cut the leaf form from the wax.
After the basic clover shape was cut, I used a wax soldering iron to smooth and refine the edges.
From there, the detail began.
I used different sized gravers to carve the distinctive lines into each leaf and define the borders between each leaf. These carved lines are important because they create depth and structure in the wax before the piece is cast.
The final step at this stage was to gently run the soldering iron over the surface to create a more fluid, textured finish. If any of the leaf shapes need building up or refining, I can still adjust them with wax pens or soldering tips before casting.
This is one of the reasons wax is such a useful material for remodelling work. It gives room for both control and instinct.
From Wax to Sterling Silver: Calculating the Metal Needed
Before any silver is melted, I need to calculate how much sterling silver is required for the cast.
Sterling silver is much denser than wax, so the wax model is weighed first. That weight is then converted into the approximate amount of silver needed.
The basic calculation is:
Weight of silver required = weight of wax × 10.4 + allowance for the sprue
The sprue is the entry channel that allows the molten silver to flow into the mould. Extra silver is needed for this part of the casting process, because the metal has to move properly through the mould and fill the carved detail.
For this pendant, I need around 16.9 grams of sterling silver.
Once I know that weight, I can look through the client's jewellery and work out which pieces can be combined to make up the required amount.
At this stage, I check that the pieces are marked as sterling silver, usually with a 925 stamp but it also could have STG. This tells me the metal is sterling silver, which is 92.5% silver. If unsure I will get the pieces tested.
Image: Calculating the wax weight allows you to then work out the amount of old sterling silver jewellery to be used to melt down
Checking and Re-Stamping the Silver
One question you may wonder about is what happens to the original stamps or hallmarks when old jewellery is melted down.
The answer is simple: they disappear.
Once silver goes into the crucible, the original form is gone. The old chain, ring, bangle or pendant becomes molten metal, ready to be made into something new.
That is why checking the metal before melting matters.
For this project, I check the pieces before they are melted, then the finished pendant will be re-stamped with 925 to show it is sterling silver. I also add my maker's mark as part of the finishing process.
| Original piece | What happens during melting | My workshop approach |
|---|---|---|
| Original 925 stamp | Destroyed in the crucible | Metal is checked before melting |
| Sterling silver purity | Remains sterling silver if suitable sterling pieces are combined | Finished piece is re-stamped 925 |
| Maker's mark | Not applicable to the original jewellery | I add my maker's mark to the new piece |
This is part of the re-birthing process. The old silver becomes a new piece, but the story remains.
FAQ: Quick Answers About Sterling Silver Remodelling
Can old sterling silver jewellery be remodelled?
Yes, in many cases old sterling silver jewellery can be melted down and made into something new. The design needs to suit the amount and type of silver available.
Can you combine different silver items?
Yes, as long as they are suitable sterling silver pieces. I check the metal before melting and look for marks such as 925.
Will the carved detail show in the finished pendant?
Yes. The lines carved into the wax are designed to transfer into the cast silver. If needed, I can also refine the detail after casting.
Is sterling silver worth remodelling?
Yes, especially when the pieces carry sentimental value. The value is not only in the metal price. It is in the memory, the material, and the chance to make something wearable again.
Is the process done locally?
Yes. The wax carving, mould preparation, melting, casting, finishing and polishing are all handled through my Auckland jewellery practice.
What's Next: Melting the Silver
In Part Two, the workshop gets hotter.
I'll be preparing the sand mould and melting my client's original sterling silver down into liquid metal. Then we'll see how this hand-carved wax clover translates into a solid sterling silver pendant.
Do you have old silver jewellery sitting unworn in a drawer?
If you are curious about what it could become, you are welcome to visit me in Mt Eden for a chat about the possibilities.
Click here for the Commissions page that includes a link for contacting me