Jewelry Archives - Chanelle Carlin Weddings

Choosing an engagement ring is one of the most personal decisions a couple will make — and yet, so many people feel pressure to follow outdated rules, trends, or expectations that don’t truly reflect who they are.

On a recent episode of the Now You May Kiss™ podcast, I had the opportunity to sit down with Carter Eve, founder and designer of Carter Eve Jewelry, to explore what it really means to design jewelry with intention, sustainability, and story at the center.

From engagement rings to heirloom transformations, this conversation reminds couples that — just like their wedding ceremony — their jewelry should feel authentic, personal, and deeply meaningful.

A Childhood Spark That Became a Calling

Carter Eve’s journey into fine jewelry began long before formal training or professional titles. Growing up in Connecticut, she was fascinated by gemstones brought home by one of her father’s international colleagues. What felt magical and mysterious as a child soon became a lifelong passion.

That curiosity led Carter to art school, where she explored many creative disciplines before discovering jewelry design. Living above a jewelry store in New York City, she became captivated by the craftsmanship happening behind the scenes — eventually pursuing formal jewelry training, apprenticeships, and advanced degrees.

Carter went on to earn her BFA in Jewelry and Objects from the Savannah College of Art and Design, a Master’s degree in Jewelry and Metalsmithing from the Rhode Island School of Design, and apprenticed under a master goldsmith — a combination of education and hands-on experience that deeply informs her work today.

Why Engagement Rings Should Never Be One-Size-Fits-All

As your Celebrant for Life^TM, I believe that every ceremony should reflect the couple standing in front of me. It is your story, your values, and your vision for the life you’re creating together.

Carter brings that same philosophy into her jewelry design.

There is no single “right” engagement ring. Instead, the right ring is the one that:

Reflects your personal style
Fits your lifestyle and daily activities
Honors your story and values
Feels like you

Whether that means a simple diamond band, a vintage-inspired heirloom setting, or a bold, celestial cluster of stones, Carter encourages couples to let go of outdated rules — including the infamous “three months’ salary” myth.

We are living in a time where engagement rings can be expressive, creative, sustainable, and deeply personal.

Reimagining Heirloom Jewelry with Heart & Sustainability

One of the most powerful parts of our conversation centered on heirloom jewelry. If you’ve followed me for any amount of time, you KNOW how much I love heirloom jewelry. The reality though is that pieces passed down through generations that may no longer suit modern styles, but they often hold immense sentimental value.

Carter specializes in transforming heirloom pieces by:

Resetting center stones into new, modern designs
Melting and reusing gold to create something entirely new
Repurposing accent stones into clusters, bands, or earrings

This process not only supports sustainability through reuse and recycling, but also preserves the emotional energy, lineage, and memory carried within the original piece.

For many couples, an heirloom engagement or wedding ring becomes a tangible bridge between generations — honoring the past while celebrating the future.

Caring for Engagement Rings & Fine Jewelry

Fine jewelry is designed to be worn — but it also requires care. During our interview, Carter shared practical, real-life advice that couples often don’t hear:

Everyday Jewelry Care Tips

Remove rings when working out (yoga included), gardening, cleaning, or lifting weights
Avoid wearing rings while applying lotion or perfume
Store rings in a consistent, safe place at home
When in doubt — take it off

Professional Care Matters

Have engagement rings professionally cleaned and checked every six months
Regular inspections help prevent loose prongs and lost stones
Think of ring maintenance like caring for a car — preventative care matters

These simple habits can prevent heartbreaking loss, especially for irreplaceable heirloom pieces.

Why Appraisals & Insurance Are Essential

One of the most important — and often overlooked — topics Carter discusses is insurance.

To insure a ring properly, it must first be appraised. For custom pieces, Carter provides appraisals upon completion. For vintage or estate jewelry, it’s essential to work with an appraiser who specializes in those pieces.

Insurance offers peace of mind — not because couples expect loss, but because life happens. Fires, accidents, theft, and natural disasters can occur, and having coverage allows couples the ability to recreate or restore something meaningful if the unthinkable happens.

As Carter shared from personal experience in Los Angeles, many clients who lost everything in wildfires were grateful to at least have the ability to rebuild treasured pieces.

Enjoy the Engagement Process

Perhaps Carter’s most heartfelt advice is this: Slow down and enjoy the process.

Engagements are emotional. There is pressure for everything to be perfect. But the ring — like the wedding and the marriage itself — should feel joyful, aligned, and true to who you are.

When couples choose rings that reflect their real lives, personal style, and shared values, the experience becomes not only easier, but far more meaningful.

About Carter Eve Jewelry

Carter Eve, Founder of Carter Eve Jewelry

Carter Eve Jewelry is a Los Angeles–based fine jewelry studio specializing in handcrafted engagement rings, custom designs, and heirloom transformations. Carter works with recycled gold, ethically sourced gemstones, and conflict-free diamonds to create timeless, wearable pieces designed to honor personal stories and intentional love.

Connect with Carter Eve Jewelry

Website: https://carterevejewelry.com
Instagram: @carterevejewelry
TikTok: @carterevejewelry
Pinterest, YouTube & Facebook: Carter Eve Jewelry

A Note from Chanelle

Chanelle Carlin — Photo credit: Roxanne Best, Roxtography

As a Wedding Officiant and your Celebrant for Life™, I believe every wedding — and every symbol surrounding it — should reflect the couple it represents. Your engagement and wedding rings, like your vows, are a promise rooted in who you are and who you are becoming together.

