We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rachel Rose Dazey a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Rachel Rose, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

On a flight to Tucson, Arizona I met the first woman appointed to the South Dakota Supreme Court. She had recently retired and shared her amazing story of being an outlier in her field, achieving greatness and recently losing her husband. I told her about my jewelry design practice and we came up with a plan to take her original engagement ring and her late husbands wedding band and repurpose the materials in a design that honored both her past and the life she was now creating for herself. She picked a beautiful sapphire from my collection to be the grounding centerpiece for a new ring and I used the small diamonds and gold from her heirloom pieces in the rest of the band. Using materials from her past while creating a new symbol of power for her future, I created a ring that will act as a grounding token for her to wear everyday, honoring the incredible story of her life. Working with women to create tokens that honor their story and empower their evolution is incredibly meaningful for me as the designer and creator.

Rachel Rose, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

The first piece of jewelry I made I traded for tacos in Mexico City. I watched the woman put the bracelet on her wrist, talk to her friends and her daughter about it and light up the whole block. I knew in a small way, my fate had changed in that moment. Jewelry transforms the way we show up, how we think and feel about ourselves. The power it gives me as a designer and storyteller is incredible. I am able to weave people’s stories into bespoke pieces and create tokens of power, intention and joy that infuse people’s thought patterns as they put the jewelry on in the morning or see it on themselves throughout the day.

I use heirloom materials for many of my bespoke pieces, extracting gemstones from ancestral pieces and melting gold into new designs so my clients are able to carry their past with them while creating a piece more fit to their aesthetic and goals. The custom engagement rings I create tell the love story specific to the couples I work with, creating talismans of love and meaning. Conceptually designing pieces that honor the wearer creates a powerful daily reminder to honor and respect themselves.

When I first started making jewelry I worked in copper and found materials. As I evolved as an artist I moved into more precious materials and gemstones, earning my Graduate Degree in diamonds from the Gemological Institute of America. Evolution has been central to my success and happiness. I founded my brand, Dillon Rose, out of a spare bedroom in 2015 while my husband, 2 kids and I all shared the other bedroom. We spent all our savings on a laptop, quality camera and creating the legal structure for the business. 2 years later we moved the business out of the house, leased a space for 7 years and I just purchased a commercial building that houses my business and 3 other artists. It was only through dedication and sacrifice that I was able to keep growing a sustainable business.

My studio is 100% vertically integrated, meaning we complete every task in house. From design to casting, finishing and photography. This allows us to create the highest quality heirloom jewelry and work with precious gems and family materials that never leave our studio. Most jewelry designers depend on other businesses to complete their work, leading to less controlled quality and shipping client material cross country, sometimes multiple times. We are proud to keep everything in house and intricately appreciate each step required to complete a piece. We use 100% recycled metals, sustainably sourced gemstones and are part of the 1% For The Planet members, ensuring our environmental footprint is light.

Beyond making jewelry I am a multidisciplinary artist, exploring identity in the American West and cultivating experiences that create community and connection. One of the ways I express this is with my ‘Hidden Gem’ Dinners, a collaboration with a baker and chef to create unique experiences. One of my rings, with design that inspires intention setting, is baked into a loaf of bread. We start the dinner out by literally breaking bread together; one person finds the ring and gets to keep it. A moment of connection and intention setting is created for everyone in the room followed by a beautiful dinner with a local chef.

The key to my success and happiness is embracing my entire life as an art form. I creatively engage with business communities, with my children, with my clients and with myself, approaching struggle with curiosity.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

It’s difficult to quantify the value of the creative process. As the founder of a successful business I have navigated the entrepreneurial landscape with frustration. Creativity is core to my business and my being, leading to intuitive decision making that doesn’t always make logical business sense, but almost always adds to the overall value of my brand and desire for my offerings. People want authenticity, authenticity often requires patience for the creative process and product to emerge. Appreciating the process is critical. Sharing the process, including failures, adds value to the final product.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Years ago I completed an exhausting crowdfunding campaign for lost wax casting equipment. I had taken a short course in the technique and knew the process could be revolutionary for my business. The modern machine I purchased was different from the rudimentary machine I was taught on but all the reviews and videos I watched made it look very easy to operate. When I finally got the equipment I put a big call out for pieces I would create using this new equipment to pay my funders back. Multiple orders came in and after days and days carving wax to create these highly valuable, one of a kind pieces, I was so excited to use my casting machine. I went on to have 3 casting failures in a row. The first one I took on the chin as a necessary learning curve and did more technique research. The second one was extremely disheartening (and costly), but I adjusted a couple more things in my process. After the third failure I cried and cried on the floor of my studio, feeling completely overwhelmed and like I was in way over my head. On my next casting I didn’t follow the instructions for the machine and improvised based on how I thought metal should flow and had much better success. I have since perfected the process and it has truly revolutionized my business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dillonrose.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dillonrose/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dillonroseart
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-rose-dazey-629a3a189/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dillonrosejewelry

Image Credits

Seth Dillon Dazey on all photos