Bling Out With Reese’s Rings

Online classes were a drag. Tempted by naps, snacks, and video games, paying attention during class meetings proved to be a difficult challenge. In August of 2020, Reese Ramirez (’23) found herself pacing back and forth in her room in the middle of Teams meetings. She needed something to do, something that would put her hands in use to keep her focused and busy. Using leftover craft material she had at home, Reese made her first ring. The first of many.

I first discovered Reese’s Rings through her Instagram account, @reesesrings. I had no idea that she made her own jewelry let alone was selling it too. With 300+ followers and over 120 posts, Reese’s feed is filled with pictures of her work and her friends modeling the pieces. Upon seeing her page, the very first thought that came to my mind was: “This has to look great on college applications.”

Her business held strong this past year, leaving us to wonder whether there will be a future for Reese’s Rings throughout the rest of her high school and college years.

“It’s good that I’m making money, but it’s mostly for me to stay calm and grounded,” Reese says. “If it doesn’t get that far, it wouldn’t really matter to me. I want to though, that would be amazing.”

Upcycling pieces from antique shops, her designs are unique and eye catching. It wasn’t until November that Reese decided to start selling some of her collection, making sure the material of her products were the best quality she could offer. Nearly a year later, Reese’s Rings has expanded to a broader audience, and she is now receiving over 20 orders a week.

Reese is a busy girl. Splitting her time between school, volleyball, and her job coaching gymnastics is not an easy task — especially while running her own jewelry shop. When this school year began, she was swamped with orders and homework, stretching her schedule as far as it could go.

“I had just started volleyball, and my sister who usually helped me was gone. It was really hard, but I did it.”

Reese’s Rings became a group effort for the Ramirez family, turning their dinner table into a workshop. She would get home from practice, rest, eat dinner, and then push out as many orders as possible.

“My family literally saved my business,” she laughs. “Especially my mom.”

You may have seen Reese delivering orders to CB students before classes or during lunch. Every order comes in little pink bags with her personalized business card inside.

She has her family and friends’ full support, making it a team effort to promote and maintain her shop. She often names her pieces after the friend they were inspired by, posting a photo of them modeling the jewelry on her Instagram. Reese’s social media presence plays a huge role in her advertising, widening her audience far past our CB peers. When her friends repost the photos, they draw in more customers from outside Sacramento.

“Sometimes I send jewelry to my aunt in Hawaii,” she explains. “I even have orders going out as far as Georgia.”

The next goal for Reese’s Rings is to begin hosting pop-up shop at craft fairs and sharing her products with the rest of Sacramento. Follow @reesesrings on Instagram for updates — and while you’re there, pick out your favorite pieces for CB’s upcoming Homecoming dance.