He's tatted head to toe. Pierced, to include ear stretchers. He's also a father of two, served in the Army and has a white Morkie who sports a hot pink mohawk. Oh, and he used to be a professional poker player.

Chris Adkins

is as multi-faceted as the gems he uses in his

Thirteen Crowns

jewelry collection and he is as brilliant as the pave-beads that embellish the designs.

Shamballa bracelets are the rage from L.A. to Miami and Chris Adkins elevates them to a

couture-esque

level through his designs. Additionally, he is selective and uses only the highest quality semi-precious stones in his one-of-a-kind creations.

Chris and I sat down one morning so I can take a look at his designs.

Amazing!

Chris revealed he is as passionate about life as he is about his work. He shared his feelings about Thirteen Crowns and future plans.

How did Thirteens Crowns come to be and how did you choose the name? Tell me about the construction process and the materials you use.

ThirteenCrowns:

As a poker player you always have to wear the best fashion, dress to impress - always have to have the best accessories. There were so many times I could not find the right accessories to go with an outfit. Not ones that met my standards, anyway. So, I started to look up how to make rosary bracelets when learned how to make my first piece. Then came my second and so on. I felt really good about what I was making. People began buying the jewelry off of my neck, wrist. When I realized that I was making people feel good by giving them this product, I decided to go all out. I decided to leave the poker life to be a designer and thus Thirteen Crowns was born.

Notice the number 13 is on a family crest. As a poker player, I had a very tight knit group of friends, and being a superstitious group, because of our lifestyle, 13 became our lucky number. It became the symbol of our family, a bond unlike any other. I wanted the jewelry company to have that family royal feeling to it. So I took the number that symbolized everything and put it in the middle of a family crest and decided to call it Thirteen Crowns.

Every piece of jewelry that I make is one of a kind. Each design starts off with a mere thought or a sense of someone’s individuality. The majority of my work consist of custom pieces. I really like to find out a person likes in a piece and build off of that. Each time someone puts a piece of thirteen crowns jewelry around their wrist or around their neck, I want it to not only scream royalty but also to represent himself as an individual. Each element of every piece is made with the highest quality gemstones, precious metals and unique one-of-a-kind accents.

chris-adkins-thirteen-crowns-jewelry-fashionado

It is evident that your ink plays a role in your aesthetic. What else has influenced your work?

It’s funny that you have asked that question because with each piece comes a new influence. Each client, each person being crowned, is a new influence. To me, the wants and desires of each individual have become an endless influence in each custom piece I create.

Tell me about the charity work you're considering.

Thirteen Crowns for Thirteen Families

is not only a vision that I have to make a difference but it is also something that comes from the deepest depths of my heart. I can honestly say that the biggest passion in this world for me is to help others when they need help the most. Thirteen Crowns for Thirteen Families is something I plan to start very soon. It will be a foundation that raises money to help thirteen families at the end of every year. Each family will receive an amazing dinner; they will have a month of bills paid; each family member will receive more gifts than ever before; and we will fill their pantries with food for future months.

I grew up with nothing. I grew up wishing I had something. This is a chance for me to step up and to change the lives of those who are going through what I went through as a child. This is truly where my heart lies.

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This is the Thirteen Crowns bracelet I'm wearing or should I say, haven't taken off since Chris slid it unto my wrist on June 7th! I have showered with it, been in the pool and even at the beach and it still looks as fresh as the day I got it. The hematite and Swarovski crystal-pave beaded bracelet's sturdiness factor comes from the cording that holds it together: snakeskin!

AND for the dog lover in you, check out the

K9 Collection: