Today is Valentine’s Day, and as far as I’m concerned, this is the last that winter gets. From here on out, it’s all about anticipation—waiting for those first buds on the trees, the grass to return to a fresh shade of green, the sun to kiss our faces and maybe even parts of our arms, liberated from a long season of sweaters and coats.
Unfortunately, the weather forecast has other ideas, and winter is showing no signs of letting up anytime soon (I guess the groundhog told us so). So there is only one thing to do: Go to the beach…at least, in your mind.
CCWW Designs’ nautical-influenced necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings send you straight to the beach without leaving your (snowy?) surroundings, courtesy of designer Christina Puchi’s coastal inspirations and oceanfront vibes.
From her beachside jewelry studio in sunny Florida, Puchi puts the seashells she’s been collecting for years to work, setting them in fine jewelry creations alongside gold, gemstones, and carved wood and stone. The result is a range of wonderfully whimsical—yet sleek and highly fashionable—jewels that transport us to a place where it’s always warm and wonderful.
Here, Christina answers five questions from us.
How do you think your design perspective would change if you were to change locales? Is there any other place in the world you feel drawn to?
The beach holds a special place in my heart, but I find beauty in nearly every landscape. Travel has shaped me profoundly—each place I’ve visited has left an imprint, influencing both who I am and my aesthetic sensibilities.
I was raised between the rhythmic tides of the ocean, the quiet expanse of farmland, and the vibrant pulse of New York City. These places live within me, intertwining and surfacing in different ways. None of us are just one thing—I am not solely a beach, farm, or city girl, but all of them at once.
One of the most transformative experiences of my life was a summer spent in Japan studying printmaking. My series of stitched hearts draws deep inspiration from kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken vessels with gold and lacquer. I am captivated by the idea that our fractures can be the most beautiful part of us, that what is broken can be made whole again—perhaps even more exquisite than before. That philosophy has resonated with me ever since.
What’s the most exciting—or strangest—thing you’ve found on the beach?
Everything holds a story—every person, every object. What fascinates me most is the juxtaposition of nature’s offerings and the remnants of human neglect. I am always mesmerized by an extraordinary manta ray, its vivid hues bursting forth like a secret revealed, or by the near invisible dance of tiny, translucent crabs skimming across the sand.
But just as the ocean offers moments of wonder, it also reminds us of our responsibility. The sight of discarded, man-made objects washed ashore is disheartening, a stark reminder that we must care for the places we love—especially this one, our shared home, Earth.
What is your typical customer like? Do you find that your work appeals to residents of coastal locations, or is it universal?
My first designs were born as personal touchstones, small keepsakes to remind me of the place where I feel most grounded, most myself. My hope is that my clients see my work not as mere beach or holiday jewelry but as deeply personal talismans—pieces that hold the love, strength, memories, and connections they carry from the coast, whether they are near the ocean or miles away from it.
My clients are not typical jewelry buyers looking for something mass-produced. Many of my pieces are one-of-a-kind, and that uniqueness draws those who seek something different, something meaningful. One of the aspects I’m most proud of is the breadth of my clientele. My pieces resonate across generations, from women in their 20s, like my daughters, to those in their 80s, like my mother. I love that my designs defy age. More often than not, my clients are women buying for themselves, and I feel deeply grateful to live in a time where women have the autonomy to indulge in that luxury.
Take us through your design process. How long do the more intricate pieces take, and how do you find your inspiration?
Inspiration is never far from me. It comes from everywhere—people, places, art, poetry, the sky, the land, and the vast, unrelenting sea. Writing is often my first step; nothing feels fully real until I’ve processed it in words. From there, I translate those emotions and ideas into something tangible.
For example, this past summer and fall I found myself captivated by the night sky—how the stars move, how standing beneath them I could feel entirely enveloped by both darkness and light. I wrote several poems about that sensation, and from those words I crafted a series of pieces—wooden collars, earrings, rings, and bracelets—each infused with the essence of that celestial wonder.
The more intricate designs take time, sometimes weeks or even months. But I cherish the process—watching an idea unfold, shaping it into something real, something that will eventually become part of someone else’s story.
What’s your favorite piece in your collection?
I have a deep love for the wood and stone pieces we’ve been creating. There’s something almost alchemical about them—wood, with its luscious warmth and surprising lightness, and stone, rich and substantial, its weight softening as it warms against the skin. When you wear these pieces, they don’t just adorn you; they become part of you.
But beyond the materials, what I cherish most is the act of creation—imagining something, collaborating with my carvers and jewelers, and together, bringing that vision to life. And then, knowing that once a piece finds its wearer, it takes on a new story, one that is theirs to tell. That, to me, is the greatest honor of all.
Top: Charm necklace in 14k yellow gold with (from left): ribbed shell with pink tourmaline; white coral with aquamarine; brown striped shell with tourmaline; coral with citrine; orange shell with tourmaline; and orange/white kitten’s paw, $8,991 as shown; CCWW
