An 18-year veteran in the jewelry industry, Carlos Lopez has proudly showcased his custom hand-crafted jewelry designs in downtown St. Pete for nearly nine years.

Now, Carlos, his wife Christie, and their staff of jewelry experts and craftsmen are ready to embark on a new adventure as the RockShop prepares to expand into a larger space this December, promising more beautiful jewelry and the same great service.

Currently located at 529 Central Avenue, the RockShop will double in size by moving next door to 531 Central Avenue. The space was previously home to Zazoo’d which recently relocated to 631 Central Avenue.

“It was always a dream to open up a jewelry store. We’re so excited to continue serving our local community in St. Pete,” said Christie. “We are passionate about creating connections between the craft of jewelry making, inspired creativity, and educating our customers about the value of precious stones. We are culture lovers and creators who make luxuriously handcrafted, one-of-a-kind pieces using the highest level of craftsmanship and ethically sourced materials from around the world.”

In addition to offering the finest in colored gemstones and diamonds, the RockShop also pays homage to another ‘rock’—Rock & Roll. Vinyl records and art depicting some of biggest rock legends are interspersed between display cases of rings, bracelets, earrings, and necklaces.

“Carlos has fond memories of visiting the State Theater and Jannus Landing for concerts when he was younger,” said Christie. “Not only does the music at the RockShop brings back memories and nostalgia, but it also showcases two amazing art forms coming together.”

The new storefront will expand the RockShop experience by offering a larger bridal selection, a custom jewelry consultation area, loose stone display, lounge seating, and a fully stocked bar where customers can enjoy a glass of wine during a consultation, an event, or while shopping.

The stones at the RockShop are sourced from all over the world. Because Carlos has been in the industry for so long, many of the stones come directly from the mines, instead of from wholesalers.

Most of the turquoise in the shop comes from the RockShop’s private collection. In 2012, Carlos invested in three tons of turquoise rough (meaning the stone had not been cut and faceted yet), from the Sleeping Beauty mine in Globe, AZ. The in-house lapirdarist at RockShop can cut rough material into cabochons.

“We’ve developed a beautiful turquoise collection that we make here in St Pete from the Arizona mine,” said Christie. “It’s an American story and we love that turquoise is very prominent in rock and roll as well.”

If you can’t find the perfect piece on the shop floor, RockShop offers custom jewelry designs for engagement, bridal, anniversary, or any special occasion. Customers can enjoy overseeing and fine-tuning every detail with the custom design process through sketches, photos, old jewelry, and heirloom stones.

The experienced jewelers at the RockShop have knowledge and expertise in 3D CAD, hand fabrications and lost wax carving. The casting, finishing, polishing, and setting of the pieces is done in-house. When it’s finished, you will receive a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry that you and your family can enjoy for generations.

In the past ten years, Carlos has come a long way as a Gemologist. After graduating from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in New York City, Lopez’s passion for jewelry design led him to Le Arti Orafe, an Italian jewelry academy in Florence, Italy. Later, he honed his craft on Jeweler’s Row in Chicago as a staff Gemologist before he and his wife Christie moved to St. Petersburg to open the RockShop.

The RockShop celebrates their nine-year anniversary on November 9th and expects to open the new space before Thanksgiving.

For more information on RockShop, check out their website or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.