Chanelle guides legacy-driven couples as they establish enduring marriages through intentional, artfully crafted ceremony. Request your private consultation.

For those who know me or have spent any time reading my website, you know that I lived in Ireland for eight years…and loved every minute of my time there. So, in honor of the month we’re in…March… and a little over a week from St. Patrick’s Day, I thought I would share a post today about one of my favorite Irish symbols and one that couples often ask about…the Claddagh. Before I get to that, I thought I would reflect on Ireland for a sec. It is the one place apart from Camp Killoqua in Stanwood, Washington that ever truly felt like home. Sometime, I will share a bit more about my Irish experience and how it influences me as your Celebrant for Life. In the meantime, here are a couple of photos from my time there. The first is a photo of the top of the street that I lived on when I first moved to Ireland (after staying with friends). If you look closely, there is a red brick building in the middle of the photo on the right. That was my building. I shared a flat (apartment) with two other girls. My first job in Ireland was down at the other end of the street on the left.

Dublin Street, Monaghan. The street where I first lived in Monaghan, Ireland.

woman standing in a pink coat next to a hedge in rural ireland with gray buildings in background — Me standing along the side of a hedge in Clogher, Co. Tyrone (approx. 2010)

The Claddagh – enough about me for now…

I thought you might enjoy a little history as well as info on how to wear the Claddagh ring, plus one VERY important piece of info that you’ll want to read at the very end.

The Claddagh is one of Ireland’s most recognized and precious images. Two hands embracing a heart adorned with a crown symbolize the purity of a cherished relationship – friendship (hands), love (heart) and loyalty (crown).

Claddagh is a Place

When we hear “Claddagh”, most of us think ring or maybe even door knocker. But Claddagh is actually a place. It’s located in County Galway on the west coast of Ireland and THE place where a fisherman-turned-goldsmith transformed his undying commitment to the woman he loved into the renowned band of gold. (More about the legend in a bit…)

In an area once known as the Fish Market and named after the Irish word for “shore” – an Cladach, Claddagh is one of Ireland’s oldest former fishing communities. It is located in Galway city, just across the River Corrib from the Spanish and Caoċ Arches, the remaining structure of a protective wall constructed in 1584. Very little of the original village is present today due to shifts in industry, emigration, disease and war but the history and lore remains. You can find out more about Claddagh here .

Hands, Heart & Crown

There are many legends surrounding the original design of the Claddagh ring and most point toward Galway fisherman Richard Joyce. In the late 17th century, Joyce was captured by pirates and sold into slavery. While in servitude, he forged a ring of gold for his true love back in Galway featuring three symbols: a heart of love, a crown of loyalty and hands of friendship. After his release back to his village of Claddagh, he married the woman who had waited years for him to return. “With these hands I give you my heart, and I crown it with my love”.

Traditionally, a Claddagh ring was passed from a mother to her daughter. Or in my case, from daughter to mother. I gave my mom a pair of Claddagh earrings when I lived in Ireland. Often a family heirloom, the symbol of love, loyalty and friendship is also commonly exchanged between friends.

Most popular though is the wearing of a Claddagh ring as a symbol of romance. The Claddagh ring is to be worn in a specific way depending upon your relationship ‘status.’

How to Wear a Claddagh Ring

Before getting married, the ring should be worn on your right hand.

If you’re single, wear the ring with your heart facing out. This tells people you’re open to dating, i.e. that your heart is available to give to another person. The heart should point toward the end of your finger, rather than the center of your hand, and the crown should point inward.

Once you’re dating someone and you feel committed, wear the ring with the heart facing in. This shows your heart is currently unavailable. The Claddagh should be turned around so the heart points toward the center of your hand.

Once you are married, the ring can be moved to the left hand. For some, you can move the Claddagh ring to the left hand once you’re engaged (heart pointing out to the tip of your finger) and then turned around to have the heart pointed toward the center of your hand as part of the wedding ceremony.

Important….

Regardless of whether or not you’re looking for love, one thing is certain – never buy your own Claddagh ring. It must be gifted or received. It’s bad luck, and who knows more about luck than the Irish?

I hope you enjoyed this brief little post about one of my favorite Irish symbols as we get ready for St. Patrick’s Day. Do you have a favorite Irish symbol? Have you been to Ireland? I’d love to hear one of your stories.

Thank you as well to https://www.claddaghrings.com/the-meaning-and-origin-of-the-claddagh-ring/ and https://oghamart.com/blogs/news/the-meaning-of-the-claddagh for much of the information gathered for this post.

About Chanelle:

Chanelle Carlin is Your Celebrant for Life. She is an ordained minister, professional wedding officiant, coach, and owner of Chanelle Carlin Weddings, LLC. Believing that life and love should be celebrated every minute, she collaborates with couples who’ve already started building the foundations of their relationship over the years and are now ready to venture forth into marriage with a custom, memorable (for all the right reasons) elopement/intimate wedding ceremony. While Chanelle works throughout the Pacific Northwest and Ireland primarily, she gladly travels to wherever her couples prefer to marry. As their Celebrant for Life, Chanelle also celebrates all the special milestones and moments that matter in each of her couples’ lives. She lives with her family in rural Okanogan County, Washington, USA, and totally LOVES her life. You can visit Chanelle at www.chanellecarlin.com, on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

Meaningful Engagement Rings, Heirloom Jewelry & Intentional Design with Carter Eve