‘I knew that my family’s story would live on’: Dominique McMullan on re-making a family heirloom

In a world filled with stories, some are treasured heirlooms. When I got engaged a beautiful ring was given to me that was once worn by my grandmother-in-law. It’s a precious link to my family’s history. Time has etched a 90-year-old story into it, but unfortunately, time also took its toll and it split in half after only a few months on my finger. Since then it has been in a drawer over the course of two babies and two house moves. 

When I visited Paul Sheeran, I wasn’t sure if the ring could even be repaired. The main sapphire had popped out, the body of the ring had snapped and was worn down brittle thin from years of love. I felt responsible for this piece of family history and wanted to be as careful with the restoration of the ring as possible. 

On arrival at Paul Sheeran’s, I was met by Paul Burke and he immediately put my mind at ease. His knowledge of, and passion for, precious jewellery was so obvious. Within minutes of handling the ring, he was able to paint a detailed picture for me, of a dapper gentleman in Regent Street in 1930s London, picking up a special ring that would have cost him six months’ wages.

Paul described how the ring would have been made, even down to the workshop that it was most likely made in. The ring style my great grandfather-in-law chose was in vogue at the time and Paul was even able to describe what he was probably wearing when he bought it. 

When we got down to the business of what to do with this special piece, Paul told me the ring was not, as I had guessed, repairable. However, he explained that instead of repair, his expert team could completely rebuild it, using the same materials and taking into consideration all the traditional design features.

The result? I would have a brand new, 90-year-old ring, and most importantly I knew that my family’s story would live on. 

The process

Paul and his team in the workshop kindly shared their insights with me on what this process entailed. “This ring was an incredible antique piece with a long history. We could see that the ring had been through a number of repairs which meant it was really loved as we would see it had been worn.

“Our only concern was how fragile the band was because of its age. After consulting with you, we realised you were happy to have the ring remade while keeping the exact same design, giving it a new lease on life. The stones put into a modern setting wouldn’t have given them enough justice. It needed to have the same antique setting so we recreated it.

“We CAD (computer-aided design) the ring up, took images, measurements and weight of the collective amount of gold on the ring and carved the setting. Then we mounted the stones into the new setting and polished it all. The ring came back to life.”

The result

I picked up the ring two months later, in an intimate appointment at the Paul Sheeran store. Despite the ring holding such precious memories, I was not expecting to be overcome with emotion when the Paul Sheeran box was opened – displaying the ring in all its former glory. The restoration was beyond what I thought was possible. Each gem sparkled like new, tucked delicately into the most intricate gold carvings. This little piece of my family’s past had been transformed into a little piece of my family’s future. And I knew the time and effort it took to create this ring, would be remembered forever.

I smile every time I catch a glimpse of my left hand and imagine what the dapper 1930s gent would think if he could see the ring now, over 90 years later. The skilled hands of Paul Sheeran jewellers have restored its brilliance and brought my family’s legacy back to life.

Head to paulsheeran.ie to find out more, or go in-store to browse their incredible range.