When jewelry designer Jenny McHugh had her daughter Campbell, she found motherhood so magical and mighty that it transformed how she thought about her own potential and future. She used this strength to make the leap from a 15 year corporate career into creating and building her luxe jewelry brand, Campbell + Charlotte. It was clear to Jenny that she wanted to create for the future, to make heirloom quality jewelry that customers would have to pass down from generation to generation.
The line is named and inspired by her daughter, Campbell, and the city where it all started, Charlotte, NC. Jenny designs all Campbell + Charlotte pieces in her Charlotte studio, and they are handmade in the diamond district in NYC. Each collection in the line is a reflection of the intense emotions and phases Jenny has experienced in her journey as a mother, and she works to translate these emotions into a design element that can inform that collection.
I still get so much inspiration from Campbell – children find fascination and wonder in the smallest things. Campbell is my perpetual muse, and I use her eyes and her imagination to remind me to slow down and find inspiration in those everyday things I may otherwise overlook.
Known for Custom Jewelry Creations
In addition to having a ready to wear collection, Jenny works extensively with clients on custom projects. She hosts clients in her studio here in Charlotte, meets with many clients virtually, and is also happy to visit her clients’ homes, if they prefer. There are a number of ways this comes to life with her clients, and this is definitely one of scoop’s favorite services at Campbell + Charlotte. Why have something out-dated or old-fashioned tucked away, never worn, in your jewelry box when Jenny can transform it into something gorgeous you can wear everyday?
Reimagining and/or Resetting Heirloom Pieces
“This client had an old malachite box that was her grandmother’s and a diamond eternity band she was no longer wearing. We custom cut the malachite box into a jumbo version of our Found Octagon Pendant necklace and used her diamonds from the band in the pendant.”
Jenny helps clients search through their jewelry for special or valuable heirloom pieces they are no longer wearing to help redesign or reimagine into a piece they will love. This can be as simple as resetting an existing stones into a more modern setting or completely designing a custom, one-of-a-kind piece using an heirloom piece’s components. Jenny can carefully remove stones from existing settings to use these stones in new pieces for clients and helps clients source new stones to bring a new design to life.
This client had her grandmother’s engagement ring and wedding band. We took out the center diamond and used it to create a beautiful diamond and blue sapphire trillion engagement ring. This client wanted a two toned metal ring so we used platinum for the ring’s setting and 18K gold for the band.
Custom Design from Scratch
Often Jenny will have a client that has been imagining or dreaming of a specific piece of jewelry but unable to find it anywhere. Jenny can help bring any design to life and create something completely custom and completely one of a kind. This can include designing the piece hand-in-hand with a client, sourcing any necessary gemstone all the way through production with her talented jeweler in NYC.
This client inherited a lot of jewelry that was not really her style. We removed old diamonds and gemstones from the jewelry and melted down most of it at our refinery and she got a hefty chunk of change.
She had been envisioning this bangle for years. She wanted it to be a statement piece she could still wear everyday. It has her wedding anniversary in roman numerals. Between each component of the date, we used one of her existing diamonds from the jewelry she inherited.
Custom Engagement & Bridal
Jenny has an extensive custom engagement and bridal business. This includes engagement rings, wedding bands and/or any jewelry necessary for the big day. She works hand in hand with brides and grooms to bring their jewelry dreams to life. She loves to work in non-traditional stones and unique designs that brides and grooms may not find elsewhere. When you design from scratch, anything is possible!
Gold Exchange Program
With the high price of gold, Jenny has been working with lots of her clients to cash in on gold they have lying around in their jewelry box that they aren’t wearing. Jenny helps clients identify pieces they are no longer wearing, melts these pieces down at her refinery and presents clients with a check for the gold. Clients can either put this money towards a piece of jewelry with Jenny or deposit it for a rainy day. This is a great way to find some extra cash or help fund a new piece of jewelry.
How It Can Work for You
This client had a bunch of old gold jewelry from her wedding that she was no longer wearing that would be worth quite a lot if melted down (earrings & bangles).
She also had an old engagement ring she was no longer wearing.
We melted down her gold for cash and then we designed a super cool ring she could wear everyday, using some of the diamonds from her old engagement ring.
Campbell + Charlotte Ready to Wear Collection
No heirlooms in your jewelry cache? No worries. Campbell + Charlotte’s currently has four RTW collections, each with its own inspiration and aesthetic. In keeping with the brand’s bespoke jewelry services, all existing pieces can be customized to a client’s preference in stones and/or types of metal (i.e. platinum, rose gold, white gold, etc).
Many pieces are perfect for Mother’s Day. Jenny has selected a few suggestions based on what type of mom you are or, are shopping for.
For moms who love to layer & stack
For moms who love color
For a classic mom looking for an everyday piece
Above all, Jenny believes that fine jewelry should be fun. It is a luxury purchase that should leave a lasting smile on your face and a feeling of giddiness each time you wear it. As she says, Campbell + Charlotte is about “Serious jewels for those who don’t take themselves too seriously”. Check out the entire ready-to-wear line at the website, and schedule a visit with her about creating your own custom, re-imagined piece today!
