For retail questions and wholesale inquiries contact:

Jewel of the I | Rachel Leah McKernan | p: (541) 579-9334 | f: (541) 342-8601 | e: rachel@jewelofthei.com

Inspired by nature... Inspired by healing... Inspired by the universe...

With fearless style, impeccable taste and a reverence for nature, Jewel of the I designer Rachel Leah McKernan has been creating with the beauty of the physical world her entire life. Characterized by uniquely flashy yet earthy designs, Rachel’s jewelry line Jewel of the I took off in Eugene, Oregon’s Saturday Market and been shown off across the world.

Rachel grew up in New Jersey, finding early interest in living simply and naturally, following a vegetarian diet and intuitively grasping the subtle energy in the earth and its materials. It’s here that she began her work, showcasing her signature inventiveness with natural forms by turning rocks into beautiful hand-painted ornaments and beading simple jewelry as gifts to her family and friends. Don’t think she was any less than a bold, outgoing fashionista, though.  Her striking looks, bright personality and a natural flair for style carried her to New York to pursue a career as a model in her teen years, and inevitable success showed her Los Angeles, Miami and Europe. Not finding ample outlet in the industry, Rachel changed tracks and moved to Costa Rica to pour her passion into a more nurturing endeavor: gourmet vegetarian cuisine. Her delicious dishes became sought after by everyone from private clients to film productions. It’s here that she reawakened her interest in jewelry design, utilizing Costa Rica’s shells and gemstones for a new, exciting kind of look.

At age 27, Rachel moved to Eugene, OR to continue this quieter, more rooted life and focus energy on her jewelry designs. After getting a vegetarian restaurant off the ground with her partners, she sat down and got back to designing, overwhelmingly inspired by the abundance of nature in the Pacific Northwest. For the first time ever, appreciation of the energy found in the stones and raw materials she worked with began to inform her designs as much as texture and aesthetics. As her design craft deepens and her business flourishes, Rachel finds more and more unity between the earth goddess and the fashionista within.

Above all else, Rachel feels blessed to work from home and spend valuable time with her three beautiful sons.