Shark Teeth earring charms (Credit: Claudie Benjamin)
Morgan and Blake Hill were married about two years ago and began an adventurous life together. An important first step involved purchasing a boat and going on water excursions in and around Charleston. Sometimes it was just the couple together, and other times they were joined by friends for shark tooth hunting expeditions and homemade pizza. They gained experience, learning the best locations and weather conditions for successful shark tooth hunting. The couple suggests booking an excursion with Coastal Expeditions if you want to find shark teeth locally. Their greatest find is a large, creamy megalodon tooth.
“It’s a treasured possession,” Morgan said. “We’ll never give it up!”
Morgan has a background in marketing, while Blake’s professional experience focused on custom home construction. As Morgan grew her influencer business, the couple saw an opportunity for Blake to help by concentrating on the business end while Morgan focused on the creative side. They had imagination and loved adventure. Find Morgan on Instagram at @moreewithmo.
The couple encouraged and supported each other. One of their earliest ventures involved designing and producing jewelry with some of the thousands of shark teeth they had collected. Morgan formed a partnership with local jewelry designer Haley Holzworth, who started a jewelry business 23 years ago while still in high school. That business, Hermosa Jewelry, is thriving and recently expanded, replacing the small original boutique with a larger one at 861 Coleman Blvd. in Mount Pleasant while also moving its second location into a bigger space at 189 Saint Philip St. in downtown Charleston.
Morgan’s stint with Haley was creative and rewarding. But after six months, the idea of living for a year as full-time RVers drew Morgan and Blake into a new and exciting life of cross-country travel, exploration and discovery. Their itinerary from January to November was mostly laid out, though they were fairly certain there would be changes along the way. The couple partners with hotels, restaurants, boutiques and local businesses, highlighting unique stays, dining and experiences as they embark on a yearlong, cross-country RV adventure out West.
Holzworth (Provided)
With her partner in shark tooth jewelry literally on the road, Haley said she will continue to design earrings and necklaces using natural finds and materials, as she has done for many years. The elements she incorporates into her jewelry are acquired on gem-sourcing trips that take her out West for several days before she returns to her studio with fresh inspiration, using materials that often reflect the color palettes of Charleston and coastal South Carolina.
“Shark tooth collecting is a thing,” Haley said. Where to find the teeth is often a closely held secret. Folly Beach and Drum Island are two popular sources that are fairly well known.
Once, on a fossil-hunting excursion led by a paleontologist among Charleston’s barrier islands, Haley and other fossil hunters were advised not to tell anyone where they had been, not to take photographs and not to try to return on their own.
Growing up, Haley’s family had a 17-foot Boston Whaler. Her family and others would each take their boats out for a day of fossil hunting. She said most teeth they found were on the smaller side, about ½ inch to 1½ or 2 inches in length. Occasionally, someone would find a bigger one. “That was like striking gold,” she said.
Haley started making jewelry while attending Wando High School from 2002 to 2005 and had already launched her business before graduating. From the beginning, shark teeth were, and continue to be, among the many nature-related materials and sources of inspiration for her designs.
With Haley and Morgan’s collection, the designs were mostly made from teeth Morgan had found. The two collaborated on designs that incorporated shark teeth, combining them with small freshwater pearls, semi-precious gemstones and gold and silver wire fashioned into earrings, necklaces and charms sold at the two Hermosa Jewelry stores in Charleston.
Hermosa will continue to produce and expand its shark tooth jewelry, which Haley said is “in higher demand than ever.” She noted that while many customers purchase finished designs, some who have been lucky enough to find their own fossils on the beach bring them into the store to have a piece designed around their discovery. Haley loves the challenge of designing around a customer’s special find, turning a simple beach discovery into a timeless keepsake.
Shark tooth jewelry has become more popular than ever at Hermosa Jewelry. Customers are drawn to the unique combination of history, nature and craftsmanship in each piece.
With a growing demand for shark tooth jewelry, Hermosa Jewelry continues to innovate, blending Charleston’s coastal charm with high-quality craftsmanship. Whether it’s a delicate shark tooth pendant, a statement necklace or a pair of fossil-adorned earrings, each piece carries a story—one that began millions of years ago beneath the ocean waves and now lives on as wearable art.
For more info:
Shark Tooth Jewelry: https://
Morgan x Hermosa Collection: https://
Hermosa Instagram (@hermosajewelry) : www.instagram.com/
