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If you’ve been thinking about transforming old or inherited heirloom jewelry into something new, I know it can come with a lot of questions. What happens to your pieces? How long does it take? When do you make decisions?
I want to walk you through exactly what a Reconstruction project looks like at CMD, step by step, so you know what to expect and feel fully supported from the very beginning.
Before our first appointment, virtual or in person, I’ll send you a few resources to help you understand general pricing, recycling, timing and what to expect. Our comprehensive Reconstruction & Recycling Magic at CMD guide is the best place to start, and I may also send you a few of our Custom and Reconstruction client stories for inspiration.
Reconstruction projects can vary widely depending on materials and design, but this gives you a helpful starting point. You’ll also receive an invoice for a $250 designer fee/deposit, which goes directly toward your finished piece. Taking care of this ahead of time allows us to fully focus on the creative process when we meet, with no distractions, just design.
This is where creativity begins. We’ll sit down together and look at the piece or pieces you’re ready to reimagine. I can help guide the vision through conversation, quick sketches, samples of CMD designs and examples from previous projects.
If we’re meeting virtually, I’ll show you pieces on camera and often text photos and videos in real time so you can see scale and detail more clearly. Virtual appointments have become a big part of how I work with Reconstruction clients, so distance is truly a non-issue.
At this stage, we’re simply getting aligned.
When you’re ready to move forward, I’ll take your pieces into my care. Before anything happens, you’ll sign a deconstruction waiver and I’ll photograph your original jewelry. The waiver outlines the inherent risks and ensures you understand the process.
We handle every piece with the utmost care, but removing, resetting or working with stones from heirloom or previously worn jewelry always involves some risk. Stones can have inclusions, fractures or previous damage that may not be visible until we begin working with them, so loosening, chipping, cracking or breakage is always possible.
From there, I securely send your pieces to our Upstate New York production studio, where my team carefully deconstructs them. We look for stamps and markings, identify the materials, carefully remove the stones and set everything aside until the next stage.
Once your pieces are deconstructed, I’ll reconnect with you and provide a breakdown of the materials we found, along with the weight of the recyclable precious metal and the size and condition of any stones we may be able to reuse.
Below is an example pulled from a real client project. This is the type of information you’ll receive after we deconstruct your pieces.
Materials:
14k white gold (stamped): 2.8 dwt (pennyweight)
Stones:
Diamonds: 3 total, all slightly chipped and irregular but usable
2.19mm
3.13mm
3.84mm
My best estimate is that you’ll receive approximately $234 in CMD recycling credit once we recycle your pieces.
At this stage, nothing has been recycled yet. We wait for your approval before taking that next step.
Once you’re ready to recycle your metal, you’ll sign a second authorization acknowledging that once your materials are sent to our refining vendor, they cannot be returned in their original form.
I often compare it to placing an aluminum can into a recycling bin. Once it has entered the recycling stream, you’ll never receive that exact same can back again. Our vendor uses X-ray fluorescence technology to analyze the material and determine its final value.
Once the refining process is complete, I’ll reach out with your actual credit amount. This portion of the process generally takes approximately 7–21 business days. Your credit is then applied toward the new materials needed for your finished CMD piece.
While the recycling process is underway, I begin working with your stone measurements and everything we discussed during our first meeting to confirm the specifications of your new piece. This is where everything starts to take shape.
I’ll send you design direction and/or sketches to review based on our initial conversation. Consider this the fine-tuning stage. You’ll also receive a detailed quote for your finished piece, with your $250 deposit and any recycling credit applied.
If you’d like anything adjusted, whether that’s the design, scale, materials or price point, we refine it before moving forward. Nothing is finalized or put into production until you feel confident and excited about the design.
This is one of the most important checkpoints in the process. Before we order materials or give my team the go-ahead to begin production, you’ll have approved the final design, materials and total investment.
Payment for the remaining project balance is also due at this stage. Once everything is approved and paid, we officially move into production.
Once approved, we order any additional materials needed and production officially begins in our Upstate New York studio.
Depending on the project, the process may include hand fabrication, wax modeling and casting, stone setting, soldering, shaping, finishing and plenty of tiny adjustments along the way. Every Custom and Reconstruction piece is handmade, and this is the stage where the idea we’ve been developing together finally becomes something tangible.
Throughout this stage, I stay in touch, whether that’s via text, email or a quick call. I love having touch points throughout the process. I’ll ask about your communication preferences during our early meetings, and we can always adjust as we go. I want this to feel easy and natural for you.
One of the most important things to know is that you’ll hear from me throughout the process. That may be a quick update, a design check-in, a photo or video from production, or a question that requires your input.
This is collaborative work. I’m here to guide you through it, but you’re part of the important decisions along the way.
At the end of this process, you receive something entirely new that still carries pieces of what came before. That’s what I love most about Reconstruction.
It’s not just about making a beautiful piece. It’s about carrying something forward in a way that feels aligned with who you are now.
If you’ve been hesitating because you’re unsure how Reconstruction works, I hope this gives you some clarity. It is a process, but it’s one I walk you through step by step. You won’t be left wondering what happens next, and important decisions aren’t made without your knowledge and approval.
If you’re ready to begin, I’d love to work with you. And if you want an even deeper look at pricing, recycling, materials, stone reuse and what qualifies for a project, read my complete Reconstruction & Recycling Magic at CMD guide.
Have a piece and feel ready to go? Let’s start shaping something meaningful together.
BOOK A RECONSTRUCTION APPOINTMENT
Not quite ready to begin? A complimentary 15-minute consultation is a great place to ask a few initial questions and see whether CMD Reconstruction feels like the right fit.
Until then,
Colleen
© Colleen Mauer Designs. All rights reserved.
Published: April 15, 2026
Updated: August 27, 2026
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