Recycling Family Gold for a Special Christmas Gift

Recycling Family Gold for a Special Christmas Gift

14kt Red and White Gold Custom Rose Pendant

Recycling Family Gold for a special Christmas gift is one of Walker Goldsmiths’ favorite jobs. Donna had arranged for Walker Goldsmiths to recycle family gold for her own ring and there was gold left over from that experience. She had us hold on to it until she could figure out just what she wanted to do with it.

We got a package from Donna in the fall with some more family gold saying she wanted a gift made for her daughter who is a Chaplain in the Air Force and she thought a special pendant was in order made from her grandparents rings, possibly a Custom Rose Pendant. So we worked together with Donna, emailing back and forth with pictures and ideas about how to go forward on this project. Donna wanted a two color Custom Rose Pendant made out of the special sentimental family gold she had sent us. Owen alloyed some of the gold to make into 14kt Red Gold and on we went!

Rose Pendant carved from wax

Custom wax Rose

I carved a rose pendant and emailed pictures for Donna’s approval, which I got. Next I cut the wax rose apart, sprued them for casting into two different colors of gold; 14kt Red Gold for the flower and 14kt White Gold for the stem. Owen lost wax cast them each flawlessly and they turned out beautiful. The tricky part was soldering the two parts together and setting 4 melee diamonds on the rose and leaves!

This was a very fun project for Walker Goldsmiths and made even more enjoyable knowing this Recycling of Family Gold was a special surprise Christmas Gift for Donna’s daughter. Thanks for the privilege to be in on the surprise !

About Janet Walker

4 Responses to “Recycling Family Gold for a Special Christmas Gift”

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  1. Liz Adair says:

    Your post strikes a chord. I don’t know if you remember, but probably fifteen years ago I took some old family gold pieces and a ruby my mother had brought from Afghanistan and had you make a ring for my husband, Derrill, for Christmas. He loves it and wears it all the time. It was one of the best Christmas gifts ever.

    • Janet Walker says:

      Hello! We do remember making that ring for Derrill! And especially enjoyed the experience after learning about their adventures in Afghanistan after reading your book about it. “Letters from Afghanistan”. They were very dear to our hearts when they lived in Ferndale. We will never forget Lucy’s amazing Roast Beef that she sent over on the Lummi Island Ferry when our son was born…drove the ferry workers wild with the delicious aroma coming from the huge roaster pan. Sweet, sweet people!!

  2. Donna Ingram says:

    Janet,
    It was my daughter that you made the rose pendant for. It turned out beautifully as well did the custom ring that you made for me from the same 4 generation mixed gold. We love your work and get many compliments. Take care, Donna

    • Janet Walker says:

      Thank you, Donna, that was a fun job!! That blends of generational gold recycling is the best way to carry on traditions and memories. I’m so very energized and impressed with that. You take care too, Janet

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