Kris Nations
Kris Nations is a woman-owned jewelry brand founded in 2002 by sisters Kris and Kim Nations, selling 18K gold vermeil and sterling silver earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings direct-to-consumer via its Shopify storefront and a wholesale portal, with in-house design, engraving, and fulfillment from Half Moon Bay, California.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersHalf Moon Bay, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Kris Nations does
Kris Nations is a woman-owned and operated jewelry company founded in 2002 by sisters Kris and Kim Nations, headquartered in Half Moon Bay, California. The company designs, assembles, packages, and ships earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings under its own brand, with all production centralized at its California studio and personalized engraving performed in-house. Products are manufactured using 18K gold vermeil (at least 2.5 microns of gold over solid sterling silver), 14K gold-filled components, and recycled sterling silver casting, targeting the bridge between fine and fashion jewelry with price points from roughly $22 to $220.
The business operates primarily as a direct-to-consumer e-commerce brand through a Shopify storefront at krisnations.com, supported by an email/newsletter channel, organic SEO, and earned media coverage in publications including InStyle, Harper's Bazaar, Lucky, PopSugar, PUNCH, TZR, and LA Magazine. A secondary wholesale channel (krisnationswholesaleone.com) serves retailers and corporate, wedding, and event gifting customers. Revenue mechanics rest on one-time unit purchases across three pricing tiers (Under $50, $50-$100, $100+), plus gift cards, personalized engraving services, and a Friends with Benefits Club loyalty program that issues $5 store credit for every $50 spent. The customer base is a long tail of women seeking affordable personal-statement jewelry and gift purchasers, with US-only shipping from the Half Moon Bay studio on a 1-2 business day fulfillment cycle.
The company is privately held, bootstrapped, and has no disclosed external funding, parent company, or subsidiaries. Operations are confined to the United States.
Kris Nations firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kris Nations
- Legal name
- Kris Nations
- Website
- https://krisnations.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Kris Nations is a woman-owned jewelry brand founded in 2002 by sisters Kris and Kim Nations, selling 18K gold vermeil and sterling silver earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings direct-to-consumer via its Shopify storefront and a wholesale portal, with in-house design, engraving, and fulfillment from Half Moon Bay, California.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kris Nations industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fashion Jewelry
- NAICS
- Jewelry Retailers (458310), Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing (33991), Jewelry Retailers (45831)
- SIC
- Costume Jewelry & Novelties (3960), Retail-Jewelry Stores (5944), Jewelry, Precious Metal (3911)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Designer/Artisan Fashion Jewelry (Independent Brands) (CRAKABAC)
Keywords
Where Kris Nations is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Half Moon Bay
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Kris Nations business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct E-commerce Sales: Direct-to-consumer jewelry sales through their Shopify e-commerce platform at krisnations.com. Products include earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings in various price points from under $50 to over $100. One-time purchase model with individual product transactions.
- Wholesale: Wholesale distribution channel for retailers through krisnationswholesaleone.com. Bulk and custom orders for corporate gifts, wedding parties, and event planning.
- Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold in denominations of $25, $50, $75, $100, $150, $200. Sent via email with no expiration or processing fees.
- Personalized Jewelry Services: Custom engraving and personalization services for lockets, bracelets, bag charms and keychains. Engraving done in their Half Moon Bay, California studio.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Under $50 - Affordable everyday jewelry |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | $50-$100 - Mid-range jewelry gifts |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | $100 and Up - Premium and fine jewelry |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Cards |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Kris Nations product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kris Nations designs, manufactures, and sells women's fashion jewelry across earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings using 18K gold vermeil, sterling silver, 14K gold-filled materials, and natural gemstones. All products are designed, assembled, packaged, and shipped from the company's Half Moon Bay, California studio, with in-house custom engraving services for personalized pieces and gift cards available for purchase.
Product overview
Kris Nations is a woman-owned jewelry brand founded by sisters Kris and Kim Nations, offering a comprehensive portfolio of fashion jewelry across four main categories: earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings. The product line features signature capsule collections like The Original Chill Pill and 14K Fine Jewelry, alongside extensive core collections. Earrings include studs, flat back titanium and 14k gold options, hoops, huggie hoops, ear cuffs, gemstone, and enamel styles. Necklaces span charm pendants, word/mantra script pieces, gemstone beaded designs, and classic chains in gold-filled and sterling silver. Bracelets feature gemstone beaded, charm script, and chain designs with personalization options. Rings include mood rings and engraved signet styles. The company offers personalized engraving services and gift cards, with products made from recycled sterling silver, 18K gold vermeil, and 14K gold-filled materials, all assembled and shipped from their Half Moon Bay, California studio.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Earrings Collection Comprehensive earring assortment including studs, flat back studs (titanium and 14K gold push pin), hoops, huggie hoops, ear cuffs, gemstone earrings, and enamel designs in 18K gold vermeil and sterling silver. Targeted at women seeking everyday and statement earrings for personal styling.
- Necklaces Collection Complete necklace assortment including charm necklaces, word and mantra script necklaces, gemstone beaded necklaces, classic chains (heart, large link, herringbone, drawn cable, rope, paperclip), lockets, and beaded designs. Targeted at women seeking everyday and statement necklaces.
- Bracelets Collection Complete bracelet assortment including gemstone beaded bracelets, charm bracelets, chain bracelets, and conversation hearts customizable designs. Targeted at women seeking everyday bracelets and personalized jewelry pieces.
- Rings Collection Ring assortment featuring mood rings, engraved signet rings with script text (Badass, WTF, Mama, Grit, Happy), and enamel rings in gold vermeil and sterling silver. Targeted at women seeking statement and personalized rings.
