Mining for precious metals and gemstones has devastating environmental impacts, from contamination of waterways, to greenhouse gas emissions, and soil erosion. Moreover, the jewelry industry often involves child labor and inhumane working conditions. While several multi-national jewelers are adopting responsible practices for sourcing gold, silver and gemstones, my preference is to opt for recycled and antique jewelry.

Antique South Asian jewelry pieces are one-of-a-kind works of art that were typically handcrafted with local materials, and they can transport us to a different time in history. For this project, my grandmother upcycled two antique Indian naths, or nose rings, that were made over 100 years ago. Nose piercings are believed to have come to India during the 16th century by Moghul emperors. The nath is a highly decorative piece of jewelry that was historically worn by brides.

While naths are still worn today by women across India, we saw an opportunity to upcycle the two intricate naths into necklaces, that would be more versatile and could add interest to any ethnic outfit. For the first nath (Image 1), we used pearls to create two strands with loops on the ends, and we slipped the nath through the loops to secure it in place. For the second nath (Image 2) we used turquoise beads and tied the strands to the top of the nath and added a clasp in the back. In both projects, we used beads that we already had and that complimented the colors in the nath.

The end products were one-of-a-kind, statement neck pieces that celebrate the history and design of the original naths.

Image 1 – Antique gold nath with pearls and ruby

Image 2 – Antique pearl and kundan nath

Tips:

• Scope out local antique shops and estate sales to find unique jewelry pieces to recycle. With a little creativity, just about any old jewelry can be upcycled into something new. For example, an old brooch can make a stunning pendant, and charms can be converted into on-trend mismatched earrings.
• Don’t be afraid to work with broken jewelry. You can repurpose a damaged item into something completely new. For example, an earring that has lost its mate can be repurposed as a pendant, and a broken chain can be remade as a bracelet or anklet.