Rising Stars: Meet Chandra And Andy Derrick of Tucson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chandra And Andy Derrick.

Hi Chandra and Andy, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started making jewelry out of pure curiosity. I’ve always been a creative person and always have had a drive to learn something new when I’m feeling in a funk. It was winter 2021 in Nashville, TN where dark, dreary skies and short days felt like they would never end. I decided that winter I wanted to learn how to make a single ring, learn how to linocut, and dabble in watercolor. Let’s just say I made more than one ring that winter. After dropping a small collection of pieces one random February day, just a few short months after making my first ring, nearly every piece sold out within the first couple of hours and, well, the rest is history.

My husband and I moved to Tucson later that year and by June, he and I were working full time on this thing. It was a dream come true. I’ve always wanted to be able to have a small handcrafted business where my husband and I could make our own schedules and have the freedom to build something with our hands every day. We are a husband and wife duo hand-crafting sterling jewelry with high-grade turquoise and precious gemstones inspired by the textures and colors of the sonoran desert. We work out of our small home studio with our two lilttle ones running around and take so much pride in creating pieces that feel soulful, intentional, and one-of-a-kind.

We now connect with hundreds of people who love handmade jewelry as much as we do. Our customers aren’t just looking for a piece of jewelry but looiing for something that feels like them. Something that carries their story. It may be a piece they wear on their wedding day or a future heirloom they plan to pass down to the people they love most. It’s wild and it is such an honor to be able to be able to be part of someones life in such a cool way.

We’re still growing, still learning, and still dreaming big. I still try to pick up something new to learn every year but it’s more focused on jewelry now. We’re incredibly grateful to be here, building a brand rooted in craftsmanship, connection, and creativity. We’re proud to be a small business shaped by the southwest.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Gosh I mean, what small business rooted in slow batch craftsmanship in a world full of temu and mass-produced jewelry doesn’t hit some struggle along the way. When you’re hand-fabricating jewelry one piece at a time, you’re competing with platforms that can ship something for pennies and deliver in a day. Educating customers on the value of slow-made work takes time and consistency, and thats even if they see your work because the algorithm changes what feels like every day.

On top of that, running a business from home with two little kids means theres no such thing as a perfect balance. We work a lot of late nights, trial and error, and learning now to grow without burning out. We’ve had to teach ourselves everything from metalsmithing itself, but also marketing to website building, photography to editing, learning how to build an email list, etc. There are plenty of moments where it has felt overwhelming.

But every challenge has pushed us to refine our systems and our craft, build deeper connections with our customers, and stay rooted in the why we started. The struggles have shaped us just as much as the success.

I will say though, we do have the absolute best costumers in the world. Can you believe I’ve never received one rude email? I’ve never had someone reach out and demand us to work faster or to shorten our turn around times. It is SO rare! I hear horror stories and can’t believe sometimes how good we have it.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My husband and I are metalsmiths and jewelry designers specializing in handcrafted sterling jewelry featuring high grade turquoise and gemstones, inspired by the sonoran desert. We create everything by hand in our small Tucson studio. Everything from sawing to soldering to stone setting and finishing.

We’re known for combining bold elements with a soft, boho feel, and for using high quality stones often sourced directly from the miners themselves. What I’m most proud of is that every piece is slow-made, intentional, and one-of-a-kind. Our work stands apart because it carries a story, a sense of place, and the unmistakeable touch of the maker.

Who else deserves credit in your story?
I owe so much of this journey to my husband, who is not only my teammate in the studio but also the person who keeps everything running behind the scenes. We’ve build this business side by side and i couldn’t do any of it without his support and creativity.

I’m also incredibly grateful to our customers and community. They are the people who choose handmade, share our work, and cheer us on. Their encouragement has helped us grow more than anything.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.goldenroadcrafted.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goldenroadcrafted/