Tracy A. Christopher is one of the first certified jewellers in the Virgin Islands. Photo: VINO

Locally made jewellery by Virgin Islander, Tracy A. Christopher. Photo: VINO

Tracy A. Christopher, one of the first certified jewellers in the Virgin Islands, has been selling her products as a pop up shop ever since Hurricane Irma damaged her store on Main Street . Photo: VINO

Locally made jewellery by Virgin Islander, Tracy A. Christopher. Photo: VINO

Locally made jewellery by Virgin Islander, Tracy A. Christopher. Photo: VINO

Locally made jewellery by Virgin Islander, Tracy A. Christopher. Photo: VINO

The certified jeweller and owner of the Jewellery Box, formerly on Main Street, said her work has been well received in all circles.

“Since I started, my main focus has been on locally made jewellery; making jewellery from unique pieces when they come that they have something that is unique to the BVI. I have a lot of customers who are very pleased with my work,” she said.

Christopher said the sandbox pod is found in the hillside mostly on Tortola.

“It is a little wooden pod; it looks like a little wooden pumpkin. It comes into the season about twice a year from the Sandbox tree which is a huge tree with a lot of prickles on the trunk. So when that pod is dried out, I carve it and make beautiful pieces,” she stated.

“It has a unique shape that I capitalise on; it has [the] shape of a dolphin."

Christopher said she chose to make dolphins because most people take a liking to them.

Additionally, she also offers beach stringing type jewellery as well as jewellery in gold and sterling silver.

Staying positive

The Jewellery Box owner said despite the many challenges she faced with her business over the years, she is remaining an optimist, “Over the years, it has been up and down, but I try to stay positive, and I am hoping to be in a more stable location this year.”

Her workshop where she operated from was damaged during the 2017 hurricanes, and she is now working from home.

Christopher is one of the first females in the [British] Virgin Islands to be certified as a jeweller.

"Jewellery making was something that I was passionate about from the time I was in school. I was always creative, and I have been involved in the beach stringing, but when I got involved in my business I realised I needed to broaden my horizon and I did my studies in Florida,” she noted.

Christopher holds a certificate from Jewelry International Institute in the US and can from time to time be found in a cozy corner in Road Town selling her products.