- 14K Fine Jewelry Collection Premium 14K gold capsule collection of labret flat back earrings featuring minimalist designs including bar, lightning bolt, star, heart, and crescent moon shapes. Targeted at consumers seeking fine jewelry upgrades from the brand's core line.
- The Original Chill Pill Collection Signature capsule collection cast in sterling silver with 18K gold plating and colorful enamel, featuring the iconic pill-shaped charm on necklaces and bracelets. Targeted at brand enthusiasts and gift purchasers seeking the company's recognizable signature design.
- Personalized Jewelry Engraving Service Custom engraving service for ID bracelets, heart lockets, bag charms, and conversation hearts necklaces and bracelets, with personalized messages, initials, and designs. Engraving is performed in-house at the Half Moon Bay, California studio. Targeted at gift buyers and consumers seeking one-of-a-kind sentimental pieces.
- Gift Cards Digital gift cards available in $25, $50, $75, $100, $150, and $200 denominations, delivered via email with no expiration and no processing fees. Targeted at gift purchasers who prefer to let recipients select their own jewelry.
- The B-Side Cassette Necklace Nostalgic cassette tape pendant necklace with crystal accents on a delicate chain, made in 18K gold vermeil on a gold-filled chain. Targeted at consumers seeking nostalgic, design-forward statement jewelry.
- Gift Guide Collection Curated gift sets and giftable jewelry pieces organized by price point (Under $50, Under $100, $100 and Up). Targeted at gift purchasers seeking ready-to-give selections.
Companies that use Kris Nations
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Kris Nations technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Kris Nations partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- ShopifycoreE-commerce platform powering the krisnations.com online store. Provides the technical infrastructure for product listings, shopping cart, checkout processing, and order management.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Kris Nations competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Gorjana: California-based DTC jewelry brand offering gold-vermeil and sterling-silver earrings, necklaces, and bracelets at accessible price points with layering/styling aesthetic. Directly comparable to Kris Nations in product mix, price band, customer demographic, and California lifestyle-brand positioning.
- Mejuri: DTC fine jewelry brand specializing in gold-vermeil and 14K gold jewelry at accessible price points with a 'democratized fine jewelry' positioning. Highly comparable to Kris Nations on material stack, target customer, and direct-to-consumer model, though typically larger and more capitalized.
- BaubleBar: DTC fashion jewelry brand offering personalized and trend-driven earrings, necklaces, and bracelets at similar price points with a comparable gifting orientation. Direct overlap with Kris Nations on personalization services, charm-based product, and gift-card programs.
- Made by Mary: Independent DTC jewelry brand offering gold-vermeil personalized necklaces, bracelets, and earrings with a focus on ethical sourcing and custom engraving. Closely comparable to Kris Nations on material quality, personalization focus, and small-batch independent brand identity.
- Maya Brenner: Designer jewelry brand best known for personalized initial and letter necklaces in gold and sterling silver. Directly comparable to Kris Nations on personalization niche, gold material stack, and designer-led brand storytelling.
Emerging players
- Aurate: DTC fine jewelry brand built on transparent pricing, recycled gold, and conflict-free stones, with gold-vermeil and 14K pieces at accessible price points. Comparable to Kris Nations on material stack and sustainability positioning, with stronger institutional backing.
- Catbird: Brooklyn-based independent jewelry brand offering delicate gold and sterling-silver stacking pieces with a curated, design-forward aesthetic. Comparable to Kris Nations on material quality, layering/styling positioning, and indie-brand identity.
- Sofia Zakia: Independent fine jewelry brand with a spiritual/mantra aesthetic offering gold-vermeil necklaces, charms, and engraved talisman pieces. Highly comparable to Kris Nations on word/mantra necklace category, gold-vermeil material stack, and personalized charm product.
Broad incumbents
- Kendra Scott: Established woman-founded jewelry brand offering gold, silver, and gemstone earrings, necklaces, and bracelets across DTC, wholesale, and physical retail. Comparable to Kris Nations on target demographic, price band overlap, and woman-founder identity, but at materially greater scale.
- Brilliant Earth: Larger sustainable and ethically sourced jewelry brand offering fine and fashion gold jewelry across DTC and showrooms. Comparable to Kris Nations on recycled-metals and ethical-sourcing positioning, but with broader category scope and significantly greater scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kris Nations social profiles
Digital presenceKris Nations financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kris Nations leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Kris Nations funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kris Nations M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kris Nations
What does Kris Nations do?
Kris Nations designs, manufactures, and sells women's fashion jewelry across earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings using 18K gold vermeil, sterling silver, 14K gold-filled materials, and natural gemstones. All products are designed, assembled, packaged, and shipped from the company's Half Moon Bay, California studio, with in-house custom engraving services for personalized pieces and gift cards available for purchase.
Is Kris Nations a public or private company?
Kris Nations is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Kris Nations founded?
Kris Nations was founded in 2002. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Kris Nations based?
Kris Nations is headquartered in Half Moon Bay, United States, in the North America region.
How does Kris Nations make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Direct E-commerce Sales are the primary driver. The others are wholesale, gift Cards and personalized Jewelry Services.
Who are Kris Nations's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Gorjana, Mejuri, BaubleBar, Made by Mary and Maya Brenner. Emerging players are Aurate, Catbird and Sofia Zakia. Broad incumbents are Kendra Scott and Brilliant Earth.
Does Kris Nations have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kris Nations.
What industry is Kris Nations in?
Kris Nations's product category is Fashion Jewelry. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAKABAC, Designer/Artisan Fashion Jewelry (Independent Brands). Its NAICS code is 458310 and its SIC code is 3960.