From Bats to Corgis: Designing Jewelry That Celebrates What You Love Without Apology
- Alex Reynolds
- Oct 20, 2025
- 9 min read
What do a regal corgi and a Victorian bat have in common? More than you’d think.
I designed the Victorian Chiroptera Necklace over a year ago, inspired by a collaboration with Sheri Lauren and a Halloween event featuring musician Jack Elliott and his vampire saga. The piece drew from the romantic elegance of Victorian-era jewelry — a way to give bat lovers something refined, meaningful, and timeless to wear with pride.
At the time, I had no idea that a year later I’d be sketching something that seemed like its opposite: a joyful, lighthearted jewelry line celebrating corgis.
I’m still getting to know the corgi community — their humor, their devotion, their pride in every ear and tail wiggle — and I’m fascinated by the challenge of capturing that same passion through elegant design. But somewhere between bats and corgis, between elegance and playfulness, I’ve realized both lines tell the same story: loving what you love without apology, and wearing that passion with timeless style.
🕮 Table of Contents
🐾 The Spark: How the Corgis Came Calling
It started, like many good ideas do, with people who wouldn’t stop nudging me. In conversation after conversation, fellow entrepreneurs, most of them somewhere in the dog world, kept telling me the same thing: “You need to do dog jewelry.”
At first, I nodded politely and tucked it away on my ever-growing list of “someday” ideas. But the universe has a way of repeating itself until you finally listen.
Then I met Monique Eckes, founder of Silver Paw Studio, whose pet-portrait business thrives on Northern Colorado’s deep love for dogs. She didn’t just repeat the suggestion, she showed me the opportunity hiding inside it. Dog ownership here isn’t just common; it’s culture. From the joyful chaos of Tour de Corgi to events like Goldens in Golden and the Greeley Kennel Club All-Breed Shows, this region practically runs on paw prints.
Monique mentioned how often dog charities hand out jewelry as thank-you gifts, pieces that are generic enough to suit all cat lovers and dog lovers alike. There was a gap waiting to be filled: breed-specific jewelry crafted with the same care and permanence as fine jewelry.
As a young brand built around the idea of celebrating fandoms through timeless elegance, I couldn’t ignore that. These weren’t casual customers; they were devoted. The kind of people who light up when they talk about their dogs, the way my fellow pop-culture fans light up when they talk about their favorite stories.
So the next question became obvious: if I were to begin designing for dog lovers, which breed should I start with?
That answer came quickly. The moment I thought of corgis, I thought of pure, joyful obsession. From watching Tour de Corgi roll past my workplace to hearing people swap stories about Ein from Cowboy Bebop, I realized that those who love corgis don’t just like them, they adore them with hopeless abandon.
Corgis were charming, expressive, and unmistakable. They carried a sense of fun that was infectious. And I couldn’t resist the challenge of translating that feeling, the delight, the pride, the personality, into jewelry elegant enough to wear anywhere, yet playful enough to make corgi lovers grin.
That’s when I knew this needed to move from the “someday” list to the top of my sketchbook.
🐕 Learning the Breed, and the People Who Love Them
Once I’d chosen corgis, I realized I had a small problem: while I was roughly familiar with them, I didn’t really know the breed, or the people who adored them. What exactly did corgi fans love most? What made them laugh? What details or inside jokes made the whole community nod in recognition?
So I decided to learn the only way I know how, by listening, observing, and creating. I offered a few free photo sessions for corgis, hoping they’d help me study their form and, more importantly, meet the humans who couldn’t stop talking about them.
I started finding participants through my network, explaining that I wasn’t a professional photographer, just a designer fascinated by the challenge of capturing what made corgis so special. That led me to two unforgettable sessions.
The first was with a corgi whose owner preferred privacy, but whose enthusiasm for all things corgi filled the room. The second came through my connection at One Million Cups Fort Collins, where Jana Sanchez of Alchemy with Words introduced me to her friend Malini Bartels, one of the founders of Tour de Corgi, and her corgi, Yogi.
