STYLE: A Look at Four Custom Jewelers in Charlotte – Charlotte Magazine

Millennials, born between the early 1980s and the mid-’90s, are the largest living generation with the greatest spending power, and they know exactly what they want to buy. Millennial shoppers value brand experience, emotional connection, sustainability, and customization, according to a 2020 IBM study. For the fine-jewelry industry, that requires a new kind of shopping experience that flips the traditional, often stuffy store—with its limited, mass-produced inventory and salesmanship—on its head. Here are four shops and custom jewelers in Charlotte that appeal to modern shoppers.

Sarah Poursh Designs

1308 Lorna St. By appointment only. 

Concierge jeweler Sarah Poursh grew up working in both her father’s and brother’s stores in the Los Angeles Jewelry District. At 23, her beloved dog died tragically in front of her. To cope with her grief, she created her first piece of custom jewelry, a necklace to memorialize him. A week after she finished it, a woman stopped her on the street in LA and offered to buy it. That woman turned out to be friends with the lead buyer for retail mogul Fred Segal, who asked Poursh to design a line of jewelry for him. (She ultimately declined the partnership because of the terms of the deal.) Now, she’s been in the custom jewelry business for more than 20 years, six in Charlotte. “As the industry grew, jewelers lost the empathy and patience that made the process enjoyable,” her website reads. “I knew I had to bring back that personal touch.” Her clients participate in every step of the process for their pieces, which allows them to have a say in sourcing and design, and as a certified diamond buyer, she has a “Diamond 101” course available for her clients.

Sarah Poursh Designs (above and below)

The Antiquarian 

2329 The Plaza, Ste. 101. 

As a trained archaeologist, Lindsay Parker says she’s enamored with the “items we choose to surround ourselves with … and the things we choose to pass down.” After working in corporate product design, she apprenticed under a master jeweler for four years before she opened her custom design studio, The Antiquarian, in Villa Heights in 2017. 

Today, she creates original pieces—from scratch or by repurposing sentimental items, like your grandmother’s wedding band or the buttons from your late father’s favorite jacket—that are high-caliber enough to become future heirlooms. At your first consultation, she’ll talk you through style, inspiration, materials, and budget, and you’ll be as much a part of the design process as you like. At the end, she’ll 3D-print a prototype so you can try it on and see how it fits.

The Antiquarian; Photo by Herman Nicholson

The Antiquarian; Herman Nicholson

Tiny Gods

2325 Crescent Ave. 

This intimate jewelry store carries pieces from a curated group of about 40 designers from across the globe. After two decades as a buyer for other fine-jewelry stores in Charlotte, founder Mary Margaret Beaver opened Tiny Gods in late 2020—with, according to her website, “a mission to connect clients with meaningful pieces of jewelry that reflect their own unique style and personality.” Her shop, in a stylish historic cottage in Eastover, with its vibrant decor, approachable staff, and focus on where each piece is from, feels far from conventional.

Courtesy, Tiny Gods

Courtesy, Tiny Gods (above and below)

The Golden Carrot

2120 South Blvd., Ste. 3. 

As a young actress in New York City, Nicole Corriher would browse her favorite boutique jewelry stores, like Catbird and Love Adorned, whenever she needed a pick-me-up. After her daughter was born in 2013, she retired from acting and moved to Hoboken, New Jersey, where she opened The Golden Carrot, a cozy store with vintage estate pieces and gold jewelry from Corriher’s favorite independent designers. When her family relocated to Charlotte in 2019 to be closer to her husband’s family, Corriher moved The Golden Carrot’s brick-and-mortar shop to Atherton Mill in South End. The store’s soft, blush-pink interior and vintage-inspired displays enhance the experience. It’s so dreamy, you might just curl up on one of the boucle barrel chairs for a snooze.

The Golden Carrot; Photos Courtesy, Erin Bowman Creative

The Golden Carrot shop in South End.

Tess Allen is the associate editor.