Blog

Some clients walk through the door and you just kinda know. Carol was one of them. I caught a glimpse of her and felt it immediately. I've always had a strong intuition about people — it's something I've learned to trust completely over the years. And the moment I saw Carol, I could feel the weight she was [...]

What I come back to, again and again, is this: the pieces that matter most are the ones that feel like they truly belong to you — because they hold something real. That’s always been the intention behind the Petite Symbols Collection. These designs are subtle but deeply personal — crafted in CMD’s signature [...]

There’s something about this time of year that makes me want to get out, reconnect, and spend more time face-to-face. I’m especially excited for a few upcoming chances to do just that — whether you’re local or a little farther away. Here's what's coming up over the next few weeks: First, Open Hours this weekend [...]

Thinking about transforming inherited jewelry, old wedding rings or family diamonds into something you’ll actually wear? I’m walking you through a CMD Reconstruction project from our first conversation and careful deconstruction to recycling, design, production and the finished piece, so you know [...]

One of the most common questions we hear is simple: “What size should I order?” And the honest answer is — there’s a bit of nuance. Over time, and through making tons of rings by hand, we’ve learned that shape matters just as much as size. Square rings = order true to size. Round or mixed stacks = order ½ size up [...]

Because CMD rings often feature nontraditional shapes like rounded squares — rigid squares, and sculptural bands — sizing can feel a little different than what you may be used to with standard circular rings. That’s why we take sizing very seriously around here. For all Custom Projects and Special Occasion [...] 

We love jewelry that holds a story but doesn’t need to shout about it. The initials sit subtly at the ends of the cuff — visible enough for you to see, but understated enough that the meaning remains personal. The new Chosen Family Cuff and Wide Chosen Family Cuff are the kinds of pieces that quietly become part of [...]

 Every time I land in San Francisco, something in my body exhales. There’s a light that feels familiar and the smell of eucalyptus and sea water is so grounding.The fog rolling in over Twin Peaks feels like an old friend. It’s cliché to say I left my heart here — but if I’m being honest, I kind of did. CMD was born here [...]

Every woman-owned business starts somewhere, and ours began with four little girls who had no idea they’d someday build, design, make, photograph, market and ship jewelry together across three states. For International Women’s Day, we’re looking back at the girls we were, the women we’ve become [...]

Some jewelry stories stay with me long after the piece leaves the studio. This is where I collect some of my favorite CMD Custom and Reconstruction projects, from inherited diamonds and redesigned wedding rings to one-of-a-kind bands created completely from scratch. Every project begins [...]

When LP Giobbi asked me backstage at the Fox Theatre if I would design her and Chad’s wedding bands, I was absolutely floored. Floored in the “hold it together, Colleen” kind of way. Internally, I was doing cartwheels. If you’ve been here a while, you know that LP and I first connected through music and mutual admiration. [...]

Have heirloom diamonds, an old wedding ring or precious metal you no longer wear? CMD Reconstruction gives those materials a new direction. I’m breaking down how we reuse stones, recycle eligible gold for credit, design custom jewelry, determine pricing and sizing, and what to expect from your first [...]

I believe in owning fewer pieces of jewelry and choosing them intentionally. The pieces worth keeping are the ones that feel good on your body, work with your real life and grow more meaningful the longer you wear them. I’m sharing why slow jewelry, thoughtful materials, timeless design [...]

Stephanie inherited a peridot ring her mother had worn nearly every day, a piece that had already traveled through three generations of her family. She loved what it meant, but the original setting never felt quite like her. Through CMD Reconstruction, we preserved the stone at the heart of its story and gave it an entirely [...]

Gold and silver prices change constantly, and when your work begins with real precious metal, those shifts matter. I’m pulling back the curtain on how rising material costs affect a small handmade jewelry studio, why we save and recycle every usable scrap, and how the old gold sitting in your own [...]