THE NICKEL BACK COLLECTION

Yes, we named it after the band. No, we're not sorry.

We had been learning to cut on 30x40 oval cabochons — that's the standard starter size, and we had a pile of them. What we didn't have was settings. We were already dropping $80 on sterling silver pinch bails when we spotted a brown bag deal: 13 random zinc/nickel pendant backs, buy 12 get one free, $30 flat. We had no idea what styles were in the pack. We threw it in the cart anyway.

When the box showed up, we opened it on the bench and started trying stones. Some fit. Some didn't. A few we didn't understand at first — one had no top, no bottom, no hanger at all. Turned out it was a brooch back without the pin. We set a Botswana agate in it and suddenly it made sense. Every one of them found a reason.

That's how this collection started. Thirty dollars, a brown bag, and nothing to lose. If you want to know what the rest of the shop looked like at the time, read the evolution →

Every stone below is a one-of-a-kind cut from our shop, permanently set in one of the 13 backs. When they're gone, they're gone.