01 about champe
Champe Carter was born in Amarillo, Texas, and raised on a farm outside of Vega, where he developed a strong work ethic and an appreciation for craftsmanship at an early age. Over the years, he worked a variety of jobs—from farming to structural steel welding—before ultimately discovering his true creative outlet in metal and jewelry design.
Determined to refine his skills, Champe attended the Texas Institute of Jewelry Technology in Paris, Texas, where he formally trained in jewelry making. He began his professional career in San Angelo, opening a jewelry store in the mall with his soon-to-be longtime business partner, Paul Jennings.
The pair later relocated their business to Fredericksburg, Texas, where they opened ChampeJennings Jewelry in a beautiful historic building just off Main Street. For nearly 20 years, Champe became known for designing and creating exceptional custom jewelry, building lasting relationships with clients and a reputation for quality craftsmanship.
After retiring, Champe expected to slow down, but the requests never stopped. Former customers continued to ask him to add names to bracelets he had designed and created over the years. Those requests inspired him to return to the work he loved under a new name—Turf Bar Metals.
FORGED BY HAND. WORN WITH MEANING. BUILT TO LAST.
02 gallery
03 turf bar metals
Turf Bar Metals. The name holds deep personal meaning. The Turf Bar, was the name of his grandfather Jack’s bar on Polk Street in Amarillo. As a child, Champe spent many afternoons there while his mother shopped, learning to play pool by dragging a wooden beer box around the table so he could see well enough to shoot. The memories of that place, and the values passed down from his grandfather, live on in the name and spirit of his work today.
Champe’s handcrafted bracelets have come to mean so much to so many people. Today, the farm kid who once welded structural steel now spends his time restoring old trucks and forging one-of-a-kind bracelets—continuing to create pieces that carry meaning, memory, and craftsmanship in every detail.
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