D E S I G N S O U T H
/
J E W E L R Y
D E S I G N E R
[OFF THE CUFF]
From
Georgia
to Oprah
Kristen Baird’s Splash Cuff made a big
splash on Oprah, but that’s just the
beginning of her story.
WRITTEN BY MOLLY CLANCY / PHOTOGRAPHY CEDRIC SMITH
Y
OU KNOW YOU’VE ARRIVED when Oprah Winfrey wears one of your designs, and
Kristen Baird has arrived. Oprah wore one of Baird’s “Splash Cuff” bracelets — an
organically textured, silver band with a gemstone at each terminal — on the air
multiple times. It has come to be known as the “Oprah Cuff.”
That notoriety has not changed Baird much. She designs and produces her collections and
custom pieces in a studio off the dining room of her midtown Savannah home. “We make
everything using traditional metalsmithing tools,” she explains. “I’m very much a tool nerd.”
Gizmos and gadgets line the walls of her small but bright workspace. “It’s top-of-the-industry
machinery right here in our little studio.”
Baird remains true to values that helped her get off the ground — sustainability, ethical
practices and giving back to her community. She uses eco-friendly and recycled materials as
much as she can, and works hard to find vendors that follow international standards for ethically
sourced metals and gemstones.
26
SOUTH
August|September 2019
Baird gives part of her profits to a charity close
to her heart — the SD Gunner Fund, which donates
service dogs to veterans and disabled children. She
says, “I wanted my business to stand for something.
Britnee Kinard founded the fund, and there was
something about her I really liked. She’s a small
nonprofit. I’m a small business. We’re both women in
business in different ways, so I reached out to partner
with her.”
Now, her business has grown to the point where
she can support two staff and “pay it forward,” as
she says — a point of pride for Baird. She regularly
mentors young women entrepreneurs and remains
involved at the Savannah College of Art and Design
where she completed her education. “A lot of people
ask to pick my brain, and of course, I ask ‘Can I pick
your brain?’ all the time. Building a business takes a
village.”
If there’s anyone she’s competitive with, it’s herself.
Baird has big goals for the future — selling her designs
in all 50 states, growing to the point where she can
fully fund a service dog for SD Gunner Fund, and
moving toward more custom pieces and heirloom
redesigns in addition to her regular collections. “I’m
constantly trying to grow what I offer, but I still want
to maintain that small feel where my customers know
their piece was designed and handled by me.”
She shows off a necklace she recently completed
for a client with a spray of vintage diamonds set in a
silver pendant. Baird explains the process; “We were
able to turn it into one single piece that she can wear
with diamonds from her mom, her grandma, her aunt
and her sister. I’m very passionate about helping my
clients when other jewelry stores can’t or won’t. If
you see something you like, I can size it to you. With
my heirloom redesigns, I can put the thought and care
into it that my clients want with these precious pieces
of family history. I want people to have a very tailored
experience.”
“There’s nothing like a good story to get people’s
attention,” she says of her heirloom pieces. The same
could be said when your design bedecks Oprah’s wrist,
but that’s just the beginning of the story for Baird.
Baird’s designs can be found on her website and in
Kessler Collection hotel boutiques, as well as in select
stores and galleries throughout the region.
KRISTENBAIRD.COM
Top to Bottom:
Signature Ripple RIngs,
Custom Rays of Sun
Engagement Rings,
The Famous Oprah Cuff