Our Story

Jewelers by trade, designers by choice, and craftspeople steeped in tradition, both Eric and Samantha began their love affair with beauty long before they met.

Eric is a third generation who loves his hometown of Kosciusko, Mississippi, the home of the original Coghlan Jewelers. However, Eric had always dreamed of traveling and ‘experiencing the land.’ Drawn to the many beauties that nature has to offer, Eric began mining. At the Elizabeth R. Mine, Eric found his first gemstone. Out of the earth, he rescued a sully stone, covered in dirt. As he brushed away the soil, colors emerged: vibrant violet merged into shades of green like a field of lavender dusted with frost. At that moment tradition transformed into passion. 

For Samantha, one mesmerizing moment created a lifetime of passion.  Like many young girls, Samantha fondly recalls watching her mother dress for a night out. Hypnotized, she watched her mother apply her makeup and arrange her clothing just so. Before leaving for the evening, Samantha’s mother leaned in to kiss her child goodbye. Her mother’s brooch radiated, and Samantha was struck with its beauty. Flawless, turquoise, the stone was impeccable, the color of a perfect sky. For Samantha, that memory encompasses feelings of beauty, comfort, and design. In that single moment, Samantha’s pursuit of all things beautiful was born.

With both unique and shared passions, Eric and Samantha met at the Gemology Institute of America, where they both became graduate gemologists and jewelers (GJG). There, in San Diego they fell in love and chose to spend their lives together. 

On a wedding anniversary trip, Eric and Samantha took a wine tasting tour in the Santa Ynez Valley. Together, they admired the soft, gold hills, the cool, grey mountains, and the Sapphire skies of the perfect Californian day. They both felt as if they had come home. 

Today, Eric and Samantha live on their estate and vineyard with their two sons, Ozzy and Cash. More in love than when they first met, they value the blessings of their lives: each other, their family, and their home. 

Neither Eric nor Samantha lost their passion for gemstones. Their passion amplified as they merged jewelry making with the making of superior wines. Their primal connection to the land and all of its gifts inspires both Eric and Samantha to be both vineyard owners and jewelry makers. Enriching nature’s treasures, Eric and Samantha enrich the beauty of gemstones and fruit. To capture a feeling in a moment has become the Coghlan’s mantra. They continue to establish roots in the place that enchanted them many years ago, and they hope to capture the essence of their surroundings, sharing the ephemeral beauty that is the Santa Ynez Valley.