Malini warned me that Yogi was an older gentleman with a bum leg, which to me sounded perfect. I wasn’t looking for show-dog symmetry; I was looking for character. We spent the session trading stories about corgis and design while Yogi did his best to pose like royalty. I showed Malini a few of my early sketches for the collection, and her feedback reshaped my next iteration, even inspiring a ring set that’s still taking shape on my sketchpad.
My wife has been a quiet co-designer throughout this journey, constantly offering insight into what makes corgis so beloved. Between her guidance, Malini’s feedback, and every wag — or rather, wiggle, I witnessed that day, the line began to take on its own personality: joyful, proud, and irresistibly full of life.
🐾 Designing with Heart, and Ears and Butts
Designing the Royal Corgi Collection turned out to be an education in joy. Every conversation, photo, and corgi wiggle taught me something new about what fans cherish most.
One of the first surprises came when I learned that those adorable floppy ears I’d initially sketched weren’t considered “true corgi.” Upright ears, it turns out, are essential to the breed’s proud silhouette. That small detail changed everything about the line’s balance and proportion.
Then came the discovery that still makes me smile, the collective fascination with the corgi butt. I hadn’t realized how beloved that heart-shaped patch of fur was until people started showing me photos, videos, even memes devoted to it. My wife explained how owners sometimes trim the tail to accentuate that shape, and Malini confirmed that the lighter-colored fur on a corgi’s rump is practically an icon in the community. Those insights reshaped my sketches; the “Royal Rump” pendant was born soon after.
As I refined each piece, I tried to distill what corgi fans celebrate most, the mix of loyalty, humor, and self-assured charm that makes them impossible not to love. The collection needed to feel happy and intentional at the same time, playful without ever crossing into novelty. Each curve and polished surface had to capture the breed’s personality in a way that could stand proudly beside any fine-jewelry classic.
By the time I debuted the pieces at Tour de Corgi, I understood what everyone had been trying to tell me from the start: corgi love isn’t just about dogs. It’s a celebration of life’s lighter side, a reminder to grin, to play, and to take pride in the things that make you happiest.
Of course, I couldn’t resist leaning into the humor. Throughout the event, I cheerfully invited passers-by to “Check out my butt!” while pointing toward the display of pendants and earrings. The laughter that followed told me I’d struck the right balance between sophistication and fun.
That moment crystallized what I want every Charming Quail™ piece to express: that elegance and joy aren’t opposites, they’re dance partners.
💎 The Moment of Truth: From Sketch to Smile
The first time I shared my corgi sketches with fans, I felt the usual mix of excitement and nerves that comes with revealing something new. I’d spent hours sketching and refining each form, ears, tails, curves, proportions, trying to balance playfulness with polish.
My wife loved the designs immediately, but when I showed them to corgi fans, the response was more subdued. They were kind, encouraging even, but I could tell the designs didn’t quite click yet. It wasn’t rejection, it was feedback, and as a designer, I’ve learned to listen to the quiet moments as much as the loud ones.
Those early reactions told me what I needed to know: the collection needed more refinement. So I went back to work, studying what made corgis so lovable, listening more carefully to what fans celebrated, and pushing the designs until they felt right, not just to me, but to the fans.
When the finished jewelry finally debuted, everything changed. This time, the reaction was immediate and joyful. People smiled as soon as they saw the pieces. Some leaned closer to admire the details; others grabbed my clipboard to join the email list before I could even finish my sentence. That’s when I knew I’d hit the mark.
Refining the designs through the eyes of the community didn’t just make them better, it made the designs theirs. And that, to me, is what good design has always been about: empathy, curiosity, and the relentless pursuit of getting it right.
🦇 Finding the Overlap: What Binds Bats and Corgis
On the surface, the Victorian Chiroptera Necklace and the Royal Corgi Collection couldn’t be more different. One was inspired by gothic music and Victorian era jewelry, the other by laughter, community, and the unmistakable corgi wiggle. But to me, they’ve always been part of the same story.
