Inspired by architecture, handcrafted in California.
Annachich celebrates historic architecture and interior design movements by re-imagining their details as contemporary jewelry. Each collection represents a modern interpretation of an interior design style, or a real building’s architectural elements. Our handcrafted jewels are perfect for bold women that appreciate preservation.
We are passionate about ethical manufacturing and locally source materials whenever possible. Our fine jewelry is created from recycled silver and gold; our fashion jewelry in plated using an environmentally friendly process.
The Annachich Jewelry Story
The Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts occupied the corner unit on the 9th floor of San Francisco’s historic Phelan Building for over 30 years. Run by master goldsmith Alan Revere, the Academy is known for its long, storied past of technical excellence.
In the middle of the 2012 holiday season, a New York-based landlord terminated the school’s lease without reason. An entire floor of small businesses - mostly jewelers - were unceremoniously shown the door during the busiest and most economically crucial time of year.
I was working at the Revere Academy and attending classes in the school’s Jewelry Technician program when the eviction notices were distributed. I saw first-hand the sadness, anger and frustration during the mass-eviction. For three decades, they’d built something magical at Phelan.
The building’s marble walls and oak-lined halls made it an admired piece of the San Francisco landscape for over 100 years. More importantly, the occupants made it a truly special place for me. I felt passionately that someone had to preserve the story and soul of Phelan, and the creative community it housed within.
Before the Revere Academy was forced to relocate, I took images of the ceiling tiles and marble architectural details in the halls. I spent the next year digitally rendering the elements, 3d printing models, then casting the miniaturized architectural elements into various metals.
I turned the architecture into jewelry.
Capsule, inspired by Phelan, was the first collection of jewelry I created using the professional jewelry-making skills I acquired in my time at Revere. I've been handcrafting jewelry inspired by architectural and interior design movements ever since.
The line has been featured in the SF Chronicle Style Section, Ladies Home Journal, Accessories Magazine, Seventeen Magazine, Harper's Bazaar Singapore, Family Circle, New York Post, New York Daily News, Where SF, Racked, to name a few.
Annachich is named after my grandmother, my early-life artistic inspiration. (It looks like I incorporate the word "chic" into her maiden name, but that's just a happy coincidence. All of the letters are pronounced just like they appear: Ann-a-chi-ch. More on the name here.)
If you have any questions about my architectural inspiration and process - or if you just want to say "Hi!" - please feel free to reach out to becky@annachich.com. Or, follow along with my personal life on Instagram and Pinterest.
XO Becky Constantinides, Founder & Designer
(That's me with my assistant, Layla the Papillon!)
