Caroline C – Creating Emotional Attachments

The winner of three AGTA awards three years in a row, Caroline Chartouni creates elegant and
emotional focal points for the hand, fingers, ears, and neck under her brand, Caroline C.

Caroline Chartouni

Multi gem earrings

Paraiba tourmaline and ruby ring

Paraiba tourmaline and diamond earrings

Rubellite and sapphire ring

    “Every piece I create must pass a ‘love test,’” explains Caroline, “or I won’t let it go.” It’s not enough for this talented designer that the fortunate new owner merely “likes” his or her meticulously crafted jewel—a jewel that is as beautiful and well-made on the back as it is on the front—he or she must feel an emotional attachment to it.
    Indeed, the emotional attachment with Caroline’s designs lies in the subtly of their beauty. “A strong design should never scream, ‘Look at me,’” she insists. “It should beckon you to explore every nuance—and as you do, to feel a sense of magic and joy.” Before Caroline begins a design, she spends time with her clients. She not only discusses what they would like, but learns about them, as individuals—their lifestyles, their tastes, their personalities, and why they want the piece. Is it to say “I love you,” or to enhance their individual style, or dazzle on an evening out? “Only then can I begin to design,” she says. “It starts with putting myself in my client’s world, how they live, what they feel, how they want to be perceived.” It’s at that point that her search begins: first, for the perfect approach, and then, and often just as challenging, for the perfect stones.
    Caroline frequently travels the world to find the right gems for her clients. “Finding perfectly matched 10 or 15-carat stones isn’t always easy,” she admits, having gone half way around the globe on numerous occasions to track down perfectly matched emeralds, rubies, diamonds, sapphires, and tourmalines, among others. As with many of her spectacular pieces, the gemstone often dictates the setting. “The design must showcase the stone’s unique qualities.”
    While diamonds are often used, she is partial to colored gems. We use a lot of color because it gives depth to jewelry. It can make it soft and subtle or exuberant and bold. Color expresses feelings—it creates feelings. When light hits a gemstone, it makes it come alive. I appreciate all gems, as they have meaning and attraction, from the glimmer of amethyst to the sparkle of diamond, from the radiance of sapphire to the fire of an orange spessartite, passing by the shimmering rainbows of opal. Having said that, however, one stone holds a special place in my heart—Paraiba tourmaline. The color is incomparable and it lends itself to infinite design possibilities.
    Where does she source her gems? “The answer is simple. We travel the world. We even go directly to the mines to find the perfect stones for special custom pieces. We have a wide range of gems in a multitude of sizes, from those used in casual jewelry to very rare gems destined for collectors.”
    Having grown up and studied in Paris, she credits the abundant art and beauty of the city for influencing her passion for both. “As a child,” Caroline explains, “my mother gave me the creative freedom and support to view the world and nature through an open window, without limitations.”
    Clearly, this creative freedom translates into beautiful pieces for Caroline’s appreciative clientele—many of whom return time after time for another chance to fall in love with a different piece of Caroline C jewelry—jewelry that creates an emotional attachment. (CarolineC.com)

AGTA winner 2015

AGTA winner in 2014

AGTA winner in 2013

Paraiba tourmaline and diamond ring