The Chiroptera Necklace began as a way to celebrate the devotion that bat lovers already felt, a chance to capture their admiration for these mysterious creatures and express it through fine jewelry that felt as timeless and elegant as their fascination. It was designed for people who find beauty in the night, who see grace in the details others might overlook, and who deserve a way to wear that love with sophistication and pride.
The Corgi Collection, in its own way, continues that same mission. It celebrates joy and lightheartedness, crafted for people who find endless delight in every ear, tail, and playful wiggle. Both collections were guided by empathy and curiosity, by a desire to translate deep, personal passions into art that can be worn for a lifetime.
That’s what Embrace ∞ Nerdy means to me. It’s about loving what you love with hopeless abandon, and having the courage to show it, without fear, without apology, and without ever losing your sense of style.
The Chiroptera Necklace expresses that devotion through quiet, gothic grace. The Corgi Collection radiates it through joy and movement. But both share the same purpose: to transform the things we love into jewelry elegant enough to last a lifetime, and personal enough to tell our stories.
Closing Thoughts
From the quiet elegance of the Victorian Chiroptera Necklace to the joyful charm of the Royal Corgi Collection, every design I create begins with curiosity and empathy, and grows from a desire to honor the passions that make people light up.
If you’re a corgi lover, I’d love to hear from you. Have I captured what makes this breed so special? What details or moments do you think define what people love most about corgis? Share your thoughts and stories in the comments below. I’m still learning from this incredible community every day.
And if you’d like to follow along as these stories continue to unfold, join the Charming Quail™ Fan Feed for behind-the-scenes design updates, upcoming events, and a closer look at how each piece comes to life.
Because whether it’s bats or corgis, or anything else that makes your heart race, the things we love deserve to be celebrated with timeless elegance.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What inspired the Victorian Chiroptera Necklace?
The idea first took shape during a Halloween collaboration featuring musician Jack Elliott and his vampire saga, a performance that blended storytelling, art, and atmosphere. I was 1st introduced to him through Sheri Lauren at one of the Art Walks. My art collaboration with Sheri Lauren also had a lot of influence on that piece. Together, those influences sparked a necklace that would give bat lovers a refined, timeless way to wear their passion with pride.
Why corgis for the first dog-inspired jewelry line?
After hearing from so many Northern Colorado entrepreneurs in the dog community, and meeting people like Monique Eckes of Silver Paw Studio and Malini Bartels of Tour de Corgi, I realized how joyful and dedicated the corgi community is. Corgis bring so much personality, humor, and heart to people’s lives that they were the perfect ambassadors for my first breed-inspired collection.
How did real corgi owners influence the design?
Every detail was refined with input from corgi fans. I learned that upright ears are an important, recognizable feature of the breed, and that the lighter, heart-shaped fur pattern on their rumps is beloved by owners. Insights like these guided each iteration of the Royal Corgi Collection, helping me balance fine-jewelry sophistication with unmistakable corgi charm.
Are these pieces handmade?
Each design begins with my sketches and digital modeling, then is cast and finished by master metalsmiths here in Fort Collins, Colorado. Every piece is made with heirloom-quality materials and craftsmanship meant to last for generations.
Is the jewelry made to order?
Yes. To maintain quality and sustainability, most Charming Quail™ pieces are made to order. This ensures every customer receives jewelry crafted specifically for them, without compromising precision or artistry.
What makes Charming Quail™ jewelry different?
Every design celebrates passion, from fandoms to favorite animals, with the same care and elegance found in traditional fine jewelry. These pieces are made to be admired by everyone, not just fellow fans, bridging timeless design with deeply personal meaning.
Where can I explore your collections?
You can browse all current designs in the Charming Quail™ Online Store. Each piece tells part of a larger story: that the things we love most deserve to be celebrated beautifully.
How can I stay updated on new designs and stories?
Join the Charming Quail™ Fan Feed for behind-the-scenes insights, early access to new pieces, and personal stories from my design studio.
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