About Compass Rose Design

Jewelry for Bold Thinkers and Memory Keepers. 

San Francisco area designer Creek Van Houten draws inspiration from obscure histories revealed, flea market discoveries, and the memories held in her grandmother's jewelry box. 

The Compass Rose Design collection transforms the past into timeless talismans for modern living. Each piece celebrates story and beauty through the transformation of historic treasures. Founder and designer, Creek Van Houten elevates discarded antiques like buttons and teaspoons, reworking vintage components using traditional metalsmithing techniques to create keepsakes that celebrate life's important memories. Compass Rose Design is a woman-owned brand and a family business committed to using sustainable and recycled materials whenever possible, founded in 2010. 

About Creek:
After graduating from the University of Amsterdam with a Masters in Business, Creek worked for a consulting firm in Amsterdam focusing on Corporate Social Responsibility before coming home to California to marry her love. Combining Creek's great love of history with a life long jewelry hobby that started at age 8 when she made her first lost wax casting project with her dentist dad, Compass Rose Design was born. 

Creek is largely self taught along with courses from College of Marin and Silvera Jewelry School. In 2021, Creek was selected to participate in the Women's Jewelry Association's Jewelry Loupe Project. Through the JLP programming and a mentorship with Marie McCarthy of Fiat Lux, Creek continued to elevate her work, introducing precious metals and gemstones to the collection. Creek is a member of the Women's Jewelry Association, Northern California Chapter as well as Liz Kantner's Stay Gold Collective.