I’m Starting a Video Game Jewelry Collection and I’m Kind of Losing My Mind
- Alex Reynolds
- 5 days ago
- 7 min read
This is one of those moments where I’ve been sitting on something for weeks, wanting to tell someone about it, but not quite knowing how to start.
So I’m just going to say it:
I’m starting a video game–inspired jewelry collection… and I’m kind of losing my mind in the best possible way.
Not because everything is perfectly figured out (it’s definitely not). Not because the designs are finished (they’re very much still evolving).
But because this is the part of the process where excitement and uncertainty collide, where ideas live on sketchbook pages, and where something that’s been bouncing around in your head finally starts to exist in the real world.
What you’re about to see are early concept sketches and speed sketch videos from the very beginning of this collection. These aren’t polished product photos or finalized designs. They’re raw, impressionistic explorations, the messy middle of turning nerdy passions into heirloom-grade jewelry.
This collection isn’t about recreating specific games or characters.
It’s about honoring the people who grew up loving video games, and who still carry that part of themselves forward into adulthood. It’s for anyone who ever felt like their interests were “too nerdy,” “too much,” or something they were supposed to outgrow.
Around here, we don’t shrink that stuff.
We turn it into gold.
And this is where that journey starts.
Table of Contents
Why This Collection Exists (and Why It Feels So Personal)
I don’t think video games are just entertainment.
They’re memory machines.
They’re late nights on the couch. They’re learning problem-solving without realizing you’re learning. They’re discovering worlds bigger than your own. They’re that quiet joy of finally beating the level that felt impossible an hour ago.
Even if you don’t consider yourself a “hardcore gamer,” those experiences stick with you.
They become part of who you are.
And somewhere along the way, a lot of us were taught to treat that part of ourselves like a phase. Like something cute you eventually grow out of.
But here’s the thing.
The stuff that lights you up when you’re young doesn’t disappear.
It just waits.
This collection is about honoring that.
It’s about taking something that usually lives on screens and controllers and translating it into something physical, lasting, and meaningful. Jewelry that doesn’t ask you to tone it down or explain yourself. Jewelry that quietly says, yeah… this is part of me.
That’s always been the heart of Charming Quail.
We make elegant, heirloom-grade jewelry for people who want their passions, stories, and identities to shine, without shrinking or explaining. This video game collection is just another chapter of that same idea, told through a different lens.
And right now, that chapter exists mostly as sketches.
Which brings us to the fun part.
This Is What the Beginning Looks Like
There’s a very specific moment in every project where things stop being abstract ideas and start becoming real.
For me, that moment usually happens with leaning over my lap, my iPad crooked in my arm, stylus in hand, and a whole bunch of half-formed thoughts trying to escape onto the screen.
That’s where this collection is right now.
These are not finished designs.
They’re exploration.
They’re me chasing shapes, testing proportions, scribbling notes in digital layers, and trying to figure out how something born in pixels can live comfortably in metal.
Some of these ideas will evolve. Some will get simplified. Some might disappear entirely.
That’s not failure, that’s design.
To give you a real sense of what this stage feels like, I recorded a speed sketch while working through the early concepts.
No voiceover. No polish. Just the raw process of ideas landing on the screen.
📹 SpeedSketch Video #1 — Early Concept Exploration
This is the messy middle. The part where you don’t know yet what’s brilliant and what’s just noise. Where excitement and uncertainty sit right next to each other. Where you start seeing possibilities, even while questioning every line you draw.
I love this stage.
It’s chaotic. It’s hopeful. It’s where everything still feels possible.
And it’s also where doubt creeps in.
Am I pushing this far enough? Is this translating the feeling, or just the shape? Does this actually say what I want it to say?
And one question I come back to over and over:
Is this too literal? Is it too obvious?
So much of my design philosophy lives in that tension.
I don’t want pieces that scream “this is nerd jewelry.”
I want designs that hide nerdy in plain sight. Pieces that feel elegant first, meaningful second, and quietly geeky underneath it all. Jewelry that someone can admire without knowing the reference, but that lights up the moment you recognize it.
That balance is hard.
Not because literal or expressive design is wrong, far from it. Some of the most jaw-dropping craftsmanship I’ve ever seen lives in the cosplay world, and I mean that sincerely. The creativity, engineering, and dedication in that community is incredible, and I genuinely hope one day I’ll figure out how to make my work meaningful there too.
But what I’m chasing here is something different.
I’m designing for everyday life.
For people who want to carry their fandom with them quietly. Who want their jewelry to feel timeless, wearable, and personal, while still holding a deeper story underneath.
That’s the line I’m always walking.
Designing in public means letting people see that part too.
