Reagan Charleston: I have been designing jewelry professionally for the past 8 months, but I have been making jewelry as long as I can remember.  As a child, I would dismantle my mom’s jewelry and make new pieces.  I was repurposing before it was cool.  I was such a nerd about it, I even made my parents buy me a rock polisher when I was around 9 or 10 so I could polish my own stones to use.  I hadn’t ever considered selling my pieces, but my husband pointed out that so many people were stopping to ask me where I had purchased things I had made.  Since then it has just organically evolved.

HOTR: Were you nervous to start selling your own designs?

  RC: There is a certain anxiety about creating something for others and not just for yourself.  When you design something for personal wear, you design it because you love it and you love wearing it.  When you design for others, there’s a chance still that only you will love it.  There was immediate interest in my pieces, so any anxious feelings over whether or not they would be well recieved was quelled, thank goodness!

HOTR: What is the process for designing each new piece of jewelry?

RC: The first step is sourcing.  I travel all over collecting gemstones, pearls, and components from different vendors and suppliers.  Then I literally spread everything out, set out all of my tools,  poor myself a glass of wine, and start putting pieces together.  Some pieces I plan as I am sourcing, but most often I just sit down with all of my baubles and gems, and sort it out from there.  It is almost a form of meditation, I work for as long as I feel inspired.  Some days I will make a piece or two, and some days I sit down and crank out a dozen pieces without even thinking about it.

RC: Hearing from cllients that they have never seen anything like it makes me extraordinarily happy.  I also loved when someone told me how beautiful and special she  felt when she wears my pieces.  It is so validating that something that makes me happy makes someone else happy.

HOTR: What piece are you most proud of and why?

 RC: I am proud of all of my designs, but I am decidedly most proud of my 14k gold Leone pendant that I just created.  It was inspired by a lovely thing I had seen in Italy on our honeymoon.  It is my very first custom pendant from my line and my heart swells each time I see it.

HOTR: What do you think sets RCD apart from other jewelry designers?

   RC: My pieces are different and unusual.  My collection has delicate qualities, but also has earthy, raw qualities. It is actually the contrast that provides the balance.  I think it is unexpected.

HOTR: What are your long-term goals for RCD?

  RC: I am currently in the process of designing my precious metals and precious stones collection that I hope will be eventually carried nationally in high end department stores.  I would also like to hire a staff to help me keep up with my handmade pieces so I can expand across the gulf region in small, locally owned boutiques.

HOTR: What kind of challenges have you faced from starting your own business?

 RC: When you start your own business, it is kind of unmapped.  When I started out, it was like, “Ok.  I have made all these beautiful things,  but now what?”  I’m a bit stubborn and like to figure things out for myself, but finding answers to my questions and overcoming any little bumps in the road feels that much more rewarding.