Selling 10K White Gold Rings with CZ Stones: Is Melting the Best Option?

Question
I have a few 10k white gold rings with CZ stones that I no longer wear. I'm wondering if they could be melted down into something new?

Answer
Good morning Sandra, Sure they could be melted down, however you need to aware that it is not prudent to just melt down rings to convert into something else. Here is why. It will cost you about triple to do this. Your best bet is to just sell the rings right now for their gold value since gold has been trading at well over $1100 per ounce. Don't expect to get a lot for them since 10K is only 42% pure gold and 58% alloy for strength... Designing something new from scratch involves, carving a wax, casting, polishing and setting stones. This is why you can spend triple-all that labor.  othersise the jeweler you pick can show you ideas in his or other manufacturers catalogs that you can buy and apply the price you got from him against it which is what most people opt for.  When I had a retail jewelry store we used to take peoples gold, melt it in to a molten mass and drop it into cold water! When the molten gold hits the water it forms what we call an Ice Casting which is really cool and pendants were made this way, as another idea. Good luck.

Steve Kretser