It all started in 2014, when our owner Emma, got her first job at a Bead/Coffee shop in Avon, NC named at the time, "The Glass Bead & Java Junction."
Overtime, owners switched and it became "Beads & Grinds" a well loved jewelry/coffee shop that honed her passion in both coffee and jewelry making. She worked there for a little over 6 years slowly growing her skills and bead collection so she could start making jewelry on her own.
In 2018, Emma lost her father at the age of 18 the summer before going to college. A bit lost, she stopped making jewelry and focused on school. In her sophomore year, the global pandemic, Covid-19 hit the world forcing Emma to return home to Avon, NC. There she had time to fall back in love with making jewelry, and since then has never stopped.
Emma moved to Southport, NC in the fall of 2020 and was there until the end of 2023. Moving from one small coastal town to another, Emma began cultivating her bead collection and started making rings, necklaces, and earrings and was in her first market. After working and making jewelry, mostly earrings, while working different jobs, she finally decided it was time to start her small jewelry business!
After setting a date to open her shop, Feb 2, 2023, she worked for months with her partner, Connor, to collect packaging, bead wholesalers, creating the website, making the first collection, taking product photos, etc. When February finally came, she launched her website as well as her first collection, "Names of the Filipina Women." This collection featured 55 one-of-a-kind, handmade earrings that reflected her Filipino Heritage by honoring the beautifully-strong names of Filipino women.
Our Story is far from over, we have since moved to Greenville, North Carolina, excited for where life is taking us! Keep checking back in with us for new one-of-a-kind earrings & products that might pop up in the future! And a huge thank you for everyone that has supported Emma Leigh Jewelry, we appreciate it more than you know!
Salamat,
Emma Leigh Jewelry Team
