Something Old, New, Borrowed and Something Blue
Jewellery, from dainty, delicate earrings to bold, character-filled necklaces, become everlasting meaningful pieces you hold onto against time. It also feels natural that a beautiful pairing occurs when a bride is dedicated to wearing considered jewellery on her wedding day. A simple, yet impactful way to ensure your own wedding day jewellery is considered is by taking inspiration on a new take on a well-known wedding tradition. Join Melbourne Wedding & Bride’s Alice O’Brien as she discovers by speaking with Cameron Splatt, owner and goldsmith at Diamond Creations Manufacturing Jewellers, how brides can use jewellery in a wonderfully creative manner.
Written by Alice O’Brien
The tradition of incorporating something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue on a wedding day is a long-followed superstition by brides across the globe. With the promise of a happily ever after, there’s no harm in leaning into the old wives’ tale and following the guide. Many brides decide to include the touches through wedding attire, but for those wanting something more subtle, jewellery is a great option. The team at Diamond Creations Manufacturing Jewellers is well equipped to make this option a reality.
“We often have couples who will use jewellery to tick off all four on the list … we’ve made an engagement ring that used gold from a relative, some old diamonds with a new aqua marine centre stone and then wore this on their wedding day with a bracelet that they’d borrowed from their mother … tick tick tick tick,” explains Splatt.
More than the superstition of a guaranteed happy marriage, following this tradition also encourages you to carefully look at your wedding day jewellery through a more curated and sentimental lens. To help inspire how, this article will deep dive into ways you can incorporate both something blue and something old in your wedding day jewellery.
Something Blue … Through Jewellery
Finding something blue to integrate through jewellery is one of the easier finds: blue gemstones. Known for representing truths from the heart, these stones almost feel like the perfect fit for a wedding regardless of whether you’re wearing them for that ‘something blue.’ However, the world of the blue gemstone is vast, and deciding on what gemstone to choose can suddenly become overwhelming. But Splatt is here to help find that perfectly blue fit. Let’s begin with types:
Sapphires: Darkest and hardest of all the blue stones
“Within the category of sapphire you have different stone origins: Ceylon sapphires are deep blue with light blue flashes going through them, Australian Sapphires are darker blue, almost black,” says Splatt.
Aqua Marine: Beautiful blue sky stones
“Tend to be lighter in colour, more sky blue … if you’re looking for something a little more subtle,” says Splatt.
Other blue stones that are safe to wear in jewellery include Blue Topaz, Blue Zircon and Tanzanite.
However, the shade of blue is not your only consideration, as each come with a differing price tag. A general guideline is as follows: blue topaz is a reasonably inexpensive stone, aqua marines’ price tag depends on the size and quality, and a perfect sapphire is an investment. Either way, something blue can be ticked off in the form of a blue gemstone.
Something Old … Through Jewellery
When brides consider something old, many are inspired to see it as an opportunity to include something sentimental into their day. This commonly comes in the form of special heirloom pieces that have been passed down from one generation to the next. The team at Diamond Creations Manufacturing Jewellers often have generational pieces come through their doors and requests to remake, replant or repair it. Splatt says whatever the request, “it’s all possible” having “used inherited gold to make a new ring or used the diamonds or gemstones from old rings and remounted them in a new ring.”
“I have previously used a small piece of client’s grandfather’s yellow gold wedding ring, melted it down and then fused it to the inside of the client’s new white gold ring, so the gold from the grandfather’s ring was always touching the client’s finger,” Splatt reencountered when asked how brides can include something old into a new piece of jewellery.
However, even though it may sound simple to include a piece of old with the new, it must be warned that not all older stones will match modern day jewellery. This is because the two items are designed in two different periods and Splatt says “having an older stone alongside modern stones can look very out of place, and the sentiment alone is not worth sacrificing the design.” Incorporating something old through jewellery all comes down to a fine balance, and Splatt understands the tightrope walk as he takes the responsibility “to work out what works and what wont.”
Something Created … Through Collaborating
If you are considering embracing the tradition of wearing something old, new, borrowed and blue through jewellery, it is also worth embracing a manufacturing jeweller who can bring this vision to life. Since you can “talk to the person who actually makes the jewellery,” as Splatt says, “they can advise you on what will work.” More than logistical reasons, working with a manufacturing jeweller is working with someone who is as equally passionate about creating jewellery pieces that will carry your personal connection. Highlighting the teams and Splatts own passion is the company’s offering of a story ring.
“I came up with story ring because I had a lot of clients bringing in a lot of their old jewellery to be all combined together and sometimes there’s a bunch of different shaped gemstones … I used the term story ring because every stone tells a story,” explains Splatt.
Jewellery is personal, just as every decision you make around your wedding day is. It has the power to tell its own story, as beautifully described by Splatt, and made even more apparent when you use your jewellery as deliberate subtle nods to a long-standing wedding tradition.
Image courtesy of Diamond Creations