Because creative work isn’t a straight line. It’s loops and detours and tiny victories stacked on top of small frustrations. It’s falling in love with an idea, walking away from it, and coming back with fresh eyes.
As things started to take more direction, certain elements began to stand out. The collection started finding its voice. The sketches became a little more intentional. Less wandering. More listening.
That’s what you’re seeing in the second SpeedSketch.
📹 SpeedSketch Video #2 — Refining the Direction
This is where the designs begin to breathe.
Not finished. Not locked in.
But clearer.
You can start to feel what wants to become real.
Designing in Public (Even When It Feels Uncomfortable)
Sharing work at this stage doesn’t come naturally.
Everything in you wants to wait until it’s polished. Until it’s perfect. Until you can present something that feels finished and confident.
But that’s never really been how I work.
I was trained in design school to share ideas early, even when they’re rough. Especially when they’re rough. Because that’s when feedback still matters. That’s when you can actually change things. That mindset stuck with me, even though it’s uncomfortable every single time.
There’s always that voice in the back of your head saying, What if people don’t get it? What if this isn’t good enough yet?
And honestly? That voice never goes away.
You just learn to keep moving anyway.
Designing in public is my way of pushing through that fear. It’s how I remind myself that creative work isn’t about showing up fully formed, it’s about showing up consistently. It’s about letting people see the journey, not just the highlight reel.
And there’s something powerful that happens when you do that.
People start recognizing themselves in the process.
They see their own unfinished ideas, their own half-started projects, their own moments of doubt reflected back at them. It stops being about jewelry and starts being about permission, permission to try, to fail forward, to keep going.
That’s a big part of why I share this stuff.
Not because it’s perfect.
But because it’s real.
Where This Collection Is Headed Next
Right now, everything you’ve seen lives in that early, fragile stage of creation.
Sketches. Ideas. Possibilities.
The next phase is about translating all of that into something real.
Over the coming weeks and months, I’ll be refining these concepts, moving them into CAD, testing proportions, thinking through wearability, and slowly shaping them into pieces that can actually exist in the world. Some designs will tighten up. Some will surprise me. Some won’t make the cut, and that’s okay.
That’s part of the process.
I don’t start collections by deciding exactly what everything will be.
I start by listening.
Listening to what the sketches want to become. Listening to what feels right. Listening to that quiet internal compass that says, this one has something.
Eventually, a small group of designs will rise to the surface, the ones that feel emotionally resonant, structurally sound, and aligned with the bigger vision of creating elegant, heirloom-grade jewelry that carries nerd culture in subtle, meaningful ways.
Those are the pieces that will move forward.
And as that happens, I’ll be sharing the journey on YouTube, from early CAD models to prototypes, setbacks, small wins, and everything in between. You’ll see how these designs evolve, where they struggle, and how they finally land.
Not as a perfectly packaged success story.
But as real creative work, happening in real time.
Want to Follow Along? (a.k.a. Come to the Creative Party)
Alright, here’s the deal.
I’m building this collection in real time, and it’s going to be a chaotic, nerdy, creative ride. Sketches turning into CAD. Ideas falling apart and coming back stronger. Small wins, frustrating setbacks, and those moments where something finally clicks.
It’s not a highlight reel.
It’s the whole thing.
I’m sharing all of it on YouTube, and honestly, it’s way more fun when other creative weirdos are along for the ride.
So hop in.
Come hang out while I turn these early sketches into real, wearable pieces. If you’ve ever loved watching something get built from the ground up, this is your kind of party.
Hop over to YouTube to watch the whole thing fall apart…I mean come together, LOL:
Let’s go.
FAQ
Are these designs final?
Nope. What you’re seeing here are early concept sketches. Shapes, details, and even entire pieces may change as the collection evolves. This is very much the beginning.
When will this collection be available?
I don’t have a firm launch date yet. Right now I’m focused on refining the designs and moving into production-ready models. I’ll share updates on YouTube as things progress.
Will all of these sketches become real jewelry?
Probably not.
Some ideas will grow stronger. Some will get simplified. Some will quietly step aside. That’s just part of the design process. Only the pieces that feel emotionally right and structurally sound will move forward.
What kind of materials will you use?
As always, the goal is elegant, heirloom-grade jewelry made to last. Final materials will be decided as the designs take shape, but durability, craftsmanship, and timelessness are always part of the equation.
Is this collection connected to specific games or characters?
No. This isn’t about recreating IP or referencing specific titles.
It’s about translating the feeling of gaming culture, identity, and nostalgia into subtle, wearable designs that hide nerdy in plain sight.
How can I stay updated?
The best way is to subscribe on YouTube and keep an eye on your inbox if you’re on the email list. That’s where I share progress as this collection comes to life.
Comments