Sometimes your lived experiences become your why.
I certainly didn't know that when I started making jewelry at 15 years old.
Back then, I was standing in the aisles of the craft store picking out beads and supplies to make costume jewelry simply because I loved creating. I was the girl who loved cute, colorful earrings, bracelets and anything that felt a little different. I wanted jewelry that felt like me, and making it gave me a way to experiment with color, learn something new and see what I could create with my own hands.
I wasn't thinking about jewelry quality, materials or what any of this might become more than 20 years later.
I was just having fun.
But there was one problem.
I loved jewelry. My skin didn't always love jewelry back.
When Loving Jewelry and Wearing It Were Two Different Things
I have dealt with a severe sensitivity to nickel for most of my life.
And if you've ever experienced a reaction to something you're wearing, you know how miserable it can be.
I tried all the tricks.
I remember using those little clear plastic covers that slipped over earring posts and wearing plastic earring backs in an attempt to keep the metal away from my ears. My grandpa even taught me the old clear-nail-polish trick, so I would paint the backs of watches and other pieces that touched my skin.
It wasn't only jewelry, either. Even the little metal brads on jeans could cause a reaction.
There were times when my ears would become swollen and irritated. There were rashes. There was discomfort. And eventually there were reminders left on my skin from those reactions.
At 15, though, I wasn't analyzing jewelry materials.
My budget certainly wasn't either.
I was learning. I was experimenting. I was making costume jewelry with the materials available to me and enjoying the creative process.
Looking back, I'm actually grateful for that stage.
You have to start somewhere.
Those inexpensive supplies gave me the freedom to make mistakes, practice techniques and learn without being terrified that I was ruining an expensive material. I've always loved learning new skills, testing things and figuring out how I can make something better.
Over time, though, what I was willing to make and what I was willing to wear began to change.
The More I Learned, the More My Standards Changed
For years, I used to tell my husband some version of, "If you're buying me jewelry, it has to be the good stuff."
At the time, that often meant looking for solid gold or gold-filled pieces because I was trying to avoid another reaction.
But buying better jewelry could get expensive, and I genuinely loved making my own.
So I kept learning.
As my skills grew, I started investing in better components and learning more about the materials available to jewelry makers. I learned about sourcing. I learned very quickly that buying quality materials at wholesale is an investment, even when purchasing in larger quantities.
Most importantly, I started paying much closer attention to what happened after a piece was made.
How did it feel?
How did my skin respond?
How did the materials wear over time?
Did I actually enjoy living in it?
Because a piece can look beautiful when you first put it on. What happens afterward tells you so much more.
Beautiful Isn't the Only Thing That Matters
That became increasingly important when I started what was then Cappa Creations.
By that point, I knew I didn't want to create jewelry I couldn't comfortably enjoy myself. My own experiences made skin sensitivity something I thought about when selecting materials, and testing became part of my process.
I still wear and test pieces myself because I want to understand what I'm working with before I ask someone else to wear it.
No material can promise the exact same experience for every person. Our bodies and sensitivities are different. My own history, however, taught me to take material choices seriously.
Over the years, I've worked with and learned about materials including sterling silver, gold-filled components, gemstones, pearls and, eventually, 18K gold PVD.
Each step taught me more.
But then my life changed again.
I became a mom.
And suddenly I had a completely different test for jewelry quality.
Motherhood Taught Me That Jewelry Has to Work in Real Life
I have four boys.
My jewelry needs to keep up.
There have been seasons of my life when I would change my bracelet stacks constantly because styling and stacking jewelry is genuinely something I love. There have also been seasons when the same necklace stayed on because I simply wasn't thinking about taking it off every few days.
Life was happening.
There were kids to take care of. Places to go. Trips to take. Outfits to throw together. Regular everyday life that didn't stop because I happened to be wearing jewelry.
And I started getting frustrated with pieces that couldn't keep up with that.
I didn't want to constantly wonder whether something was too fragile. I didn't want to love a piece and then feel like I could barely wear it. I didn't want jewelry that looked wonderful at first but quickly became something I stopped reaching for.
The older I got, the clearer something became:
Beautiful jewelry isn't enough for me. It has to work for the woman wearing it.
That realization eventually became incredibly important when Cappa Creations grew into Charlotte's Cove.
The Standards Behind Charlotte's Cove Are Personal
When I rebranded, I knew I wanted to raise my own standards.
