Young couples embrace antique and heirloom jewellery for engagements, saving money and celebrating history

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Young couples are turning to antique and heirloom jewellery to celebrate their engagements, embracing history while saving money. Jewellers and antique sellers say the demand for re-purposed stones and settings is growing.

Transcript

00:00TREASURES FROM THE PAST, GIVEN A WHOLE NEW LIFE

00:07For these Brisbane lovebirds, Grandma's offer to have her old brooch redesigned brought

00:12them the ring of their dreams.

00:14I really wanted to use some diamonds as part of the array of stones in the ring but I was

00:1926, I work in music, I wasn't exactly in a financial position to do that and she suggested

00:25repurposing this beautiful Lolli English brooch which was a family heirloom.

00:29Tom Morrie took the antique to a jeweller who recycled some of the precious stones to

00:33create an engagement ring for Sarah and it's a growing trend.

00:38I'm creating an heirloom, that's the whole thing and that's really, that really touches.

00:45It's a really lovely thing to do and it does mean a lot to me.

00:49It's no doubt a daunting process going and looking for an engagement ring but to know

00:54that creating something really unique is maybe more accessible than people realise.

00:58FOR THOSE WITHOUT A FAMILY JEWEL, ANTIQUE MARKETS CAN BE A TREASURE TROVE.

01:04Modern jewellery is lovely, it has its place but so does antique and vintage jewellery.

01:08SELLERS SAY MORE PEOPLE ARE BUYING ANTIQUE RINGS TO GIVE THEM A SECOND LIFE, SNAPPING

01:13UP SPECTACULAR STONES AND SETTINGS AT A BARGAIN PRICE.

01:19RECYCLING RATHER THAN BUYING NEW STONES ALSO HAS SUSTAINABLE MINERAL EXPERTS ON BOARD.

01:24Being able to repurpose material is not only probably very good for the pocket but it's

01:30also very good for the environment.

01:33OLD HEIRLOOMS, NOW A SYMBOL OF YOUNG LOVE.

01:37I'm so honoured to have a ring that has such a connection to our family history.

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