Chesapeake Bay, MD

Living in D.C. the closest beach I can visit is on the Chesapeake. I go there several times a year not only to enjoy the coastal breezes and get some sun but also to collect sharks teeth for my jewelry.

These shark's teeth are miocene era fossils that erode from the cliffs. I spend a couple of hours collecting these tiny little beauties sifting through the shore.

On a sad note, the Chesapeake is also one of the more contaminated waterways and has seen a decline not only in the water's cleanliness but in the natural wildlife. The Washington Post just did a really interesting photo journal of the Chesapeake watershed sharing some of its history and current physical state that i think is worth a read.

(Also worth a look is a great slide show featuring aerial shots of the watershed.)

This summer I'm donating a portion of the proceeds from the sales of my shark teeth jewelry to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation...


Every little bit helps. Considering it's the only beach I have I'd like to continue enjoying my visits there for some time to come.

I'll be making new designs all summer so be sure to check in often ;) Here are some of the classic designs i'll be keeping in stock as well:

You can also see my whole collection of chesapeake bay shark teeth jewelry HERE

Miocene Sharks Teeth of Calvert County

The sharks' teeth collected along the shore of the Chesapeake Bay between Chesapeake Beach and Calvert Cliffs in Calvert County are records of a far distant past when the climate, geography, and living creatures in this area were quite different from those of today. Back in the Miocene Epoch, about 17 million years ago, the sharks that bore these teeth lived in the warm, shallow sea that covered southern Maryland.

The present-day configuration of the Chesapeake Bay emerged, with the deposits of the Calvert Cliffs that were once sea bottom now standing 100 ft. above the water line. Fossil remains of animals from that ancient sea floor are now exposed as wind and water erode the cliffs, and represent the most extensive assemblage of this period in the Eastern United States.

The teeth of extinct sharks most commonly found here belong to the following species: Galeocerdo contortus, and G. triqueter (Tiger Sharks), Hemipristis serra (Requiem Shark), Oxyrhina desorii (Mackerel Shark), Sphyrma prisca (Hammer-head Shark), and the Sand Shark, Odontaspis elegans. Teeth of the spectacular giant White Shark, Carcharondon megalodon, are found here too, but are rare.

From the great number of teeth that have been and are still found here, initially one wonders how so many sharks could have lived in a relatively restricted area.

There are several reasons for this abundance. First, sharks have an unlimited supply of teeth. No cavities, permanently missing teeth, or tooth aches for them! Shark teeth are not set firmly in the jaws, but in the gums, where they occur in layered rows. If a tooth is lost, it is gone but briefly, for another from the reserve layer moves forward to take its place. Also, recent studies indicate that the young of one common modern shark replace their upper teeth every 7.2 days, and the lower ones every 8.2 days! It is possible that this may have held true in fossil sharks.

Check out our Chesapeake bay sharks teeth fossil jewelry and get a little history of your own.

New in June!

GREEN and GOLD- lush and vibrant ready for summer. Epecially paired with 14/20 goldfill.



GINKGO Earrings- Already green and thriving with their beautiful fan-shaped leaves, enjoying the summer heat. Did you know: The Ginkgo has the intriguing distinction of being one of the world's most urban-tolerant trees, often growing where other trees cannot survive. These earrings are a tribute to these beautiful and hardy trees, and sure to compliment your summer look and be a lasting accessory for any season.
SHOWN: Sterling silver hand cut silhouettes with turquoise accent bead.


Child's birdie necklace- All girls love to accessorize! Little ones too!
This is a miniature version of the flying birdie necklace and sized to fit your tot at a lenght of 13 inches and mini bird charm and pendant measuring a mere 1.5 cm.




Shark bites-A little of wit with a bit of shark. Perfect little summer necklace! Tiny sterling tags with varied phrases to match the little shark's tooth fossil which measures less than 1/2 an inch.

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