If you are one of those individuals that believe that nothing is really a lost cause unless you cannot patch it up or use it in some other ways, then you will be happy to know that all the old necklaces that you have been holding on to, and maybe even forgot about them after all these years – can still be put to good use, if not sold for parts to make some little money on the side.
This is because most of the unwearable or the broken jewelry can be patched up, parts of it used differently, sold, or gifted to someone who might appreciate the uniqueness of that old necklaces.
So, in this article, we’ll be guiding you on everything you need to know about upcycling and reusing old necklaces. You will agree with us that some of the old pieces of jewelry are too pretty to be thrown out, and finding a way of upcycling such pieces comes as such a welcome relief. If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, keep reading!
Oh, we also provide some information on what to do with your old class rings, old Charm bracelets and old pins&brooches.
What to do with old necklaces?
- Create a heart canvas piece of art
If you think of yourself as a crafty person and would like to upcycle pieces and create art on your downtime, and as a way of de-stressing, then creating an art piece in the form of a jewelry heart canvas would be a great thing for you to do.
This is a simple idea that allows you to reuse not just your old necklaces but also old charm bracelets, pendants, earrings, pearls, crystals, beads, and parts of brooches, among others.
So, if you have multiple pieces of broken jewelry, especially the ones that don’t really match, and you are not ready to get rid of these broken pieces, then this would be a nice project that allows you to recycle and repurposes the broken and old necklaces.
- Create a bracelet
You could turn your old necklace into a unique Shourouk-inspired bracelet. If you have a broken necklace or a chain necklace, you can still transform it into a unique bracelet that is also wearable.
- Use it to create Christmas tree décor/ canvas art.
There is a lot that you could use as décor for your Christmas tree, but the best of these has always been simple and meaningful pieces of jewelry that is no longer used.
If your pearl or beaded necklace is broken or no longer your style, or you are looking for simple ways to decorate your Christmas tree this year, then you could turn that old necklace into the best decoration for your Christmas tree.
Your old necklace made of CZ stones would also work. The best part is that these old pieces of jewelry, including brooches, and other sparkling pieces of jewelry, always create the most beautiful canvas art, with all the pieces coming together to create a unique piece for decorating.
- Christmas Ball Ornaments
This is the other thing you could craft out of your old necklaces, with all the pendants, stones, beads, crystals, pearls, etc.
This craft calls for a higher level of crafting expertise, but if you are ready to put your beautiful pieces of jewelry into use and to come up with something unique and intriguing, then the use of old necklaces to create more unique Christmas decorations and to save money in the process.
- Make cocktail rings
You could use the sizable pendant on your old pendant necklaces to create a unique cocktail ring. Alternatively, you could use the pendant on that old necklace on a new chain necklace that needs a little extra love in the form of glitter and perhaps some color.
- Upcycle the necklace into a camera strap
This is one of those unique and elegant transformations that would be a great fit for you if you have an old pearl necklace that needs a new lease of life and perhaps a different use altogether. So, in as much as the string is broken, you could upcycle it by finding a thin piece of metal to take the place of the string in holding the pearls together. The metallic ‘string’ is also important because the camera is a little heavy, and you need to ensure that your new camera strap doesn’t just look great but also works fine.
- Using the necklaces as ribbon bookmarks
Your old gold, brass, or sterling silver necklace might work well as an effective bookmark, which is something any bookworm would love. A ribbon bookmark is a great option too, and you only need to find the perfect ribbon for use along with the necklace pendant.
- Create a key necklace pendant
Using your broken pieces of jewelry and a stunning necklace pendant, you would never give up; you could create a unique key pendant from the necklace. The nest part is that you could transform your key into a one-of-a-kind pendant, then attach it to the new chain necklace that seems to be missing something. Although this is unconventional, it still is an effective way of upcycling your old necklace.
- Create hoop earrings
Transform your old chain necklaces into hoop earrings. The beauty of this solution is that it works well for necklaces made of all kinds of materials. Get the broken and the old necklaces and create simple or extravagant hoop earrings. You could also use the chain necklace to create simple dangling earrings that will look elegant.
- Bedazzled phone case
If you have an old necklace pendant or a new one that no longer works with the necklace or one that would look better elsewhere, you could transform it into this elegant bedazzled piece for your phone case. The pendant will leave you with a unique custom phone case that is cheap and cute.
- Rhinestones sweater
This is the other unconventional but functional way of upcycling your old necklace. It allows you to reuse the old pendants from your necklace, turning a simple sweater into a fantastic piece of clothing. You could use the rhinestones from the necklace, too, or any other stones that are hanging loose from your old necklaces.
- Unique headband
How about creating a unique headband from that broken necklace? Get the old or broken necklace and add an elastic hairband to each end, creating a unique headband. Alternatively, you could attach the necklace to a cloth headband, transforming the headband into something unique and elegant.
- Create a chainring and a bracelet
If you are into crafts or you’re interested in jewelry making, then you could turn the simple chain necklace into a chainring and a bracelet combo. This is a unique combo that works well for anyone looking for a unique, transformative piece of necklace.
- Layered bangles
How about turning those broken necklaces and the necklace pendants into a unique layered bangle? You only need a keen eye, some glue, and a tape measure to create one of these unique pieces of jewelry.
Conclusion
There is a lot that you could do with your old necklaces, and the recommendations above are some of the ones you could implement.
Just keep in mind that there are many other things you could do with your old necklaces, including crafting the old pearl necklaces into a necklace chandelier, creating unique buckles for your belts, or even making ear cuffs and floral lampshades.
Stephanie is a jewelry lover when she was a teenager. Her major was fashion design when she was in college. She is a jewelry designer at SOQ Jewelry and other design companies. Now she is also a writer for our website. She writes a lot of designs&brands posts with very actionable tips.