I had spent years learning what frustrated me as a jewelry wearer and what mattered to me as a jewelry maker. I wanted to invest more time into understanding materials, construction and how different components performed in real life.
My sensitive skin influenced that.
Being a mom influenced it.
More than 20 years of making jewelry influenced it.
So did all the pieces I loved, all the pieces that disappointed me and all the little experiments in between.
Today, those experiences influence why I choose materials such as quality gemstones and pearls, sterling silver, gold-filled components and 18K gold PVD where appropriate for a design.
They also influence why I care so much about tarnish resistance, thoughtful construction and teaching customers how to properly care for and store their jewelry.
That commitment to craftsmanship is also why qualifying pieces are backed by Charlotte's Cove's One-Year Lasting Quality Guarantee.
Because I've learned that quality isn't one single thing.
What 20+ Years Have Taught Me to Look for in Jewelry
When I'm considering a piece of jewelry today, I'm not simply asking whether it's pretty.
Of course I want it to be beautiful. Jewelry should make you happy when you put it on.
But experience has taught me to ask more questions.
What is it made from?
Materials matter, especially when you know your skin is sensitive or you want something you can reach for repeatedly.
How is it constructed?
A beautiful component doesn't mean much if the finished piece hasn't been thoughtfully put together.
How does it fit into real life?
The answer will be different for every woman. Your favorite jewelry should make sense for the way you actually live.
How should it be cared for?
Better materials don't mean jewelry should be ignored. Proper care and storage help set your pieces up for success and are part of owning jewelry you want to enjoy for years. You can also follow the Charlotte's Cove Jewelry Care Guide for simple instructions on caring for your pieces.
And most importantly, do I genuinely love wearing it?
Because that matters too.
I don't believe jewelry should spend its life waiting for some imaginary perfect occasion.
The pieces I love become part of my life. They travel with me. They finish an outfit. They remind me of places I love. I stack them, change them, come back to old favorites and find new combinations.
Jewelry should be enjoyed.
Sometimes Your Lived Experiences Become Your Why
I couldn't have explained any of this at 15.
I certainly wasn't standing in the craft store thinking about the standards of a jewelry brand I would build more than two decades later.
I was just a creative kid who loved jewelry and wanted to make something beautiful.
But all those experiences added up.
The irritated ears.
The plastic earring backs.
My grandpa and his clear nail polish trick.
The inexpensive materials I learned on.
The better materials I eventually invested in.
The pieces I tested.
The mistakes I made.
The things I learned from becoming a mom and needing my jewelry to keep up with an increasingly full life.
And more than 20 years later, I can see the thread connecting all of it.
Sometimes your lived experiences become your why.
Mine taught me that the jewelry I create shouldn't simply look beautiful. I want to understand what I'm making, feel confident in the materials I've chosen and create pieces meant to become part of someone's real life.
Because I know what it feels like to really love jewelry and feel like you can't comfortably wear it.
And I know I'm not the only woman who has felt that way.
That's part of why the standards behind Charlotte's Cove are so personal to me.
I want you to love what you wear, feel good wearing it and have jewelry that becomes part of the memories you're actually making.
That's the kind of jewelry I wanted for myself.
And after more than 20 years, it's still the kind I want to make for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Charlotte's Cove focus so much on jewelry materials?
Material choices are personal to me because my own skin sensitivities have influenced the way I wear and make jewelry for years. That experience led me to pay close attention to the materials I choose and how pieces perform when they're actually worn.
What materials does Charlotte's Cove use?
Materials vary by design and may include sterling silver, 14K gold-filled components, 18K gold PVD, pearls and gemstones. Always check the individual product description for the confirmed materials used in a specific piece.
Can any jewelry be guaranteed not to irritate sensitive skin?
Everyone's skin and sensitivities are different, so I don't believe in promising that every material will work identically for every person. If you know you have a particular metal sensitivity, checking the materials of an individual piece before purchasing is always important.
Does quality jewelry still need special care?
Yes. Thoughtful care and proper storage are still important. Understanding how to care for the specific materials in your jewelry can help you protect the pieces you love and enjoy them longer. You can find my complete jewelry care recommendations in the Charlotte's Cove Jewelry Care Guide.
Jewelry Made for Real Life
Charlotte's Cove grew from years of learning what I wanted from my own jewelry: beautiful pieces thoughtfully made for a life that's actually being lived.
If you'd like to see how those lessons have shaped the jewelry I create today, you can shop Charlotte's Cove jewelry and find the pieces that feel most like you.