Patricia Caruso did not set out to start a jewelry business. Like many creative pivots, Teece Torre Jewelry emerged out of curiosity and a restless desire to keep making things.
After a long career directing television commercials, documentaries, and music videos, Caruso found herself at a crossroads. As film gave way to digital and productions grew leaner, she was already living in the Hudson Valley, recalibrating. “I knew I wasn’t going to be working as much,” she says. “I needed something to keep me out of trouble.”
That “something” began with a bracelet. Caruso had a specific idea in mind: a fitted, multi-strand bracelet that didn’t slide around the wrist. With no formal training, she taught herself through trial and error, calling jewelry suppliers with questions and figuring things out as she went. That first bracelet, a birthday present for a friend, caused a stir at the birthday party. Others asked for their own—different colors, custom sizes. By June 2012, Caruso opened an Etsy shop with a small run of made-to-measure bracelets, and Teece Torre was born, named for her nickname and her grandmother’s maiden name.
From the start, Caruso’s sensibility leaned toward the past. Antique and vintage jewelry—Roman, Victorian, Art Deco—became her touchstones. “I’ve always been attracted to gemstones and gold,” she says. “I’m not that enamored with modern jewelry.” Instead, she gravitates toward pieces with history, especially antique brooches and pendants that can be reimagined for contemporary wear.
Repurposing vintage jewelry has become a hallmark of her work. Caruso sources antique pieces online, at markets like Brimfield, and from dealers abroad, particularly in England. Each piece must be solid silver or gold to withstand modification, allowing a brooch to become a bracelet or pendant without disturbing its stones. From there, Caruso begins to play.
Her process is tactile and visual. Caruso cleans each piece, removes pins, and pulls gemstones from her extensive stock, holding them up, testing combinations. Early instincts—blue stone with blue—give way to bolder pairings: blue with orange, classic cameos set against unexpected hues. “When it hits,” she says, “you just know. You look at it and go, yeah, that’s it.”
Caruso’s business is built around direct relationships with her clients, not anonymous transactions. Every brooch bracelet is sized to the wearer’s wrist, and many customers come to her with specific requests or inherited pieces they want reimagined. She handles those conversations herself, guiding clients through options and possibilities one on one. “It’s a very personalized service,” she says. “You can call me if you want to talk about something.” That accessibility—rare in an era of mass-produced jewelry—allows each piece to develop through dialogue and attention to detail.
About 20 percent of her business is bespoke, often using clients’ estate jewelry or family heirlooms. Everything else is made with customization in mind, from wrist-sized bracelets to personal consultations by phone or email. It’s a hands-on, highly personal operation rooted in her Elizaville studio.
After more than a decade, Caruso is still experimenting—recently with Victorian watch fob chains and new forms. The goal, she says, is simple: to make jewelry that feels timeless, updated just enough, and deeply wearable. “I want someone to put it on and think, ‘God, this is beautiful. It makes me feel good. It feels like me,’” she says.
Teece Torre Jewelry
Teecetorre.com
This article appears in March 2026.
