"I began making jewelry fifteen years ago when I lived in Big Sur, California. My first piece was inspired by a necklace I had seen and admired, but wasn’t quite right for my taste, so I decided to make my own version. In the beginning, I used mostly beads but as time went on, and my passion grew, I began to truly appreciate high quality, natural gemstones. I have always valued the beauty and simplicity of natural, organic shapes and the quality of anything hand made. When I began to work with metal, I was finally able to truly create the pieces I was envisioning. My designs are organic and inspired by nature, yet elegant. I love the process of creating a piece of jewelry which is forged by my hands, individual in style and uniquely my own.
In 2010 I decided to turn my passion into a business, and began placing select pieces with a few local gift shops in Carmel. What began as a personal creative endeavor eventually grew to a thriving, local business. After gaining the support of loyal clients, I had an opportunity in 2012 to have my work represented in several high-end boutiques and department stores in Japan. Because my jewelry is handmade and organic with clean lines but a delicate style, my work found a substantial market base in Japan rather quickly and continued to expand significantly each year. For three years, the majority of my sales focused on the Asian market. With a desire to change the direction and approach of my business, as well as the type of jewelry I wanted to make, I expanded the business in 2017 with a stronger online presence and a more diverse catalog.
My life is inspired by nature and my jewelry reflects those images. My designs are organic yet elegant with a strong emphasis on high quality, natural gemstones and individually forged metal work. I make every piece myself with great attention to detail and each design is unique. I hope you enjoy wearing what inspires me so."
Kate Rider began making jewelry fifteen years ago. Her background in graphic arts inspires her approach towards simple, elegant, hand crafted pieces focusing on the interplay between high quality, natural gemstones and individually forged metal work. Her love of nature and an organic approach to life is reflected in each artistic piece. Kate lives in Carmel Valley, California with her husband and family. She is a champion equestrian, an accomplished runner, an advocate of health and nutrition, among many other endeavors. She divides her time between carpooling, pounding metal, making meals, managing her home and family, and much, much more.
