By Irina Missiuro

A custom jeweler’s goal and the means of achieving it are similar to those of a psychologist’s: Both aim to get to the bottom of a client’s desires via subtle questioning. And that’s especially true when repurposing an heirloom. The memories in such pieces can be joyous, but they can also be poignant—and you never know when a question might touch a tender spot. “I’m like a therapist where inherited jewelry is concerned,” says Calla Gold of Calla Gold Jewelry in Santa Barbara, California.