Can I have five larger diamonds broken down into a large amount of smaller diamonds?

It's called re-cutting. Yes, this can be done but it's expensive and must be done by an expert diamond cutter. Your best bet is to discuss this with a reputable jeweler - by that I mean a privately owned shop with design services as opposed to a "chain" store. Kambourian's in Richmond VA (http://annesgems.com/) is a good example of the kind of jeweler I'm talking about. They do wonderful work.

Thing is, I know you have your heart set on precisely what YOU want in a wedding band - but in order to do this you would have to destroy a beautiful heirloom, given to you by someone who is trying to not only welcome you into the family but also to memorialize your fiance's late father - as well as to honor the love your FMIL and her husband shared together. OK so to you it's only a piece of jewelry. To HER and maybe even your fiance, it's a piece of his family's history (symbolic of his dad). In short, I urge you NOT to break it up or have the diamonds re-cut.

Here's what I urge you to do - or at least consider: When you get married, use the ring with the 5 diamonds. Wear it with pride and joy on your wedding day. MIL will be delighted (and you will win brownie points!) Then, as soon as you can afford it, purchase a second ring that better matches your engagement ring to wear every day. On special days, your anniversary, your MIL's anniversary, holidays, and other special occasions, wear the heirloom ring. Again, a privately owned jeweler like Kambourian's can make you a custom wedding band to precisely match your engagement ring.

In fact, if MIL asks (and she will) why you're not wearing "her" ring, you have a wonderful excuse - it's such a special ring that you don't want to spoil it or lose any of the stones so that it can be passed on to one of your own children some day.

But please don't rework this ring. Something tells me that she didn't give it to you as a piece of "junk jewelry" that you can do what you want to with. I think you will be better off leaving it as it is and having an "every day" ring made or purchased at a later date.

don't do that...you will destroy the ring and the value, not to mention the sentimental value. After your married you could always wear the wedding band alone and your engagement ring on your right hand. Thats what I do. If after all these comments telling you not to do it...and you STILL aren't happy with the ring you could always turn it into something else. Make a pendant out of it, maybe the diamonds surrounding the birthstone of the deceased.

I am sure your MIL will be a little upset that you took the ring apart, but that is way better than cutting the diamonds down.

You can ask a jeweler, but I think another choice would be better for it that would make use of the stones as they are, for many reasons.

I passed on an heirloom that was European cut and which I was told years ago would have greater value if it was recut, even though I would lose some of the carat value.

Today, many people say that these are to be treasured for the craftsmanship it took to cut them by hand. I'm glad I did not alter it in any way.

It would cost your thousands to have those diamonds cut apart. It takes very specialized tools and equipment and almost no jewelry store (unless they cut their own diamonds which is extremely unlikely) would have them. Plus you would have to have custom made pieces of jewelry made to fit the odd shaped jewels created which will cost your thousands more because there will be no piece of jewelry they will fit in. Not worth it unless you have $20,000+ to burn and are willing to push your wedding off by a year or two.

I wouldn’t suggest this, but you can ask a professional cutting house to be sure – I ahve always used Southwest Cutters to answer these questions. They are a professional outfit and they are out of Dallas.

Good luck!

Listen to Barbara B

no. keep the larger diamonds. they are vastly more valuable intact and it is not at all feasible to cut diamonds. no.

make them into something else.