South+magazine+74_+Southern+Style+Issue-123

HAND-CRAFTED JEWELRY / KRISTEN Owner, Kristen BAIRD JEWELRY Baird SABWarlliavniannnnditnnhOgaefhEfDe’sxrepsOteaAwriwlinsea:nJrecdwe-elry / Sure, buying rings and earrings from big box PHOTOS BY: CEDRIC SMITH & BLAKE CROSBY jewelry stores can be quick and easy, but at the end of the day, do these stores have your best interests at heart in the same way as local brand Kristen Baird Jewelry? Baird, a highly skilled craftswoman—SCAD alumni and protégé of Blaine Lewis, master jeweler and former lead stone setting trainer at Tiffany & Co.—designs and creates top-of-the- line, luxury jewelry inspired by nature, crafted by hand, and cherished forever. Whether it’s an engagement ring, a piece from Baird’s signature collection, or a commissioned work, a unique attention to detail and personal touch is placed on each design. At the end of the day, this helps Baird achieve her mission of being customer focused while presenting a jewelry collection that is injected with passion, heart and the soul of the South. When the soul is placed in a piece of jewelry, it can be seen and felt by anyone who wears it. “My clients tell me that my jewelry contains a happiness and joy,” Baird says. “A sense of nostalgia and a feeling of freedom. That makes me smile!” While each piece is handcrafted in Savannah by Baird and her team, the materials Baird hand selects are ethically sourced from vendors and suppliers around the world and adhere to strict international certification processes, leaving her customers feeling secure in their purchases. “No blood diamonds. No shady practices,” says Baird. With the same passion that drives her when designing her internationally recognized jewelry collections, Baird is focused on paying it forward in our community. Kristen Baird Jewelry partners with S.D. Gunner Fund, a local non-profit with a mission to provide trained service dogs to veterans and disabled children. • “It’s about more than the jewelry alone,” Baird says. “It’s about making a difference and giving back to the community that has given so much to me.” KRISTENBAIRD.COM 804.647.6096 SPECIAL ADVERTORIAL • STYLE & LUXURY SOUTH August | September 2018 123