Simon & Rebecca: Re-Forging His Great-Grandmother’s Rings into Art Deco & ART Nouveau Bands
Honouring family provenance, navigating overseas consultations, and balancing raw fantasy aesthetics with expert bench guidance.
At a Glance
Client: Simon & Rebecca (Netherlands)
Commission: Bespoke Art Deco & Art Nouveau Wedding Rings
Provenance: Reforged yellow gold from Simon's great-grandmother's original rings along with resetting the old-cut diamonds
Design Brief: Blending Tolkien-inspired fantasy elements, fluid Nouveau curves, and heavy Art Deco geometry
Key Highlights: Remote consultations, honest design refinement, and prototyping and precise fit testing
The Origin: Carrying Four Generations of Gold
When Simon and Rebecca began planning their wedding rings, off-the-shelf options were immediately off the table. They possessed something far more meaningful than commercial alloy: original gold rings belonging to Simon’s great-grandmother.
Their vision was to re-work this generational gold at the bench and re-forge it into a complementary pair of rings - drawing stylistic inspiration from Machine Age Art Deco structure, fluid Art Nouveau organic details, and Tolkien-esque fantasy forms.
"The sentiment was all about remaking old family rings and weaving in subtle fantasy themes." — Simon & Rebecca
The Process: Remote Discussions & Honest Bench Guidance
Planning a bespoke commission while living abroad requires absolute clarity and trust. From initial sketches to discussing alloy weights, almost every stage was conducted remotely.
A critical part of my role, as a goldsmith and a jeweller, is protecting the structural longevity of a ring designed for daily wear. When Simon initially proposed a specific design idea, I offered candid advice: while visually interesting on paper, the proposed structure would compromise the ring's integrity over time. Together, we pivoted to a design that honoured the original aesthetic while ensuring a lifetime of durability.
"Iain advised truthfully that my original idea would not have been a good idea for daily wear, and I valued his honesty so much. Sizing and fit were the most important parts for me, and he did it perfectly- even while living abroad." — Simon
To eliminate any guesswork around comfort, design, and profile whilst managing the build from afar, I created sterling silver test prototypes set with relatively low-cost, matching size and colour stones. Once received by the clients, these physical prototypes allowed Simon and Rebecca to wear, test, and assess the exact shape and fit in real life before a single grain of ancestral gold was poured.
The Finished Pieces: Structural Precision Meets Organic Form
The resulting wedding bands capture a distinct visual balance on the hand:
Rebecca’s Ring: A sweeping, Art Nouveau-inspired leaf and vine form crafted in warm re-melted gold, framing a central teal sapphire flanked by diamonds in sculpted, organic bezel settings.
Simon’s Ring: A heavy, wide-band Art Deco profile in solid re-melted gold, featuring clean architectural weight accented by flush-set dark and brilliant-cut stones.
"Trying the sizing and seeing it on my hand for the first time was the highlight... Wearing it made me even more excited for our wedding than I already was!" — Simon & Rebecca
Do you have family gold or ancestral jewellery you would like to give new life to?
Whether you are based in the UK or overseas, we guide you through re-melting legacy metal, recovering and reusing stones, and engineering lifelong pieces.